It handles! It handles!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Randy G.
  • Start date Start date
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Randy G.

Over the last 18 months I have replaced the following:

Front strut cartridges, ball joints, strut bearings, and related parts
as well as rear shocks (done about three or four months into
ownership). More recently the cone bushings on the front control arms
as well as the stabilizer links and their bushings. About a week or
two ago I replaced the steering rack (I didn't much like the way the
left front heel was trying to leave the vehicle by it's frantic
left-right gyrations at 65+ mph). Had the new tires put on at Costco
last week (great sale on Bridgestones- saved $80!) and then the front
end aligned (all that was needed was toe-in adjustment).

I have had the opportunity to drive the car on one of our twistier
roads over the weekend and must say that the thing is handling like it
should now. I am glad I am older (wiser [and wise enough to know, a
bit slower] {and too poor to pay for the consequences}) because this
thing sticks in corners now like a race car. For a station wagon
(estate) it handles way too good! At speeds that would have had most
passengers wetting themselves (I was alone) I didn't even hear a
single squeal from the tires.

I can say that, based on my experience, if your Volvo of the same
era/design is handling poorly with symptoms that may include:
- chattering of wheels when anti-lock brakes are brought into play
- vibration in wheel that increases with speed
- knocking sounds from front on rough or dirt roads
- body lean in corners
- dead spots in steering when apexing a corner (a slight wheel
movement in one small area does nothing to correct direction)
- Front end pitching down when braking
- Car does not sit level from front to back or left to right
- Has around 110,000 or more miles without the above-mentioned work
having been done
It is time to look into the replacement of some parts.

I am glad these cars are so relatively easy to work on. After
replacing the entire firnt differential on my '74 Ford pickup truck
(alone in the gravel of my driveway) it was certainly a pleasureable
experience to do the work on the 960.

Hope you are reading this, Rob. G! A VW!? Ughhh..... BTDT (had 3 back
when), and never again!


__ __
Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
\__/olvo
'93 960 Estate
 
Hey Randy G., great to hear all that work paid off. My experience is
running parallel to yours except that I've a 240. I replaced my rear
shocks a month after I got the car, and I'm getting ready to do the
strut cartridges, ball joints, and tie-rod ends, then a front end
alignment. I'm a fairly conservative driver, but the other day I was
running a little late so I got on it a bit. Just my luck there were two
police cars just off the road, facing opposite directions so they could
talk. After I blew by them, I let off a bit and they just sat there, so
I just kept going. I had to smile as I imagined their conversation.
Cop-1 "WHAT THE....??, Did you see that?
Cop-2 "What? What was it?
Cop-1 "Looked like a Volvo station wagon, can you believe it?
Cop-2 "Yeah well, let him go, probably shaking like a leaf just cause he
went a little faster than he's supposed to.
You can get away with a little bit here and there, driving these wagons.
By the way, that Meguiars wax worked great,came out real good.
 
mw156 said:
Hey Randy G., great to hear all that work paid off. My experience is
running parallel to yours except that I've a 240. I replaced my rear
shocks a month after I got the car, and I'm getting ready to do the
strut cartridges, ball joints, and tie-rod ends, then a front end
alignment.
Click to expand...
If you have the same suspension I do, then be sure to check (and most
likely replace) the cone bushings where the rear control arm goes
through the front control arm. They will be really easy to change.
Most likely, the stabilizer links should be done. While it is all
apart, might as well do the rubbers where the sway bar mounts to the
frame. There are inner and outer tie rod ends. The outers are easy to
do, the inners are a bit tougher. If the inners go they can cause
added stress on the steering rack and will accelerate the wear on that
part.

For the strut cart ridges I got the least expensive (softest) gas
struts. If you like performance but what to keep your fillings in
place, it is a good way to go. For a more comfortable ride, stick with
the standard (non-gas) cartridges.
By the way, that Meguiars wax worked great,came out real good.
Click to expand...
Cool! Yes, that stuff goes on easy and works great!

There use to be some stuff called "Wesley's Liquid Polishing
Compound." It was a liquid that removes ALL oxidation, dirt, stains,
etc., and left behond a smooth paint ready to wax. I had used it on a
white car that LITERALLY looked like a piece of chalk. Afterwards you
could see yourself in the paint! I haven't seen this stuff in a long
time.

My cousin use to own a Honda Repair shop. I watched him one day
changing the struts on an older Honda car. These were made as part of
the suspension so to change them with the stock part the entire strut
was replaced. Kong made an adaptor kit that used a cartridge like
ours. To replace it he would grind off the top retaining edge of the
cartridge using the bench grinder with a 55 gallon trash can located
beneath it. When the retainer was ground off the entire internal
spring, valves, and oil would BOOM, jump into the trash can with great
force. It was fun to watch!

__ __
Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
\__/olvo
'93 960 Estate
 
For sure I read your post (I read almost everything here)... it's about
suspension!

I'm thinking after the A/C system, and buying a whole lot of new stuff for
the house, that the suspension on the 960 is going to be one of next years
big ticket items.

As far as Vee Dubs go - it's out of necessity right now... I drive long
distances and need the diesel engine (that and the owners are just as
fanatical, possibly more, then Volvo owners)... Next year i'll be making
more money (a lot more money...) so I might see if I can get a new S40, or a
used S60 (I can just see this being a bad, costly idea tho) a used S90 or
850... Either that or buy the new Golf... it's a very tempting car - things
breaking hasn't disuaded me from drivng a VW... yet, getting there - the new
Volvo's seem to have just as many problems, and i'm too afraid of having to
be in the garage working every weekend to buy an older Volvo if I have to
drive high, high Kms. My main considerations are driving comfort, sound
system (factory systems only if I can help it, or an aftermarket that looks
great - I haven't seen one yet...), low engine noise at speed, low wind
noise, good high speed handling, fantastic high speed braking.... as you may
be able tell, I drive on the highway a lot - right now the 99.5 VW I commute
with fits all these roles, the Volvo lags in wind noise, braking, and fuel
economy... Beats it in comfort, and the sound system sounds better - i'd say
about equal in handling (you just feel it all more in the Volvo).


Over the last 18 months I have replaced the following:

Front strut cartridges, ball joints, strut bearings, and related parts
as well as rear shocks (done about three or four months into
ownership). More recently the cone bushings on the front control arms
as well as the stabilizer links and their bushings. About a week or
two ago I replaced the steering rack (I didn't much like the way the
left front heel was trying to leave the vehicle by it's frantic
left-right gyrations at 65+ mph). Had the new tires put on at Costco
last week (great sale on Bridgestones- saved $80!) and then the front
end aligned (all that was needed was toe-in adjustment).

I have had the opportunity to drive the car on one of our twistier
roads over the weekend and must say that the thing is handling like it
should now. I am glad I am older (wiser [and wise enough to know, a
bit slower] {and too poor to pay for the consequences}) because this
thing sticks in corners now like a race car. For a station wagon
(estate) it handles way too good! At speeds that would have had most
passengers wetting themselves (I was alone) I didn't even hear a
single squeal from the tires.

I can say that, based on my experience, if your Volvo of the same
era/design is handling poorly with symptoms that may include:
- chattering of wheels when anti-lock brakes are brought into play
- vibration in wheel that increases with speed
- knocking sounds from front on rough or dirt roads
- body lean in corners
- dead spots in steering when apexing a corner (a slight wheel
movement in one small area does nothing to correct direction)
- Front end pitching down when braking
- Car does not sit level from front to back or left to right
- Has around 110,000 or more miles without the above-mentioned work
having been done
It is time to look into the replacement of some parts.

I am glad these cars are so relatively easy to work on. After
replacing the entire firnt differential on my '74 Ford pickup truck
(alone in the gravel of my driveway) it was certainly a pleasureable
experience to do the work on the 960.

Hope you are reading this, Rob. G! A VW!? Ughhh..... BTDT (had 3 back
when), and never again!


__ __
Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
\__/olvo
'93 960 Estate
Click to expand...
 
Randy said:
If you have the same suspension I do, then be sure to check (and most
likely replace) the cone bushings where the rear control arm goes
through the front control arm. They will be really easy to change.
Most likely, the stabilizer links should be done. While it is all
apart, might as well do the rubbers where the sway bar mounts to the
frame. There are inner and outer tie rod ends. The outers are easy to
do, the inners are a bit tougher. If the inners go they can cause
added stress on the steering rack and will accelerate the wear on that
part.
Click to expand...

Yes, I believe the suspension is essentially the same. I will follow
your suggestion and check/replace the bushings,links, and sway bar
rubber. Appreciate the heads up on that, thanks!
For the strut cart ridges I got the least expensive (softest) gas
struts. If you like performance but what to keep your fillings in
place, it is a good way to go. For a more comfortable ride, stick with
the standard (non-gas) cartridges.
Click to expand...

I'm probably going to go with KYB cartridges, that I can get through a
friend of mine, instead of the BOGE.
Cool! Yes, that stuff goes on easy and works great!

There use to be some stuff called "Wesley's Liquid Polishing
Compound." It was a liquid that removes ALL oxidation, dirt, stains,
etc., and left behond a smooth paint ready to wax. I had used it on a
white car that LITERALLY looked like a piece of chalk. Afterwards you
could see yourself in the paint! I haven't seen this stuff in a long
time.
Click to expand...

I seem to remember long ago,(pre orbital buffer days) when you would
sometimes compound first then wax, man, what a chore. Now, with these
formulas, it's so much easier.


My cousin use to own a Honda Repair shop. I watched him one day
changing the struts on an older Honda car. These were made as part of
the suspension so to change them with the stock part the entire strut
was replaced. Kong made an adaptor kit that used a cartridge like
ours. To replace it he would grind off the top retaining edge of the
cartridge using the bench grinder with a 55 gallon trash can located
beneath it. When the retainer was ground off the entire internal
spring, valves, and oil would BOOM, jump into the trash can with great
force. It was fun to watch!
Click to expand...

Hey, that sounds neat. Cool shortcut! On my last 240, we went to change
out that big bushing on each side of the rear differential(where the
support arms connect to) and one side just would not budge, so we used a
torch to burn it out. Not terribly spectacular to watch, but was kind of
fun and got the job done. Take care.
 
Wouldn't get away with it in the UK - the Traffic Police use V70T5
wagons and S40T4 cars around here...

Andy R
 
I've flown by a stopped radar car while doing a bit over 100kph in an 80....
Nothin' - Volvo's are invisible to police here I think.
 
Rob said:
I've flown by a stopped radar car while doing a bit over 100kph in an 80....
Nothin' - Volvo's are invisible to police here I think.
Click to expand...

You know, there is something to it though. I once drove a friends
MGB-GT for a few months(fun to drive, but not exactly a rocket), and I
got stopped more than all the years driving a Volvo. Maybe stopping a
Volvo is just too routine, you know....seat belt on, all equipment
operating properly,good rubber,all paperwork in order, safe driver's
license,etc.... Just the other day I was at a light and a BMW
convertible rolled to a stop just past me in the next lane. There were
two very attractive women in it and they immediately started going at
it, kissing each other, hell, they were practically sucking each others
face off. Now, being a captive audience, I had no choice but to sit
there and watch this, but taking a quick look around I noticed that
pretty much every other guy was watching too! There was one old lady
shaking her head alittle,doing the old...tsk,tsk, well, I
NEVER!...routine, probably coming back from a bridge game or something.
I guess my point is that ahh... I think the cops would probably rather
stop a car like that or maybe a guy racing around in a HO Mustang or
something, just for the sake of some kind of action.
 
I figure that the cops must assume it's a generally safe older driver who
feels that a little over the speed limit is perfectly safe for the
conditions (usually is)
 
Yes, there's that too, in fact it's probably more along those lines than
what I said. Most fellow volvo owners I've observed, drive very sensibly
and are usually considerate of others, going so far as to actually use
their directional signals, which is kinda rare where I live (except for
that old lady again, who usually has it on for miles).
 
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