You may recall my (semi-)ongoing saga of work on the front suspension and steering of my '93 960 Estate. About a year ago I changed the ball joints and strut cartridges with related hardware. Made a big difference in handling and anti-lock brake performance. Just after that I had it aligned and the right inner tie rod end had to be changed. I just replaced the rear control arm cone bushings which were knocking as did teh anti-sway bar lnks while I was at it. That made a HUGE(!) difference in the way the car sits as well a nearly eliminating body roll in hard corners.. I was about thinking about pricing when teh fornt end developed a wobble that increased at speed, then an accompanying knock on rough, slow roads. I though that the other inner tie rod end was on the way. I checked it this AM and founfd the steering box needs to be replaced. The 'operating' rod (the rack part that comes out of the steering box) on the left side has a LOT of freeplay and when the steering wheel is wiggled lightly back and forth and it knocks badly which goes away when you pull downwards on it.. Oh, well... Already have a rebuilt one on the way from one of our oft' used e-stores for a LOT less than I could get one locally. The good news is that I am slowly running out of parts to change! I can say that this is generally a real easy car to work on. Just ask a Saab mechanic! ;-P~ from Randy & Valerie __ __ \ \ / / \ \/ / \__/olvo 1993 960 Estate
Sounds like you just did what needs to be done on our 960... How much did all this set you back? Our 960 has been reduced to a near-Oldsmobile in corners, it wallows and body roll is prominant. That and its hot inside, the A/C just died this year - it's in the shop getting a new evaporator right now actually... they are going to take a look at the suspension system as well, and give us a quote.
The cone bushings and stabilizer links were $55 (I got the urethane cone bushings) from FCP Groton about two or three months ago. Those are generally easy to change with instructions and assistance at: http://www.swedishbricks.com/700900FAQ/FAQSummary1.html The important thing with the cone bushings (referred to as the rear control arm bushings i think) is that the front control arm where they mount must be absolutely clean and smooth before installing the new ones or the roughness will wear them away. I used a small, stiff wire wheel on a cordless drill. They say that the cone bushings should be changed about every 30-50,000 miles or so, and mine were VERY worn (metal to metal) at 110,000. Replacing the sway bar links restored ride height and cornering. I did ball joints at the time as well. Have them change the two bushings that mount the sway bar to the frame while they are in there as well... might as well! If you don't have the tools and knowldge, the strut cartridges are beyond what I would recommend as a job for someone without the experience. This job can be quite dangerous- deadly, actually! The rear shocks are not difficult, just be sure to get the self-leveling shocks which can be had online for about 1/2 or less than what they cost at Volvo, but that's no surprise, eh? The Boge Turo Gas struts were $104/pr. These were the least expensive gas struts and I am gald I didn't go above them. They are plenty stiff enough and anything more would be too much. Add $94 for the strut mounting kit. The Nivomats (rear shocks) were $380/pr. All from FCP about 16 months ago. The rack set me back $210 with shipping, but that included the inner tie rods. This is also a relatively easy job... relaticvely speaking. Feel free to E me if you need assistance or advice. You can always buy the parts and have them install them... All prices USD BTW, but you knew that as well! from Randy & Valerie __ __ \ \ / / \ \/ / \__/olvo 1993 960 Estate
So $1500-2000 for the dealer to do all this work ;-)... If Volvo's are as easy as people say they are to work on, maybe i'll ask for help from a "shadetree" mechanic friend of mine - he mostly works on VW's right now, but he has fixed many of cars (don't think any Volvo's tho)
That's the cost for an estimate.. in CDN $$... I think the rear shocks at Volvo run about $550-700/pr USD. plus installation. My heart isn't strong enough to even ask about prices at Volvo anymore. What is a Rack and Pinion there.. around $600? If he has the tools then he can probably do it. The big thing is the spring compressor.The strut assembly has to be completely removed from the car, then the spring has to be compressed with special tools made for the job BEFORE removing the top center nut on the upper end of the strut. If he has the tool and has done the job then he can probably help you out. The rest of it is easy. Be sure to replace all the related parts like the upper spring bearing(name?). from Randy & Valerie __ __ \ \ / / \ \/ / \__/olvo 1993 960 Estate
He has a spring compressor, a generic one - will this be fine? Rack and pinion? If you mean a new steering rack, I think they are a little more then $600cnd, we bought one last year I know it was more, but I forget the price.
Probably.. The one I used I got from Sears. Make sure it is corrosion and rust-free, and well oiled before beginning. Even new ones can fail, so use care. Be sure it has some sort of locking arrangement that holds it firmly to the spring. As I remember, that's the only special tool needed. it really is an easy job. I use to work on VWs a lot as well, and in comparison, the Volvo is a joy to work on. ALthough I had done a LOT of work on cars and motorcycles before, I had never done a strut cartridge replacement. see: I think they are about $600 USD. I didn't think Canada had printed enough money to actually aloow anyone to purchase one! ;-) from Randy & Valerie __ __ \ \ / / \ \/ / \__/olvo 1993 960 Estate
Hey, no Canadian money bashing, our economy rebounded more then the US did this year and we're up to 3/4's value on your dollar now. And if you do the conversion, we get cars cheaper here ;-).
