R Suspension queries

[Flatout Phil]

Had the alignment results back on the 850R and they are ALL OVER THE PLACE however, as suspected, the wishbone bushes are needing replacement. Not sure whether to go Powerflex or stay standard Volvo: OPINIONS WELCOMED.
ALSO:
Rear anti-roll bar has a fatigue fracture. Shall I just get Volvo replacement or is there a different product that will tighten up the ship? OPINIONS WELCOMED!
Cheers,
Phil.

[abdul]

i would say standard volvo original

[Tomcat]

IPD do uprated roll bars. Speak to Russ at RT I'm sure he's fitted them to someones car on here.

[smithy]

Had the alignment results back on the 850R and they are ALL OVER THE PLACE however, as suspected, the wishbone bushes are needing replacement. Not sure whether to go Powerflex or stay standard Volvo: OPINIONS WELCOMED.
ALSO:
Rear anti-roll bar has a fatigue fracture. Shall I just get Volvo replacement or is there a different product that will tighten up the ship? OPINIONS WELCOMED!
Cheers,
Phil.

go powerflex on the bushes and ipds sway bars front and rear it will completely change your car mate

[Clan998]

Had the alignment results back on the 850R and they are ALL OVER THE PLACE however, as suspected, the wishbone bushes are needing replacement. Not sure whether to go Powerflex or stay standard Volvo: OPINIONS WELCOMED.
ALSO:
Rear anti-roll bar has a fatigue fracture. Shall I just get Volvo replacement or is there a different product that will tighten up the ship? OPINIONS WELCOMED!
Cheers,
Phil.

Phil

Ive just looked in to this as I thought my front bushes needed doing ... Thankfully it was my wheel alignement which was causing all the problems.

Powerflex are good ( Ive had them on a previous 855R ) but be careful if your lower ball joints are on the way out you end up have to transplant the new bushes on new arms as the ball joints come complete with the arms. Its probably cheaper to get some new arms from Rufe for £210 delivered if the ball joints are past their best .

Powerflex bushes are about £75 and then you'll ahve to fit them . Depends really if the ball joints are ok . Hope that makes sense ?

Ive just got a IPD rear anti roll bar from Don @ Kalmar Union they are supposed to transform the handling . Ill have to let you know on that once its fitted. Your welcome to my old anti roll bar once its off the car .

If that has confused you ... PM me your number and Ill explain over the phone :-)

Rich

[Flatout Phil]

Thanks for all the thoughts so far. Have spoken to Russ (RT) and the IPD bars sound good - so good advice there Smithy and Craig. Powerflex are clean out of bushes and are unlikely to have any for at least 4 weeks. So I either wait, get new Volvo bushes as per Abdul's suggestion, or even new arms as per Rich's post. Rich I have PMd you re number as always useful to get two heads around these issues.
Russ's input much appreciated too!

[Flatout Phil]

Phil

Ive just looked in to this as I thought my front bushes needed doing ... Thankfully it was my wheel alignement which was causing all the problems.

Powerflex are good ( Ive had them on a previous 855R ) but be careful if your lower ball joints are on the way out you end up have to transplant the new bushes on new arms as the ball joints come complete with the arms. Its probably cheaper to get some new arms from Rufe for £210 delivered if the ball joints are past their best .

Powerflex bushes are about £75 and then you'll ahve to fit them . Depends really if the ball joints are ok . Hope that makes sense ?

Ive just got a IPD rear anti roll bar from Don @ Kalmar Union they are supposed to transform the handling . Ill have to let you know on that once its fitted. Your welcome to my old anti roll bar once its off the car .

If that has confused you ... PM me your number and Ill explain over the phone :-)

Rich

PM sent

[t5_monkey]

IPD All the way - completely transformed my S40 and it was already quite nice to drive around the corners being similar to a ford focus - Probably the best bang per buck upgrade you can do IMHO.

[Flatout Phil]

On the basis that the car has 90k on it, I think I might as well get new wishbones because, at this stage, I see little point in renewing bushes when in all likelihood the balljoint is coming to the end of its likely useful life. Have scoured all the reciepts since new (there are a lot) and no sign the job has ever been done. Still, I am left mulling whether to have the new arms rebushed with polybushes or just installing them as is for the moment. Probably the latter.
Will certainly get the IPD kit front and rear anti-roll bar upgrade kit - the reviews all seem to be unanimous that it is an excellent and (at £362) not excessively priced for the return - when compared with the £130 ish for the standard Volvo rear.
No doubt the entire car will now fall apart around me as she edges 100k.

I would guess that with the power output that bushes will tend to fail more readily - but am fairly confident that if needed, they can be replaced later.

Will await further opinions on this one!

[Tomcat]

Don't know if your interested but I've got some poly bushes in the garage for the wishbones, I fitted them but then had to buy new arms shortly afterwards because the balljoint was knackered, I don't think they've done more than 20miles at the most.

[Jamest5r]

If Phil don't want them pm me t/c,:B_thumb: will give Phil first dibs as this is his thread:rolleyes2

[Flatout Phil]

Don't know if your interested but I've got some poly bushes in the garage for the wishbones, I fitted them but then had to buy new arms shortly afterwards because the balljoint was knackered, I don't think they've done more than 20miles at the most.

Hi Craig,
PM sent.
Phil

[Volvostorm]

I got some powerflex bushes 2 weeks ago, from Larkspeed, they were cheaper than other places too. Thety might have a set or 2 left, and they are a new batch from after the fire.

[Flatout Phil]

Craig has sorted me some bushes! Hurrah!

Have ordered the roll-bars.

Will let you know how it all turns out - I am sure you are all waiting with bated breath...


I now realise what those strange doinking noises were a few months back as I came onto my driveway - roll bar fracturing. I thought I had a broken rear spring.

[Flatout Phil]

Question is, is it sensible to put in new drop-links as well when the new roll bar goes in at the front?

[Volvostorm]

Question is, is it sensible to put in new drop-links as well when the new roll bar goes in at the front?

I would mate, that way everything is nice and new :)

[Flatout Phil]

I would mate, that way everything is nice and new :)

I will see what Rufe can do for me on Monday. I agree with you. Trouble is, I will end up renewing whole car on this basis! No doubt be rear bushes next...new struts, springs, AP brakes...slippery slope

[Volvostorm]

I'm getting to that slope, I have a pile of bits in my living room waiting to be fitted.......................... ah! the joys of living alone! :D

[t5 stealth]

I'm getting to that slope, I have a pile of bits in my living room waiting to be fitted.......................... ah! the joys of living alone! :D

guilty as charged.............me too lol

[Flatout Phil]

I'm getting to that slope, I have a pile of bits in my living room waiting to be fitted.......................... ah! the joys of living alone! :D

At this rate, I think I will be living alone quite soon!!!

[Hallsy]

Could be worth going with the IPD drop links Phil - will match the new ARB's then ;)

How did you find the balljoints after 90k? That's if you've had them off yet?

My T5 had fsh, which is on 215k now, and from memory I think it's only ever had one wishbone replaced!!! I want to polybush mine, but I think it would be worthwhile buying some new arms now, but then seems a shame to remove the perfectly good Volv ones!!

[Flatout Phil]

Could be worth going with the IPD drop links Phil - will match the new ARB's then ;)

How did you find the balljoints after 90k? That's if you've had them off yet?

My T5 had fsh, which is on 215k now, and from memory I think it's only ever had one wishbone replaced!!! I want to polybush mine, but I think it would be worthwhile buying some new arms now, but then seems a shame to remove the perfectly good Volv ones!!

Had the thing up on the axle stands today. Noticed when on the ground that by wagging the steering wheel so the wheels did more than twist on the tyrewall that from the outside a slight clicking could be heard. WIth the wheels off the click was still there but felt to be coming from somewher on the steering rack - although could be a track rod end. Noticed that it already has powerflex bushes on the arms but the funny little separate washer bit on the front bush had split and come loose. In a quandary as to the next move.
All I can say is the the Tr rd end is a likely wear point and only in dismantling do they usually show up. At full lock I do get some wheel arch scuffing with the snow tyres which came off a while back, but I have a real feeling that being the one part I don't have in stock, it will be that that is fecked.
This is where a Volvo specialist comes in really handy - I wish I had one...just throw them the keys and they take it round the block and say what the problem is.
Ho hum...

[p fandango]

Had the thing up on the axle stands today. Noticed when on the ground that by wagging the steering wheel so the wheels did more than twist on the tyrewall that from the outside a slight clicking could be heard. WIth the wheels off the click was still there but felt to be coming from somewher on the steering rack - although could be a track rod end. Noticed that it already has powerflex bushes on the arms but the funny little separate washer bit on the front bush had split and come loose. In a quandary as to the next move.
All I can say is the the Tr rd end is a likely wear point and only in dismantling do they usually show up. At full lock I do get some wheel arch scuffing with the snow tyres which came off a while back, but I have a real feeling that being the one part I don't have in stock, it will be that that is fecked.
This is where a Volvo specialist comes in really handy - I wish I had one...just throw them the keys and they take it round the block and say what the problem is
Ho hum...
they do recommend using the IPD droplinks with there ARB's, the Parts for Volvo uprated droplinks are IPD LINK (http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=28_187_963&products_id=5938)

i've read of people using new standard Volvo droplinks & still get the clicking, fitting the IPD cured it

[Flatout Phil]

Well the clicking noise is revealed! The car already has Powerflex on the wishbones - and can only have been on a shortish while, but they whole thing is swivels around so I dont know why the bushes have failed in such a short period. They seem to have been installed in the correct orientation. Will get the thing jacked up again tomorrow afternoon when I have a spare couple of hours and see if the things have simply worked loose or if they have failed. I can easily move the rear wishbone bush just by holding the brake disc and pulling it around.

Also, the track rod ends are not rattling-loose, but I can rotate them by holding the tie bar and twisting them. Is that OK or are they on the way out?

All comments as usual welcomed.

[Flatout Phil]

Took the nearside wishbone off. Pretty easy - only three bolts needing 13, 15 an 18mm sockets or rings, a chunk of wood and a hammer. The rear polybush was as loose as Plaistow Patricia - the metal inner dropped out of the distorted rubber. The front was still firmish, but balljoint quite loose so changed the arm to a new Volvo one. Steering now straight ahead. Still some clicking in the system so will do the OS later - suspect those bushes will be nearly as worn. Only about a forty minute job for an old duffer like me now I know what I am doing (ha ha) Offside anything is USUALLY easier cos it does't spend it's life in the gutter!

MUCH less (almost none) wheelspin, and despite the broken rear antirollbar, really lays the power down a LOT better. Can't wait to get the other side done - even though they are on standard Volvo bushes.

[Flatout Phil]

Done the other one! So a little over 45 mins!

[Clan998]

Done the other one! So a little over 45 mins!

Well done matey if you need a hand with the rear anti roll bar or just some advise give me a shout

Rich

[Flatout Phil]

Thanks Rich, the bars are finally on their way so will certainly be in touch. Sorry to have been a bit elusive!

[Flatout Phil]

As of today have front and rear IPD roll bars, or sway bars as they will insist upon over the pond. New drop links too. It makes such a difference in laying the power down. Just digs in and it's offfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff............ ...

Now need to get the front struts changed, the alignment reset, and the old thing should be just right.

[RT MECHANICS]

As of today have front and rear IPD roll bars, or sway bars as they will insist upon over the pond. New drop links too. It makes such a difference in laying the power down. Just digs in and it's offfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff............ ...

Now need to get the front struts changed, the alignment reset, and the old thing should be just right.

Great news glad you brought and fitted both the bars its a great mod and one of the best things i did to the T5R in the early days :flying:

[Flatout Phil]

Great news glad you brought and fitted both the bars its a great mod and one of the best things i did to the T5R in the early days :flying:

Been able to run it around a bit today. Not only is there MUCH more traction - LSD really coming into it's own - it sits really solid (no detriment to ride at all) and is just so controllable in corners. And that is before the shocks and alignment have been sorted.
WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!