suspension probs

[mightywolf]

just had a quick check over of my car for the first time today (was gonna do the pcv but volvo didn't tell me they didn't have all the parts in yet!) I'm getting a slight knocking from the front which sounded like a suspension knock. wishbones are ok, 1 droplink could do with changing, cv joints and bearings are fine but..........my drivers side strut is leaking quite badly by the looks of it, and the passenger side bump stop has come away and firmly lodged itself over the wide part of the strut at the bottom :( so i'm gonna overhaul all the shock parts, bump stops, seats, mounts etc. But i'm thinking of aftermarket struts and just replacing them both. Any suggestions? I haven't got shed loads of money at the moment either so really expensive stuff is out of the question.
Also its an S70R '1998 and isn't the suspension lower in these? Is it lower just through the spring or are the struts different aswell?
Cheers guys :)

[mightywolf]

just checked and i can get a pair of bilstein shocks for £120. Doesn't sound too bad?

[Torch S70R]

stut top mounts m8, i had planned to do them but never got round to it
also if you plan on doing the drop links try and get proper volvo or ipd as the ones i put on were cheap scan ones and havent lasted by the sounds of it

[mightywolf]

i think its only 1 of the droplinks but i'll do em both. I'm gonna get new bilstein stuts as the drivers side one is leaking pretty bad. and seeing as i'm changing them i'm gonna fit all new seats, mounts bushes etc. and i picked up my strut brace today so she should handle like a beauty by the weekend :)

[mightywolf]

update and more problems!!! ok completley re-done the front suspension. new everything on now, the only thing I kept from the old shocks were the springs. everything was hunky dory no knocks, clunks, or rattles. On sun went to my brother in laws and took the car for a rather spirited run down some country roads.....all fine went back and parked up. on the way home started getting some strange clicking and knocking noises from the front.
now tonight i've checked both sides and can't find anything wrong!!!!
all suspension looks fine, can't find any play in anything (and there shouldn't be!)
i put 2 new drop links on when i did the suspension but checked them and they are fine.
checked both wishbones. one side looks like it could do with changing soon but again I can't see ANY movement in it when I move the wheel.
While moving the wheels (the old 9 n 3 wiggle, and 12 n 6 wiggle) I've watched the cv joints, the bearings in fact everything which could have movement in it and NOTHING MOVES!!!! I can't get a click or a knock however hard I wiggle or shake the wheels and its doing my head in now.
the rattle almost sounds like the brake pads rattling but it does it even under braking and I've put silicone shims on the pads anyway so its not that. the knock does sound like it could be the wishbone but i just can't get any play in it. I also thought cv joint/joints but again can't get any play or rattle from them at all.
any suggestions anyone???? i'm getting desperate now and I haven't got the cash to just start changing random parts in the hope i get the one or ones causing the problems.
sorry for the mega post,
many thanks, Mark.

p.s also checked the anti roll bar. bushes look like a future job but not immediate and again could only get very slight movement by trying to wiggle the anti roll bar.

[Flatout Phil]

Wishbone bushes are the bain of my Volvo. If they ain't knackered, it usually means they are about to be. Check out Meyle bushes (or indeed wishbones). Which brand of droplinks did you get? Cheap ones simply don't last.

[mightywolf]

Wishbone bushes are the bain of my Volvo. If they ain't knackered, it usually means they are about to be. Check out Meyle bushes (or indeed wishbones). Which brand of droplinks did you get? Cheap ones simply don't last.

think i'm gonna change the wishbones just as a matter of course. but surely the wishbones can't be the rattle noise. the knocking maybe, but its the rattle thats really annoying me. the droplinks ain't expensive ones but they've only been on about 5 days and they are ok. if the wishbones don't solve it i might have to get rid. my last T5 was one big money pit (and 1 unhappy wifey) if this s70r turns out to be the same it'll have to go (or very very very unhappy wifey). only had it a couple of months and must have spent nearly £500 on it already :(

[mightywolf]

little update. after much sweating, swearing and bruised/cut and bashed hands n fingers I changed the wishbones. The knocking and the rattling has gone now! the old wishbone bushes seemed fine but the ball joints seemed to have far too much play in them. so all sorted for now i hope.

[fireclown]

play in the ball joints can be hard to find. i bought some from gsf. they didnt last out the year. got some slightly more expensive ones on now. lets hope they last.

[Jimmie]

Even if you spend more money on the car you will know what you have and it will still be a cheap motor.