Wheel Wobbles

[JamesT5]

Hi

I've discovered a slightly worrying problem today and I think I know what the problem is but I want to pick some brains..... :worried:

I was driving to work today and I was getting a vibration through the sterring wheel all of a sudden, and then the wheel started to wobble slightly from side to side. I pulled over, got out to check the tyres and the wheels in general and it looked all ok. I got back in the car, pulled away and the problem had gone away but later returned in a mild form later in the journey a couple of times.

Driving home tonight, I got the problem again from time to time, but at one point I was on a dual carriageway and as I began to slow down (I wasn't braking just rolling to a gradual stop from 60 (ish) mph, the wheel started to shake from side to side again and I could feel coming up through the car and through my seat and leg that was resting against the side of the dash. I then braked to a crawl at the roundabout and the problem seemed to stop before, again, returning in a milder format later in the journey.

My guesses as to the cause are:

1) Wheel Bearing beginning to fail (this could be serious I know)

2) Worn bushes contributing to vibration

3) Wheel balancing is out (i.e., a balance weight has come off a wheel)

4) Engine Mount Bushing is worn allowing sideways movement of the engine that then effects the steering

Anyway, I'd appreciate any advice here but my best guess is the wheel bearings. Incidentally, there is no obvious noise coming from anywhere either during or before and after the problem occurs, at least no noise I can hear anyway. (If that helps).

Regards

James

[Jamest5r]

Might sound stupid but are the wheel nuts tight?

[graemewelch]

Bearing or worn cv on driveshaft. If its the cv it will go away when you dip clutch

[JamesT5]

Might sound stupid but are the wheel nuts tight?

Tight? Oh yes, ATS had to use a massive torque wrench to get them off and they torqued them up good and proper when they put the wheels on. I had all 4 done at the same time about 3 - 4 months ago. The problem seems to be very unpredictable and random at the moment too. If the nuts were slightly loose, then my guess is the problem would be constant rather than intermittent?

Regards

James

[JamesT5]

Bearing or worn cv on driveshaft. If its the cv it will go away when you dip clutch

Interesting you say that because I tried putting the clutch down and the vibration/movement was still there, so maybe it's something less evil? I think I need to try that test again a couple of times to be absolutely certain.

[childs3787]

perhaps something to do with inner or outer cv.

[childs3787]

does it happen at same speed or different?

[childs3787]

perhaps the shaft is slightly bent and as you go quicker it stops and as you slow down again it comes back.

[vaderboyo]

I'd jack it up and check the wheel for play (hands on opposite sides and see if the wheel moves to bottom) if so my guess wheel bearing, but more often that comes with its own unique noise which gets louder with speed.

Then I'd take the wheel off and have a proper look at the boots, joints, brakes etc etc - there's no sub' for a good nosey.

As for wheel balance, I'd swap it over with the back or your spare and see if there's a difference.

good luck

[childs3787]

tracking

[JamesT5]

does it happen at same speed or different?

Speed doesn't seem to be relevant when it happens, it's happened at higher and lower speeds and seems to get more pronounced as I slow down to lower speeds. Very odd!

[JamesT5]

tracking

I've thought of this and did the 'drift test' and there's no significant drift so I'm confident the tracking isn't the main cause. Saying that, there is never any harm getting the tracking checked anyway, at any time.

[lillico]

Could be play in drop links....
Just had mine done, along with track rod ends, Similar thing.

[JamesT5]

Interesting progress today. I noticed at 5 o'clock this morning when I first set off there was virtually no wobble at all. After I'd been running on the road for a while the problem started to surface again and tonight, coming home from work the problem seemed to be there from the word go. So......

That supports the theory that it's related to the wheel nuts because I worked out that as the alloy heated up, either by the heat of the day and/or the heat from the tyres, it expanded and allowed some movement of the wheel nuts.

It felt it like it was coming from the left hand side of the car but when I got home, I got out my (warped) wheel brace and even with that, I managed to get 3 or 4 of the nuts on the front drivers side wheel, to tighten up slightly. I checked all the other 3 wheels and couldn't get any movement on trying to tighten them. Mind you, my wheel brace is pretty bet out of shape!

I haven't managed to torque them correctly, I'll get that done at ATS (who fitted my 4 new tyres back in April/May), and also get them to double check the balancing and just give the underside a once over to see if they can see anything else obvious. I've got N2 in my tyres so I'll get the pressures done whilst I'm there too - it's only £4.

I'll update on here tomorrow night to see if my tightening of the wheel nuts has made any difference at all.

Regards

James

[graemewelch]

It wont be out of balance. It would wobble all the time. Have you checked the hub nuts. Any blebs on yr tyres.

[JamesT5]

It wont be out of balance. It would wobble all the time. Have you checked the hub nuts. Any blebs on yr tyres.

The tyres look absolutely fine, no uneven wear and nothing to suggest the tyres are at fault in anyway.

I also did the de-clutch during the wobble and the wobble continued whether the clutch was engaged or not. So I can rule out CV joints/wheel bearings I hope?

I'm really hoping my tightening of the nuts on the drivers side will dramtically reduce the problem. Not only is the wobble a bit unsettling but it's also quite uncomfortable. It feels like the whole car is wobbling from side to side and bumping very slightly up and down.

Regards

James

[graemewelch]

It wont rule out a bearing. But yes rules out cv. Its the tyre walls id check. Loose wheel nuts would knock loudly.

[bubba_1986]

Drive shaft/cv joint. Or Bulge on tire. Check them out closely

[LeeT5]

perhaps the shaft is slightly bent and as you go quicker it stops and as you slow down again it comes back.:cuckoo:

It's these sort of reply's we can do without! If the drive shaft was bent he'd know about it.

If you don't know or are just guessing, then please, just don't say anything. :B_thumb:

[LeeT5]

James

N2....seriously? ATS are rubbing there hands each time you visit mate, lol, i fill my tyres with air and it costs £0.

Anyway, i digress, this intermittant 'wobble' your getting. I had a similar thing with mine. Obviously with an R there's more to consider, propshafts bearings for one, but in your case it sounds very strongly like you got a worn CV outer.
As long as you've done the basics, checked tyre pressures are even, wheel alignment, wheel nuts are torqued to 110Nm, wheel bearings (check top to bottom), then there's not alot else you can do mate.

I personally would take the car to an Indy and get them to go over the front suspension and check everything (but don't tell them about the wobble). Just tell them you want a 'piece of mind' inspection and could they check everything!! Bushes, shafts, bearings, CV's (inner and outer), alighnment, tyres, etc.

A new CV outer is about £70ea. Only get oe as pattern parts on these have been known to be nothing less than crap!
If you ever get to look at a NEW cv you'll be amazed that they are so stiff! Compared to your worn CV's that will flop about like a wet fish. I didn't pi*s about with mine. Just had both front CV's replaced and guess what....no more wobble.

[Harvey]

When you apply the brakes do you get any wobble at the wheel ,just thinking if you have a seized pad in the calliper or the discs are warped.just a throught.

[JamesT5]

:cuckoo:

It's these sort of reply's we can do without! If the drive shaft was bent he'd know about it.

If you don't know or are just guessing, then please, just don't say anything. :B_thumb:

Lee, I appreciate any suggestions that anyone might have, regardless of how silly they may seem to you. I think it's good that people are trying to help, you never know, they might actually be right. :)

[JamesT5]

When you apply the brakes do you get any wobble at the wheel ,just thinking if you have a seized pad in the calliper or the discs are warped.just a throught.

There is a good chance you could be right Harvey, because when the wobble happens it seems to get worse when I apply the brakes. Driving home from work tonight, I wound a windown down and for a few seconds heard a 'squeaky brakes' sound but it was intermittent.

I've checked the lugs and they don't seem significantly loose although I managed to tighten them up very slightly, but it's made little difference to the problem.

I do know the brake discs and pads need doing so maybe it's given me an incentive to get them done sooner rather than later.

Regards

James

[V70 Graham]

For what it's worth I'm thinking either bulge in tyre (check inside walls) or warped disc.

[LeeT5]

For what it's worth I'm thinking either bulge in tyre (check inside walls) or warped disc.

Both of these problems would be constant, not intermittant. Come on guys, think about it!

If you got a bulge in the tyre it ain't gonna go away and come back and neither is a warped disc. If the disc was that badly warped then the vibration felt through the pedal would be easily noticeable. A warped disc does not cause vibration. If the pads are touching the disc intermittantly then it may warm up slightly, but even this would not cause a 'binding' sensation like a binding caliper and you would not get vibration intermittantly or constantly and only in an extreme case.

[JamesT5]

This morning I opened the front passenger window and had a listen whilst there was some wheel wobble/vibration going on. Anyway, there was a distinctive squeak, squeak, squeak going on like the squeaky brakes sound but with an interval between each squeak. When the wobble went away the squeak did too.

Now, tonight I've heard some other sounds. One was like someone had got a small pebble or stone and thrown it at the bottom of the car or at the plastic trim in the wheel arch. It happened when I went over a bump and also when I pulled away quickly.

The second sound was irregular but noticeable and it sounded like an empty 2 litre plastic fizzy drinks bottle being held by the lid and gently tapped against a hard surface (like a hollow popping/tapping like sound).

The bottom line is, I think the whole front end needs an overhaul, bushes, drop links, brake discs and pads. I may even need new strut top bearings, as I had similar symptoms on a previous car (a Skoda VRS) and it turned out to be the strut top bearing. Additionally, that car also had a buckled wishbone!

I've got 2 days off work later in the week so I'm going to jack the car up and see what I can find and have a more detailed look. In the mean time, I value all the ideas and suggestions. :)

Regards

James

[Harvey]

On your cv joints find a nice large flat car park ,pull away on full lock to the right and listen for any noises on load and off load then try it,on full lock to the left on load then off load.if you hear any clunking from the drive shafts then this should show up worn cv joints.

Also have a look at the drive shaft bolt under the Volvo cap on the wheel just remove the cap not the wheel and see if the bolt is tight that holds the drive shaft into the hub as these can come loose at times, dont go mad and try to over do them ,if you snap the bolt off its a new drive shaft.

[graemewelch]

I snapped mine. Just drilled it out and put a proper 12.9 non stretch bllt in

[Harvey]

Or get the xc90 bolts

[Harvey]

Ok just just trying to say be carefull not to over do it as is just a headache to remove the bit as the shaft is very very hard.

[Liddo]

This sounds EXACTLY what i had, but on my BM 530 Sport. It was a seized brake caliper. The car would be fine but after about 20 mins of driving, the wheel would shake out of my hands (very scarey) Go for a spin, and when it starts to happen, keep going for a bit then stop and touch the center hub of the wheel. If it burns your hand, the caliper is seizing and generating heat through the wheel (like a massive heat sink).

DONT over tighten you hub bolts if their loose, they WILL snap (ive dont it) and it cost me a tow to the garage and a new hub :(

[JamesT5]

Hi

Odd thing today and that was no wheel wobble at all and no nasty sounds! :wtf:

The only thing I've started to notice is really wooly steering and a distinct roll in bends, so that has to be anti-roll/drop links and bushes. I'll do some more detailed investigating tomorrow and I'm going to get some prices for drop links and just change them anyway - I've heard it makes a huge difference to handling!

Regards

James

[Harvey]

Sounds like the Volvo fairies have been round last night.

[JamesT5]

Sounds like the Volvo fairies have been round last night.

Lol

It's also a bit worrying because I'm thinking, "what's snapped/broken" to stop the wobble, especially given the horrible bangs and pops last night. It could be a caliper has unstuck itself but to be honest, a good inspection will give me (hopefully), the answers I'm looking for for definate.

I'll let you know what I find and thanks for your help as always! :)

Regards

James

[JamesT5]

I've just phoned my local stealers for some prices for front and rear drop links and nearly fell off my chair. The front ones are £66 each including VAT and the rear ones are £59 each including VAT. :yikes:

Are Volvo having a laugh? I can get a complete front set off the net for £20 and about the same for the rear.

This just shows what a markup Volvo are making on their parts - shocking!! :jaw:

[M-R-P]

PM Rufe mate, see what he can do for ya ;)

[stribo]

I've just phoned my local stealers for some prices for front and rear drop links and nearly fell off my chair. The front ones are £66 each including VAT and the rear ones are £59 each including VAT. :yikes:

Are Volvo having a laugh? I can get a complete front set off the net for £20 and about the same for the rear.

This just shows what a markup Volvo are making on their parts - shocking!! :jaw:
Although you can get cheap ones on the net (eBay etc) they are generally crap. I bought some for my Cougar, one snapped, the other didn't pass the next MOT. :wallbash: Your best bet if you get no joy from Rufe is to get some OEM ones from Euro Car Parts or GSF, they should be cheaper
than Volvo ones but as good.

[oblark]

I've just phoned my local stealers for some prices for front and rear drop links and nearly fell off my chair. The front ones are £66 each including VAT and the rear ones are £59 each including VAT. :yikes:

Are Volvo having a laugh? I can get a complete front set off the net for £20 and about the same for the rear.

This just shows what a markup Volvo are making on their parts - shocking!! :jaw:

Try partsforvolvosonline

Fronts :- http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=2_536_1022&products_id=3292

Rears :- http://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=2_536_1022&products_id=3293

[JamesT5]

I've been to a local car supplies company and brought some Delphi ones for £16 each. They look pretty sturdy to me too.

I decided to go out in this 'tropical' heat this afternoon and fit them. That was a BIG mistake, it's too hot and I just couldn't get the bottom 17mm nut to budge on the first one I tried so I didn't go any further, packed up and came back inside. I had the one side jacked up too which meant the whole thing was at an angle and trying to undo the nuts was very hard indeed.

I don't often admit defeat but my neighbour has recommended a local indy garage that they use quite often so I'm paying them £25 to fit them for me. I know, that's probably a hansom sum for what is for them a quick job but I've really struggled and it's just easier to get them done at a garage - especially in this heat!

Regards

James

[M-R-P]

Sometimes it's better to balance up the financial benefits of doing it yourself and the effort involved lol.

25 quid aint bad, they must think it's half hour's work or so.

[JamesT5]

Sometimes it's better to balance up the financial benefits of doing it yourself and the effort involved lol.

25 quid aint bad, they must think it's half hour's work or so.

Yes, he said 15 minutes a side! :)

[Harvey]

I work on the tools allday but I will take the car to my garage that I trust,they also treat it with a lot more respect than most.
The way I look at it if the job would take a garage two hours on a ramp,that will almost always take me a lot longer on the drive at home as it will almost always go wrong bits seized up beak off ,wrong size the list goes on .....bits not stocked will have to order up.
And I have a works van as a mobile workshop sat on the drive as well.

[Wally Dog]

I had wooly steering and intermittant wobble - turns out there was play in my steering rack, which was also leaking over the subframe bushes - which were completely ££££ed! I've had a new(ish) rack, new anti-roll bar (did the drop links 2 weeks ago - Delphi ones), track rod ends and all 4 subframe bushes done now - feels much more stable and no more wobble but still a little skittish - gonna get her laser aligned tomorrow!

[JamesT5]

I've decided to borrow Dads tools and have another go myself - I really won't be defeated and the satisfaction of knowing I did it myself will be better. I'll have to do it next weekend now due to work committments.

I'm going to have the brakes done at a garage though, I don't fancy the fiddle with those. There's a garage on site where I work that charges £24 per hour so I think £75 labour for discs and pads front and rear will be about right.

As for polybushing, I've decided the jury is out on that one at the moment but I will be getting the full kit and doing the whole car, all the mounts and bushes front and rear. That should tighten the handling up shouldn't it! :D

Regards

James

[ShadeTek]

I would not look at your tyres again, but I would get your spare tyre and replace it with each wheel in turn and go for a spin after the car is warmed up and the fault is more apparent. It sounds like you have a warped tyre that changes shape as it warms up. I had a problem like this that drove me mad for weeks until I discovered it was the tyre that was at fault. I blamed bearings bushes, you name it! Was worse the warmer it got too. If I jacked the car up and looked at the gap berween the ground and the tyre and spun the wheel, it was perfect. No bulges or anything. But with todays potholes there are many more oppurtunities to get damaged tyres.

[LeeT5]

I've just phoned my local stealers for some prices for front and rear drop links and nearly fell off my chair. The front ones are £66 each including VAT and the rear ones are £59 each including VAT. :yikes:

Are Volvo having a laugh? I can get a complete front set off the net for £20 and about the same for the rear.

This just shows what a markup Volvo are making on their parts - shocking!! :jaw:

ALL Volvo main dealer prices went up on the vast majority of parts as of 1st July 2012.

You think you needed a chair! I am not looking forwards to next month.
2nd - Two front calipers, pads (i'm supplying ATE super blue) £900.
6th - 9th - LUK Clutch, LUK Slave cylinder, LUK DMF, fitted - £1400.
13th - 16th - Wheels refurb inc vehicle storage in secure compound - £256. + tyres price TBC.

££££!!!

[graemewelch]

What you doing with old front calipers

[LeeT5]

What you doing with old front calipers

LOL, you'll be lucky! There an exchange unit mate, 25% surcharge if old units not returned, so unfortunately, the dealers are having them.

[Harvey]

LOL, you'll be lucky! There an exchange unit mate, 25% surcharge if old units not returned, so unfortunately, the dealers are having them.

Hi Lee have you seen the seal service kit for ours brakes,they also do the pistons
http://www.vivaperformance.com/brake-caliper-rebuild-seal-kit-s60r-v70r/

[LeeT5]

Hi Lee have you seen the seal service kit for ours brakes,they also do the pistons
http://www.vivaperformance.com/brake-caliper-rebuild-seal-kit-s60r-v70r/

Yes Harvey, i have. However, these will be no use as it's not the seals or pistons that are U/S. It is the stainless steel plate brake pad slides and the torqs screw threaded hole that is corroded in the alloy. This causes the plate to lift and pinches the edges of the pads. It also causes loads of brake squeal and uneven wear of the pad. Last time i fitted the pads it took me 30 minutes just to get one side out!! Then i had to grind off 1mm off each pad end the get the dam things back in. New calipers is the only way forwards.

[Harvey]

Yes I have had this on my motor the main dealer just told me I had a problem with my o/s front and that it's needs a new calliper.
Had a look look when I fitted new discs/ pads just removed the screw that holds the plate in place,as you say the corrosion had lifted the guide plate up which pinched it up into the pad backing plate I looked at the amount of lift and it was only at the end of one of the guides not all the way along just 1/4 inch along it.
all I did was to remove the corrosion on th alu then use some high temp stud lock on the alu/stainless guide,screws then refit it as this should keep the water out of this joint ,at the same time I removed all the stainless guides 4 each side and did the same to them all, the brakes are all nice and quiet now.
Just a bit of a shock that they charge so much for a exchange units I take it they will have a nice shiny paint job on them just like new.

[LeeT5]

Just a bit of a shock that they charge so much for a exchange units I take it they will have a nice shiny paint job on them just like new.

Yes they will!

[Pauld]

you hope :-)

[LeeT5]

you hope :-)

They come as oe on the car. Had a rear fitted last month, so i know.

[JamesT5]

Interesting update for you, I've noticed the worst of any steering vibrations or just general and abnormal vibrations coming through the whole car to be at their worst at 50mph, almost exactly. At this speed, I feel like the whole car is going over miniture speed humps (and I mean miniture), and it's almost like I'm 'bouncing' up and down. Yet at higher speeds, say 60mph or 70mph, the problem is a lot less noticeable and the same at speeds below 50mph as well. I don't think it's the bearings as I'm not getting that aeroplane propeller type sound or the howling you get with bearings. There's no 'clicking' going on so I'm pretty safe to rule out CV joints, which leaves me with the worn bushings and/or steering rack.

This is very wierd, there must be something in physics that makes 50mph unique to this problem.

Anyway, the good news - my new front end suspension parts are turning up slowly, I've got new tie rod ends, new ball joints, new drop links and all I need to get now is the control arms (wishbones if you like), and I'm ready for a basic front end overhaul. I'm also very tempted to get 4 shocks and 4 top mounts and get those done whilst the whole car suspension is in bits. I'm sure the shocks are letting me down at the moment but it all comes down to one thing at the end of the day - money!

I'll keep you posted but I'm looking forward to feeling the difference once all these new parts are on the car. :)

Regards

James

[M-R-P]

Any help you need mate - we're here ;)

although the name for your vibration problem is resonance and I'd be looking at your tyres for that.

[claymore]

Waw, you'v been driving this car for three weeks now with this problem, I've only just read this thread and it sounds exactly like a problem I had with mine a couple of years ago. I't was the outer cv joint, it didn't make any strange noises on full lock, but I nearly ended up in a hedge when it gave way.

[JamesT5]

Waw, you'v been driving this car for three weeks now with this problem, I've only just read this thread and it sounds exactly like a problem I had with mine a couple of years ago. I't was the outer cv joint, it didn't make any strange noises on full lock, but I nearly ended up in a hedge when it gave way.

Well for the £20 - £30 to replace a joint it might be worth my sticking some new ones on when I do the suspension work....

(For reference only, this is the right part I think?)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOLVO-V70-2-3-T5-CV-JOINT-BRAND-NEW-99-07-/140568225086?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item20ba84e53e

[JamesT5]

Been out, jacked the car up and had a play with all 4 wheels. The back wheels are solid but the front ones tell a different story..........

Both front wheels (completely off the ground) - slight side to side movement but no up or down movement that I could see when I wiggled the wheel. Also, the drivers side wheel felt stiff to turn by comparison to the passenger side wheel. Now, if I'm right, that's 3 possibilities.....

1) Brake stuck on ever so slightly meaning extra effort to turn the wheel

2) Wheel bearing worn

3) CV Joint worn.

I'm really hoping it's the first of the 3! It might go a long way to explaining the wheel wobbles/vibrations though.

By the way, I've ckecked the tyres and there's no sign of bulges, nails or screws on the inside, outside or tread parts at all.

Regards

James

[M-R-P]

The side to side wobble would go some way to explain the "skipping" sensation.
did you get a lever between the wishbone and where it bolts to the subframe and give it a pull? it'll show up your wishbone bushes.

[JamesT5]

The side to side wobble would go some way to explain the "skipping" sensation.
did you get a lever between the wishbone and where it bolts to the subframe and give it a pull? it'll show up your wishbone bushes.

I only had the time and facilities (i.e. sissor jack) to do a basic check of the wheel movement but when I change the components over I should have a better idea of that's going on under there.

Regards

James

[graemewelch]

Hope yr not using a sissor jack when you change yr suspension. Its got disaster written all over it. Buy a trolley jack and axle stands and do the job safley

[JamesT5]

Hope yr not using a sissor jack when you change yr suspension. Its got disaster written all over it. Buy a trolley jack and axle stands and do the job safley

Oh. don't worry mate I'm borrowing Dad's tools including the axle stands and the trolley jack. :D

[JamesT5]

Hi

Well, for those of you who've been following this thread, you'll know about the umms and arrrrs on this I've been having, but driving home this morning after a 12 hour night shift, I had a scary experience but I think I've found the problem and here's how............

I drove out down the work access road and the car was vibrating but slowly, as I was doing about 20 miles per hour. I got to the main road and the car was still vibrating and my steering wheel shaking came back and I was pretty worried because it seemed to be getting worse. To cut a long story short, the whole car felt very odd indeed driving back home and when I got to a 2 - 3 miles stretch of dual carriageway, well this is where the real 'terror' kicked in.....

I was driving along and the whole car seemed to be resisting my use of the accelerator pedal, the more I used the worse it got and the worse the vibrations got. My thought at the time was that my wheel bearing or CV joint was siezing up and the power through the drive shaft was making it worse. Anyway, I couldn't get the car above 50 and the only way to describe the feeling is like when there is a MAF issue or the car has gone in to 'limp home mode'.

Really worried by this, I drove very slowly home via the back roads and when I applied the brakes, the car suddenly veered off to the right which was very scary indeed. The whole car felt like it was on a road that was moving from side to side and backwards and forwards, so I drove at 20 - 30mph along the quiet country lanes trying to stay out of the way of other drivers for fear of holding them up or crashing in to them!

About 5 - 6 miles from home, I slowed right down to read a sign post, very gently braked and all of a sudden I heard what could best be described as a rusty hinge on a gate sound similar to brakes when they go metal to metal. After that, the car just returned to the normal 'sloppy suspension feel', and I was left only with the incessant knocks and rattles coming from the worn suspension arm bushes and probably front anti-sway bar links.

So, the conclusion is...... Stuck Brake Caliper! The sound I heard was the brake calliper unsticking itself, and the resistance on the dual carriageway was me effectively driving the car with the brake stuck on!! The wobble is because the one wheel is fighting the brake on the other side, so you get a 'tug of war' effect through the steering column. This seems to happen mostly in very warm weather, because what I think is happening is the metal expands during the warm day and then shrinks at night and the caliper then seizes until it's received enough abuse that it frees itself.

I do also have these suspension wear issues so it looks like I've got 2 problems, not one, as I originally thought the wheel wobbles were soley down to worn suspension bushings or other parts.

I'm going to whip the wheels off and plaster the brake disc and caliper in brake cleaner, hopefully that will clean away some of the gunk and caked on brake dust and prevent this happening again. I need to change the brakes and pads but this car has already drained my spare cash this month so I can put the suspension parts right. :cussing:

At least I can almost certainly rule out CV or Bearing issues and I hope that someone else will find this a useful point of reference if they have the same problem.

Regards

James

[graemewelch]

Strip the pads out and attack the callipers with a wire brush and screw driver to remove any rust. then regrease yhe slides and put plentynof copper grease wear the pads sit.

[Harvey]

If the disc has got that hot it might have warped it high and low spot.just be careful,
are the pads worn the same amount on the same disc eg inside one to the out side one,if not this can cause problems as well.
Please don't work under you car on the jack Volvo supply,a highways officer the ones in the 4x4 on the motorways,was killed when working on his own car at home using the same type of jack near me not all that long ago I know you said you wouldn't.

[JamesT5]

If the disc has got that hot it might have warped it high and low spot.just be careful,
are the pads worn the same amount on the same disc eg inside one to the out side one,if not this can cause problems as well.
Please don't work under you car on the jack Volvo supply,a highways officer the ones in the 4x4 on the motorways,was killed when working on his own car at home using the same type of jack near me not all that long ago I know you said you wouldn't.

Yeah those sissor jacks are a pathetic excuse for a jack really aren't they, in fact I don't even know why they supply such puny devices which are quite obviously dangerous. Why not supply cars with mini hydraulic jacks that are more reliable and a set of collapsible axle stands? Oh, I know, they want us to take our cars in to their garages, and pay their ridiculously high garage labour charges.

Are these sissor jacks actually good for anything....?

As for my brakes, the front pads and discs are due for replacement anyway and soon. Thing is, the ruddy thing is draining my bank account with these suspension issues at the moment and I felt the suspension is more of a danger right now than the brakes.

These cars have a nasty habit of throwing lots of expensive problems at us in one go don't they!! :mad:

Sorry for the rant.....

Regards

James

[JamesT5]

Hi

An update on this. I cleverly called out the RAC to get them to unstick the caliper and what I saw horrified me to the bone......

The two rods that are taken out from the back were rusted in with the head rounded off on one of them and it took a mallet, and a bottle of pentrating fluid to do the whole caliper. The RAC man had a hell of a job freeing it and it took all that plus me in the car pumping the brake about a dozen times to free it. He's rubbed the pins down with some emery paper and put them back in and made sure everything is 'working' (cough, cough), :hihi: and everything is tightened up.

He said the edge of the brake disc has gone orange from overheating and the inner pads are starting to come unbonded from the metal plate at the edges. There was lots of rust and crumbling metal and he's advised me to change the caliper (might as well do the pair), plus the brake hose needs replacing due to cracking on the rubber, along with the front pads and discs that are pretty much shot to bits. Then of course I'll need to change the brake fluid too. The running gear on this car has obviously had a seriously hard life and it's gonna take some sorting out.

Yikes, this is going to be a big, big, big, BIG, bill! :shockedbi :scared:

Advice anyone....?

Regards

James

[M-R-P]

Bloody hell mate. If it's any consolation, once all these faults are sorted, you'll have a car you KNOW to be in good working order.
Mine has been worth every penny.

[JamesT5]

Bloody hell mate. If it's any consolation, once all these faults are sorted, you'll have a car you KNOW to be in good working order.
Mine has been worth every penny.

The RAC Patrolman agreed it was one of the worst he's ever seen! I'm going to get Dad to look at it for a second opinion as he's a good 'home mechanic' and I trust his opinion......

[JamesT5]

Oh, and he spotted 2 other things, ATS have put my N/S front tyre on the wrong way as it's a Directional tyres but the tread facing the wrong way! Also, he said that the tyre has been rubbing the wheel arch (as suspected and as per usual on these cars). That's obviously the sound I get on full right lock when I turn the wheel, and he said check the tracking as it can affect the position of the wheel and make it rub.

[Harvey]

Oh, and he spotted 2 other things, ATS have put my N/S front tyre on the wrong way as it's a Directional tyres but the tread facing the wrong way! Also, he said that the tyre has been rubbing the wheel arch (as suspected and as per usual on these cars). That's obviously the sound I get on full right lock when I turn the wheel, and he said check the tracking as it can affect the position of the wheel and make it rub.

The rubbing tyre will be the wishbones bushes worn or your steering stops worn on the wishbones.

[JamesT5]

The rubbing tyre will be the wishbones bushes worn or your steering stops worn on the wishbones.

It'll be the wishbone bushes as the steering stops are nearly new! The good news is that my new wishbones should be here tomorrow and I'm planning to overhaul the front end tomorrow too. I'm changing the suspension arms (wishbones), tie rod ends, ball joints and drop links on the front. I've also got drop links for the rear which are much shorter than the front ones for some reason.

I can't believe the state of the running gear on this car and I'm also suprised this car passed the MOT at the end of March. I don't know how the MOT tester didn't pick up on the state of this suspension etc, especially the wishbone bushes that have obviously been perished for quite some time, yet I've been for MOT's before where the MOT tester has picked on the slightest imperfection. You'd think it would all be done to exactly the same standards wouldn't you...!

[JamesT5]

Just been on Parts for Volvo to look at Brake Discs. Nice aftermarket ones for around £30 I thought, until I saw the make - Scantech! Mind you anything is better than the decrepit metal discs I've got on there at the present moment.....

As for the Genuine Volvo ones, I can get them cheaper at a Main Stealer...... Oh, gosh, I've gone all dizzy typing that... where's a chair..! ;)

[diggit1664]

Had the same about a week ago . Turns out that the pads are compleatly shot on the near side
Had brake pads go all the way to the metal befor but this is the first time I've felt this kind of wobble . It's like the tracking is of but the whole care was going to. Stupid idiots that change one side at a time when the pads are sold per axel

[JamesT5]

Had the same about a week ago . Turns out that the pads are compleatly shot on the near side
Had brake pads go all the way to the metal befor but this is the first time I've felt this kind of wobble . It's like the tracking is of but the whole care was going to. Stupid idiots that change one side at a time when the pads are sold per axel

I bet your calipers aren't rusted to bits like mine though....

[JamesT5]

Just taken it for a short hop in to town now the RAC man has done his magic, the car feels just ten times better although it's only a temporary repair. I can only imagine how great it's going to feel once this is all fixed and the car is back to normal.