Lower Control Arm Replacement

[Nozzaamazon]

Hi Having a nightmare replacing my lower control arm on 2002 V70.

Can anyone list the sequence of actions I need to do as am half way through, trapped my finger and now can't even think straight!

Do I need to disconnect steering arm ball joint and anti-roll bar link?

Thanks

[Nozzaamazon]

I have the drive shaft out, but antiroll bar link, steering arm and strut upper still attached to hub.

Do people use a ratchet strap to pull the lower control arm down while manhandling the strut to get the ball joint in and driveshaft in at the same time?


thanks

[Bernard333]

It is possible without using a ratchet strap but some advice I have seen posted seems to indicate to use one . I replaced a front wheel bearing on a 2001 V70 a few weeks ago and had drive shaft drop links and steering joint off and didnt need much force to push the control arm down . You need to be extra careful with the front drive shaft keep it well supported with string holding it up while you work , too much movement outwards will dislocate the bearings , I have had a garage had to replace a full drive shaft costing £350 because they did not relocate it properly on re assembly following control arm replacement . Also there was one instance on this forum of a mechanic putting the control arms upside down on the wrong side .

[Dynosaur]

Sorry for the threadromancy here, but I was searching on ARB bush issues and saw your post.

There's a way to remove the wishbones that I call the Granny Method (it's so easy, your granny could do it ... though whether she'd be willing to is another matter).
Simply remove the steering knuckle (hub carrier), which I promise is REALLY, REALLY easy and not only do you have tons of space freed up, but the wishbone sits totally free.

Things you'll need : -

- Two strut to hub securing (stretch) bolts
- (Probably) the plastic seal that sits between driveshaft and hub.
- Driveshaft to hub (stretch) bolt
- Threadlocking compound

1) - Get a cheap-ass, plastic Vernier caliper and measure the strut/knuckle width as shown in Haynes.

2) - Remove the driveshaft end bolt (with the other wheel on the ground, put it in first gear) and brake caliper (support with wire, as without a wishone it has nowhere to rest).

3) - Remove the brake disc (one bolt), backplate (3 bolts) and ABS sensor.

4) - Detach the trackrod end (hold the stud with an adjustable spanner ... trust me, it works) and remove the bottom balljoint nut.

5) - If you have an XC90 driveshaft bolt fitted, hoik the rubber cone out from the hub (and re-use on reassembly) and using a 1/2-drive extension, drift the driveshaft into the hub (hang it with wire) and remove the hub - recovering the plastic driveshaft endseal as you go.

6) - Get your granny to remove the wishbone, just to prove to yourself how easy it is.

On reassembly, you can re-use the caliper bolts, but clean them up with a small screwdriver in the threads (if necessary) and re-lock with compound.
Put a little WD40 on the driveshaft splines for a smooth outcome.
When torquing up the strut bolts, tighten the bottom one up until you can JUST move the hub, then the same for the top one - this makes adjusting the 'Vernier' gap really easy.


Sounds MUCH more complicated than it is - but it's actually really quick and requires no muscles whatsoever.

[R-P]

Hope thread from the dead isn't punished here...

I ended up doing what Dynosaur wrote, but without measuring the strut knuckle width. (1) because the English words are too confusing and I read it up front but it didn't make enough sense, (2) I don't have Haynes so no clue what is meant (3) because we were desperate and my brother-in-law (and S80 owner who had done his wishbones and struts before) just took the decision to do so. After about 10 hours trying to get the rotating (outer) bolts in the wishbones/control arm, he could have sawn off the the entire gearbox and I would still have thanked him if it had solved the issue...

So how screwed am I not having the two bolts attaching the wheel/brakes to the suspention/strut in exactly the same position? Is this something that is checked/fixed in a 4-wheel alignment?

I do not see how this works, as there isn't much play to adjust the angle of the wheel, and even if there is, would just tensioning the bolt keep it at that setting? There's no grooves or anything fixing it in that position. Even in a bicycle, where forces are WAAY smaller, you have a construction locking the rear-axle in place (pulling it backwards) and you don't rely on the axle-bolts in keeping the axle in place. But that is what Volvo does in their front wheel vertical alignment?


EDIT: I did not take off the disk or the brakes. I imagine it saves you some 7-8kg if you do!!!!!! Well worth it, as the remaining parts you have to manouvre will weigh next to nothing whereas in my case, they were bloody heavy!!! (extra chance of damaging the gaitor with all that weight resting on it at one point or another during manouvering, that's probably what cost me my gaitor...)

[Bernard333]

If its the two 18mm head bolts then its just the top one that matters and its hole only has about 2mm so you can adjust camber. I thought that tyre scrubbing problems on my V70 were caused by incorrect camber adjustment so I tried adjusting it maximum positive( top of the road wheel leaning outwards?) which made no difference to tyre wear or the driving although obviously it must have an affect, getting the tracking and wheel alignment correct made all the difference. In my opinion wheel alignment should include camber, it takes a garage 5 minutes to check and adjust it but I dont know these days if you would need to ask to have it done.

[reesky]

Originally Posted by R-P

Hope thread from the dead isn't punished here...

I ended up doing what Dynosaur wrote, but without measuring the strut knuckle width.

Glad you did what Dynosaur said. It's an absolute doddle - dead easy. WHen I did mine, I bought some used knuckles and constructed complete units with arms ready to go, and installed in one go - an absolute breeze! Very little levering, etc, required.

[outnumbered]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOEMdrhalak

[R-P]

You're kidding right?

The part that cost me 10 hours is completely skipped over in that video...
(2:16 they show the outer rotating bolt going in before screwing in the engine support bolts, the next shot, the engine bolts are in and the outer rotating bolt is almost completely out. Even when hanging with my full weight on the new wishbone I couldn't get it that low...)

[RM955I]

Cant' remember who gave me this but it's courtesy of them...