Hello, I am so grateful this site exists. Recently my '92 240 got stuck in park on a slight upgrade. Tow truck driver showed me the secret switch that unlocks the automatic gear shift ( it's actually in the drivers manual). Not sure if it's related but there is serious haunted house creaking coming from the control arm- ball joint area where the strut goes into the ball joint. Ready to order the parts and have assistance with the work ,can anyone tell me what I should look for or concentrate on. Should I replace both control arms? Struts??? Please help!!!

 

First jack up the car with the tire/tires of the ground grab the tire and try to move the bottom of the tire in then out.If it has play up and down its the ball joint if it has play side to side the tie rod/rods are bad.I would also check all the bushings in the control arm pay good attention to the rear one that mounts into a bracket.They go bad and sometimes the bushing slides back and forth in the bracket.Hope this helps.

 

thanx for the help, do I need any special tools? Will a standard ball joint puller work on the volvo? Honestly I would like to find a local trustworthy mechanic. I live in Bayville, NJ (ocean county) , You know the diagrams restaurants have to show you how to save a choking victims? The local repair shops have diagrams on how to bend over and pretend you love getting screwed. Thanx for the help tech. Anybody local to Ocean or Monmouth that does side work e-mail me Jawilroge@aol.com.

 

No you dont need any special tools to do it the balljoints unscrew from the control arm and the bottom of the strut assy.Its not that hard to do.You might want to get yourself a haynes book they are pretty helpful.Good luck!!!

 

Small amount of play side to side and up and down, barely noticable. Are the tie rods a big deal, I can see the ball joint will be easy.

 

The tie rods arent really that bad either you will just have to have an alignment done after you do them.If you decide to tackle them let me know i will send better directions to you Via e-mail.