Go ahead and laugh but I have to ask....
I found this stuck in the hubcap.
After balancing upside down to change the cabin filter trying to be kind to this car, I found what ever the heck this thing is.
Is this simply road debris caught in my wheel (and thank goodness not puncturing the tire) or do you guys recognize it is this some clip needed for wheel, brakes, or what ever else is in the vicinity of the wheel that might have exploded off this car, sending it catapulting through the hubcap?

Please bare with me, V70 aficionados, but I just bought this 2004 V70 and it is a true mystery car.
Vin doesn’t match engine (that looks like it may have been drowned in Davy Jones's Locker).
And don't even broach the placement of the cabin filter that I changed today. Volvo designers are sadistic.
And as always, thanks for any wisdom you share.

 

Have you had your brake pads replaced recently?

That is an anti-rattle spring - usually installed on the brake caliper - but it's installed on your wheel!

OK - who touched your brake pads/calipers last? They kind of messed up. Might want to check the other side or anywhere else that was touched.

 

Holy moly.
Will I lose brake pad/calipers? It's been driving and braking fine but I did not drive anywhere today after the contortions of changing the cabin filter.

I'm glad I asked. Looked like something I'd seen before but I'm sure only by looking over the shoulder of a mechanic as I can't do heavy brake type stuff. I can't do much mechanical stuff at all. Professionals do it better.

Tomorrow is another day.
I'll try to see if I can get the tire off and look. Does it just go into the holes as your diagram shows?
Gee whiz...likely I'm looking at a tow n brake job I have no money for. All I need is 2 broken Volvos in the driveway.

I have no idea other then last owner who touched brakes He is in the wind.
I have yet to even get the car checked out completely. Owned it for an hour and got into car accident (scam). The shop fixed all but never had to touch brakes/tires. This car has driven about 700 miles since then.
Thanks so much for the information and diagram.

 

Brakes will be ok, (as long as that's the only problem) it's an anti-rattle spring

 

Thank you, thank you.
That sounds promising. So I can drive it without spring?? Nice to be able to drive somewhat safely if needed.
My Vo Only shop is an hour's drive if I decide it's above my experience level. But they are likely busy til next week.
I did study up on the task and if I can get the tire off, I may see if I can put it back on. I don't have a caliper spring hooky doodle but have nice needle nose pliers! Must be some tool in my menagerie to help get the last bit in place if the pliers can't do it with my lack of hand strength.
But rain will likely postpone any attempt today.
Again, thanks so much!

 

It easiest to get one end started into the caliper, then swing the other side around into plate. Don't fully press them in until both are partially inserted to make things easier. I don't think I have ever used a tool to put these back on, but I am sure it makes it easier.

If it helps, you can take your car just about anywhere to get that put back on.

 

Thanks, that's just how the video showed how to do it! (Peppermint had a clear concise video on it)

I'm going to try it tomorrow and if I fail, I called my shop with a tentative look-see visit Tuesday. They said they can pop it on for me providing there's nothing more wrong and that I can drive it like Hooonk said.

Anywhere close by me is questionable...nation-wide tire places that insist it's perfectly fine to sell tires that can NOT be balanced, nation-wide muffler joints that do bonus "tire rotation" without asking, and knock off the weights to try to charge hundreds of $$$ to rebalance, local shops that could care less about repeat business and do shoddy work with shoddy parts that costs double what it should.
Fact is, my reaction to the tire manager's claim the tire I bought could not be balanced got me blacklisted from that store.

I'll stick to the Vo Only guys even if it's an hour drive! Direct route is only 34 miles but through every town there is!!!

Again, thanks...more knowledge is always welcome!

 

Update:
I couldn't budge the lug nuts so brought it into the Vo Only shop and they found both front springs were put in incorrectly and now fixed for $0! They also made mention the car seems solid and there's not a speck of rust under this 19 year old car!

All brakes are brand new, just the front springs incorrect! So the guy I bought it from was truthful! Just did it wrong!

So they fixed me up and we'll be getting the V70 a nice oil change and check-up in a week. From hoses to sunroof wows!

Hope they can decipher why my vin and engine don't match or at least tell me what the engine is!!!!

Thanks again...glad I posted the wayward spring!

 

the VIN has a two digit code for the engine ( position 6&7 should show something like 62 or 63), You can google for sites like https://epicvin.com/blog/how-to-read-a-volvos-vin that map the code to the Bxxxxx number. You can also check the timing belt cover for a sticker that will show the Bxxxx number which is also stamped into the block on the firewall side of the #1 cylinder (in case somebody swapped the timing belt cover or the sticker is gone). So if you suspect an engine swap the most direct check is the block stamping

 

Thanks for the information!

Vin all deciphered before I purchased but can't find engine number anywhere. (Just followed a Robert video but I still don't see any nice clean number plate like in his video.)

The timing belt service stick-um on top has no engine number on it. Or is it inside the housing?

I'll let the Vo Only guys figure it out. They can find the engine number.