I'm doing a low budget resto on my car and am tackling the suspension next. What I mean by low budget is that I won't be taking the car off the frame or anything like that, i'm simply going thru it and replacing items to bring it back to original factory specs.

So what I'm looking for is a complete list of the suspension wear items to replace both front and back so can go through the complete list and ensure nothing in the suspension is missed.

The car is a bone stock USA spec '95 940 non turbo 4 door sedan. It's used a daily driver and will not be raced, tracked, lowered, chopped, or mod'd beyond factory etc. Thanks in advance for info.

 

That exactly what I am currently working on! Same car, same year! I'll be keeping up with your build for sure. If you look on IPDUSA.com they list suspension upgrade "stages". Let me know how it goes!

 

every rubber bushing is a potential wear item, but the ones that go the fastest are the conical lower radius arm bushing (connects the radius arm to the lower control arm), and the strut mount (which you should replace when you replace the struts).

past that, just replace stuff thats badly worn and obviously sloppy when inspected while rocking the car up/down/right/left. candidates are...

• sway bar bushings
• sway bar tips/ends
• other front control arm bushings
• steering tie-rod joints (inner and/or outer)
• ball joints
• panhard rod bushings
• thrust arm bushings
• drive shaft center bearing bushing
• drive shaft center bearing
• U-joints on drive shaft

avoid 'uro' and other offbrand parts, their quality is awful.

 

Pierce, what is your opinion on the poly bushings available from IPD? I have considered upgrading to them on my 940.

 

poly bushings will give you a harsher ride. good for a track day car, perhaps, but not something i'd want in a daily driver.

 

My best recommendation is to go with high quality rubber bushings for your daily driver and avoid poly bushings, especially for the radius rod bushings.

If your strut mounts have cracks in them, maybe its a good idea to take a look at replacing those as well. In general, your lower control arm bushings will be pretty good. My 1991 940 has no signs of wear on my lower control arm after 250k miles.

I recently replaced my strut mounts, outer tie rod joint, and radius rod bushings. Also consider looking at your lower U-joint on your steering column. Over time, they will develop some movement, making a 'clicking' noise when you turn the wheel at low speeds.

Lastly, try to resist the urge to replace bushings that are fine. The OEM bushings are very good, and replacing them with a newer, lesser brand probably won't help you.

 

This is not the way to do this unless you need to throw money away!
Have the car inspected by a competent and honest suspension shop, and replace only those items that need replacing--I bet there won't be too many things you need to do. As Wong says, many of today's replacements are much worse than the original Volvo OEM. Add to that questionable skills of replacement and the cost, and you are better off treading carefully. Many car owners "love" their cars to death, renewing things that don't need replacement. "If it ain't broke", you know the rest...

 

even new Volvo brand parts may be much lower quality than the original factory parts.

 

Thx for all the info everybody. I definitely won't replace anything that isn't needed and I'll only use genuine volvo parts.

 

I want to pick up this thread on 940 suspension. I have a 1993 940 Turbo wagon and have been told by a Volvo shop that I respect that my front "strut rod bushings" are worn. Their quote for replacing the bushings was $234. I inspected them also. They are split, but I cannot produce any wiggle in them whatsoever with a large adjustable pliers. I believe I will just take the shop's advice and replace them since my tires with 37K miles are severely worn on the outside edge. I will get an alignment also. My goal with the shop inspection is to insure there are no other causes for my abnormal tire wear before replacing them.

I believe the strut rod bushings are #11 in the attached diagram.

My questions are:
1) Is a strut rod sometimes called a "radius arm" or a "control arm stay" or a "track bar"?
2) It appears that the strut rod bushings can be replaced fairly simply by first removing the bolt on the frame end of the strut rod and then the nut on the control arm end. Then pull the frame end of the rod out of its bracket, which would then allow the rod to be pulled out of the control arm end and the bushings to be replaced. I am trying to confirm that nothing on the strut itself will need to be loosened or will interfere with replacing the strut rod bushings because I cannot tell just by looking where the forces from that intimidating strut spring are exerted.
3) Do you know the torque specs for the connectors on both ends of the strut rod?

 

Really easy job: you don't even have to take off the wheel--crank it all the way away from the side you are doing so the nut is exposed, and undo the nut and the bolt, they usually come right off. Just get the new ones nice and tight, I don't recall the torque settings, I only torque internal engine parts...

They should be changed if the tire has back-forth play--one instance where "kicking the tire" actually tells something.

 

each side has two cone shaped bushings, all 4 are the same. I thought you had to drop the radius arm to replace the inner/rear one ?

I think I'd stick with factory rubber ones... I used fancy SuperPro poly ones on my 740T wagon, and think that helped make this cars ride a bit too harsh. of course, the 16" wheels, and IPD sway bars may have something to do with that too. Has bilstein TC/touring shocks.

 

Speaking of shocks, I also have to replace my rear shocks because I am bottoming out with 2-3 passengers in the rear. I am looking for the OEM-daily- drive ride and have decided on Volvo OEM or Bilstein Touring. I would just buy the Volvo OEM because they are $29 right now at tasca.com, but I thought the Bilstein Touring might assist in not bottoming out because it is probably a gas shock. I do not want to bottom out after getting the new shocks. My springs are 22 years old. Any recommendations?

 

shocks provide damping, and keep the car from pogoing.... if the car is bouncing up and down, and bottoms out, shocks might help, but if you're bottoming out before you wallow, your springs and/or bushings are likely worn out.

 

Here's something I haven't seen: Volvo Control Arm Stay Bushing - Front (Hydraulic) - MTC VR207 - Free Shipping


europarts.com sells a lot of different brands of strut rod bushings, which are solid rubber, but these are called "hydraulic". Anyone know anything about these?

 

If you're interested, I might have a complete set, front and rear, of Sachs Advantage with less than 150 miles on them?

 

There is nothing HYDRAULIC about those bushings, rubber and metal only.

 

Thanks for the offer, Moe. I was tempted, but after watching several FCM Motorsports videos on suspension, I realize that I do not know nearly enough to step outside the OEM/Touring/Safe suspension realms that I am used to and seek to have. From reading, I suspect many persons like me who do step outside that realm do not get what they expected.

 

No prob, but fyi the Advantage was an OEM upgrade, mostly on Turbos.

 

I have replaced the top front spring rubber mount but didn't realise to put the very large cap and 22mm nut with the strut mount on first and put the strut into the top mount in the car. As a result when I lower the car off the jack there is a small 3-4mm gap between the strut mount and the large round plate. Is there an easy fix for this?