OK, went to the jy Thursday and got there to late, closing the gates. I asked if they had 850's and the guy pointed at a red 850 wagon. Said it was nice, has a blown engine, said to come back tomorrow, Friday. Went back Friday and the red wagon is a R, not ready for pickin' yet.

So I check out the other 850's and there is a '94 with the aluminum arms on it. The struts are gone but the arms are still there. So I check out the pass side and the arm is there but the ball joint is missing. So I say, what the heck, I can get a ball joint from the stealer for $75 (or from somewhere else cheaper). Still it would be less than the $155+ oem arm and way less than the $190 they quoeted me on the new aluminum '94 arms with ball joints. So I remove the pass side arm, bushings are in real good shape. Take the left one off and notice that the bolts that hold the ball joint to the arm are missing. So I get that off, go back to the pass side and found 2 bolts lying on the ground. I bag everything and decide to clean my hands off in a nearby camary. While whipping my hands off, for some reason I just keep wiping and wiping and wiping and wiping, just can't seem to stop. Finally I look in the back seat at the strut tower there and low and behold, the ball joint that I'm missing is bolted on the bottom of if. LOL So I snag it and off I go.

I bet someone didn't have the 18 mm socket to get the arms off and decided to hide that ball joint for a Saturday return. Well, I bet they wont do that again. Now I have a set of the aluminum arms with the replaceable ball joints. The bushings and joints are in good shape. One ball joint is a little worn but doesn't flap around. The other one was real tight so I installed it on my car, '95 T-5R wagon. SCORE!!!

 

Congrats!!

 

congratulations on your new arms.

thought I'd mention just for search history's sake - I had an issue with my NA wagon pulling, not really particularly left or right but sorta LRLRLR under very light braking. Greased my caliper slide pins and it went away.

 

My arm frame bushing was so loose that it fell out when I pulled the arm away from the frame.

 

What did the aluminum arms cost you ??

 

$35 for the pair. I also just got a new kit from a guy on CL for $50. The kit had 2 new arms and 2 new sway bar end links.

As for the aluminum arms, the problem is finding them. Most people have opp'ed for the cheap after market arms and tossed the aluminum ones. You pretty much have to find someone that has their old Volvo serviced at the dealer to find them. Not sure if mine are OEM, they do NOT say Volvo on them. However, the dealer does sell them, $189 each side (loaded). I guess they still carry them for people that bend them. I seen them on eBay but no where else.

 

Today I pressed out the OEM bushings to test fit the urethane bushings. Now to clean up the arms and install the new ball joints and install on car.

 

Awsome!!! Does yours say Volvo on them? Did you have to press the new bushings in?

 

Sorry did not check for Volvo on mine.
The urethane bushings tap in with a small hammer.
But the old ones are a Bit** to press out.

 

Here is a pic of my arms all cleaned up and ready to go on. Was hoping to get them on tonight but did not work out that way. Hopefully tomorrow.

 

How in the world did you get them so clean?

Also, would it be best to get the nuts from the stealer? I am missing the bolts from the other arm ball joint.

On another note, I noticed that the directions in the manual said to measure the bushings in the arm and have the new bushings pressed in at the same position. I assume this will eliminate the need for or minimize the need for an alignment.

 

I sand blasted the control arms.
Do you just need bolts that go through the subframe and arm? Or the nuts for the balljoint?
Yes that does minimize the need for an alignment.

 

I need the 3 nuts for the ball joint. My local stealer told me they can not get the nuts, I have to buy the ball joints for $95+ tax.

They look new. Nice.

 

They are very common nuts. I forget the exact thread pitch but they are the same as the exhaust manifold nuts. They are also the same as the upper strut plate nuts.

 

I'll swing by a hardware store and find 3 nuts. Thanks.

 

where did you the get the bushings?i was looking on line the other day for poly bushings as the bushings on the URO control arms i bought less then a year go are bad already. I only found one company that sold them.

 

Eurosport Tuning: Front Control Arm Bushing (SET OF 4)

 

how about sway bar bushings?

 

I am not 100% positive but #10 AND #11 seem like them. You might want to call to double check.
Volvo 850, S70, V70 ( - 2000) Urethane Bushings -- PowerflexUSA Online Store

 

Found a set of these aluminum control arms in the yard today. Please pm me if you'd like me to get and ship them to you.