I just finished replacing the inner and outer tie rods with genuine Volvo parts on my daughters 96' 850 and sent her to get an alignment. After picking up her car she called me and told me there was a noise coming from the front end and she was going back to see what it was. Her struts are worn out on the passenger side (which could be causing some of the noise) I expect replacements in the next few days and her sway bar link on the driver side is shot because I to put the old one back in after the Meyle HD broke after 60 days (Genuine Volvo parts on the way too). The worn sway bar link could also cause noise. Anyway she told me they said her CV axles were bent. Not just one but both. I just purchased genuine Volvo CV's from Euro and had them installed 2 months ago. She told me they showed her that there was runout on the shafts on both sides. They told her this was common and that they see it alot and it didn't matter if it was factory or aftermarket. I was beside myself in disbelief when I talked to the mechanic myself this afternoon and he said the same thing. One of the mechanics she spoke to said her car wasn't safe to drive and she needed to park it until repairs were made. Needless to say she was very upset upon hearing the doom and gloom since she depends on her car daily for work. When she got home and told me the story, I drove her car and there was absolutely no vibration that I would expect from a bent shaft. It drove smooth and I drove at normal street speeds and highway speed to 70. Drove fine. The mechanic who called me told me that most likely they were either delivered bent or bent during installation. My question to him was "How?" He couldn't tell me. When I told him the car drove smooth he said that was because they were balanced from the factory. The whole thing smells and I was invited to bring tha car back and he would show me the run out on both axles.

Has anyone ever heard of CV's being bent from the factory, especially Volvo? I would appreciate your thoughts.

Jack

 

Bent Volvo half shafts seems highly unlikely.

 

Nope. Bent axles would cause a severe vibration and the car would be undrivable.

 

I believe you are right about the vibration. Her car runs and drives very smooth. So I am wondering what he was showing her when he was showing her the run out on the axles? I'm kind of curious now and maybe I'll take him up on his offer to show me.

 

Yes, I agree with your statement "the whole thing smells". As a master tech, I've lifted the front axles off the ground and spun the tires at highway speed. The axle shaft looks like it wobbles but that is actually coming from the suspension going up and down since there isn't a load on it and the tires are spinning at a high rate of speed causing suspension movement. (I think i could have said that better but I think you know what I mean).
If it isn't vibrating during acceration and/or at highway speeds then I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Yeah, they don't know what they are talking about.

 

Run Forest Run!