My '95 850 Turbo makes a clunking sound in the right front when hitting a bump or rounding a curve. A repair shop told me my tie rod was broken. Does this sound right and can anyone tell me what a reasonable cost range should be for this repair? thank you.

 

Hello again,

I just posted a reply on your gearbox question, check it out.

If the tie-rod is broken, I don't think you would have steering control. In most cases, clunking noise from the driveline is worn-out CV joint. Check the rubber boots at the wheel-end of the drive shaft to see if it's torn and spilled grease out.

If you can just replace the outer CV joint, the cost would be less, but I only see a rebuilt drive shaft at the following, which isn't a bad deal*:

http://www.fcpgroton.com/volvo850driveline.htm

*Consult a Volvo dealer to see if they can fix the CV joint less than the parts & shipping at FCP Groton.

I don't think the shop you're using is honest. I would change the shop. Refer to your gearbox question for shop recommendations.

Good luck,


JPN

 

I have a feeling they are referring to the sway bar link which is broken. It will definately make a clunking sound. Easy repair, too!

 

Actually, if the tie rod bushing is worn out, it would make some clunking noise when hitting a bump, or when starting to turn the wheel at corner entry. It's also possible that the control arm bushings are worn out.

I had a msyterious clunk too from the front end. I ended up replacing most of the front suspension, just because I felt it was cheap enough to do and I would know that everything there is up to date. On both sides I replaced control arms (with new ball joint), outer tie rod ends, and swaybar links. One tie rod end was junk, the other was fine. Ball joints on both had some play. I think the control arm bushings were still good... regardless, it fixed my clunk and improved my steering quite a bit. - AB

 

Sounds like it could be several things. B1mmer, curious how much it cost you for both sides front end work you described?

 

Could also be the upper spring seat broke.

 

Hello- I am new to my 1996 850... have a funny noise in right front wheel area when I
turn left, almost like something is loose. steering seems not affected ( No Play) when this happens. noise is a rattle type and speed or sharpness of turn does not change it
Thanks

 

I'd keep away from that repair shop because if a tie rod is broken that wheel points to wherever it wants to go and generally takes you with it and gets the adrenalin (sp??) pumping in no-time flat, an experience most people try to avoid.

I wouldn't be surprised if you took your vehicle to this mob to have the bulbs in the stoplights replaced because the bulbs had blown - that they told you this was caused by brake failure.

 

Hey now,

I agree with Volgrrr, if you broke a tie rod the car would pull a "Christine" and the trip you went on Would Not Be Pleasant .

I'd take it somewhere else because if your driving the car now, and not atsawing the steering wheel to keep it straight, then you probably have a very different issue.

Xjflexer may be right with the 'sway bar link'. They are easy and inexpensive to replace.


[sm=icon_cheers.gif]

 

Volgrrr, your exquisite sense of humor has pinned me onto the floor for some time. I can sense a significant level of intelligence in your reply, Amen (I have no religion, however).

BTW, the sp for "adrenalin" is correct; at least my spell check didn't catch it. On the other hand, "Volgrrr" was suggested as "Vulgarer", which is quite opposite of your character.


JPN

 

I have a similar noise in my 95 850 turbo. I tore up my front passneger suspension on some pot holes last winter. Had to replace the control arm because the bushing was shot - that caused it to pull braking/accelerating. But I think the main cluncking is from the sway bar bushing, whenver I hit bumps I can hear it (will be replaced this weekend!). I would guess if the little ball joint in the tie rod is worn or loose it would make the noise your describing as well. Just have someone move the steering wheel back and forth a little bit while you put your hand on the tie rod joint, sway bar link, ball joint, etc and see what feels loose as the tires move.

 

+1 to all the above. I highly doubt it is a broken tie rod. You would DEFINITELY know it if it was

 

ya'll are being overly critical about the mechanic's comment. A worn out/shot bushing on the outer tie rod can lead to imminent failure due to lack of grease on the ball joint which in my book means The TIE ROD IS BROKEN...!

different eyes tied to different minds

 

[sm=icon_cheers.gif]Hey now,

If the "tie rod" is borken then steering the car would be next to impossible as a tie rod is what keeps the wheels pointing in the same direction.

If the rod is broken while you are moving you will immediatly feel the car either want to pull to the left or right as one wheel turns away from the straight, depending on which one gives out, or one wheel will turn towards the engine and inner fender well. Again you would notice this immediatly as you would again feel the car wanting to turn suddenly and find the rhubarb [:@].

This happened to me back in the winter of'97 with my Honda Accord just a few blocks from home when I lived in Ottawa. I hit a winter pothole, filled with the beautiful fluffy snow that was coming down at night and on apoorly lit side street,and the car found the snow bank faster than I could even attempt to correct.Scariest fargin' thing that happened to me.

Never really understood what Nascar meant when they talked about "sawing the wheel", but found out right quick though as all the way home this is exactly what I had to do to keep the car inthe semblance of a straight line [&:].

[sm=icon_cheers.gif]

 

Hi JPN,

Maybe it's time to let my little well guarded secret out into the wider world - and you are the first to know.

When trying to come up with a name to identify my posts that was a little more eye-catching and/or interesting than "Brian", I thought amalgamating the first part of 'Volvo' with, hopefully the sound other non-Volvo drivers make, (i.e. grrr) when the T5 shows them a clean pair of heels would be rather cool - hence the brilliantly original 'Volgrrr'.

The reality of the situation is however, the very few times I put my foot down (and its always driven by necessity and never, ever a case of hoon driving [8D]), it's my wife who does the "Grrr"-ing. I somehow think she would also readily endorse your computer spell-checkers best fit for the word 'Volgrrr' in my case.