Hi, hope what I have is a quick and easy question? Replacing the rear brakes on my '97 850 wagon, i noticed a bit of horizontal (in and out the wheelwell) movement to the pass. side control arm. I quickly traced it to a worn bushing on the end that extends over to the drivers side. I looked up the parts and see its a housing of sorts,not just a bushing.

Question is: does the whole control arm have to come off? It looked like a simple unbolt then bolt new one in. And I figure on doing both sides(driver and passenger), are they similar in complexity to replace?

BTW, the(i believe it's called) delta bushings looked good and tight, leave them alone for now?

 

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I usually ONLY replace worn parts.

 

Thank you!

I found a pic of the one I am talking about if it helps, it is #1 in the pic...

 

Here is a link to FCPGroton for rear suspension on a '97.

Suspension Parts <-------

Haven't done them so I don't know if you have to remove the whole trailing arm but it doesn't look like you'd have to or that it would be that much to R&R both bushings.
Maybe someone who's done them will chime in.

 

Haven't done them but like you say, it looks like you can just drop them and replace. Reminds me of the big "lollipop" rubber mount on a BMW front control arm.

 

They are a pain usually you have to take it all the way apart. The bolt to get the bushing off the main arm is burried in the other arm.
Also you will need an alignment after as well. That bushing helps hold the rear toe adjustment in place.
You should be able to drop the one side and slide it apart some to replace the bushings.
I have replaced to many of the delta link(arms) to count. They bend very easy when hitting big pot holes or curbs.

 

OK, thanx. I saw what you mean by the nut on the end of the arm buried in a pocket on the other arm. I was wishing that once that housing was unbolted from the opposite arm it would allow enough movement to get at the nut holding it to the arm(clear as mud i'm sure,lol).

Call me a wuss, but I hate wrencing when the temp is in the teens or 20's

 

I wouldn't say wuss at all. Once it's under about 50 degrees my hands just don't work that well and most of the stuff at some point or another you have to take the gloves off.
I did a water pump on my 350 pickup in below zero out in the driveway because I have too many projects sitting in the garage. Luckily a chevy is pretty easy so I wasn't in there too long. You know it's cold when your air tools freeze up !!

Depending on if you have any front end work to do or planned, new struts, tie rod ends ..... you might want to check into getting a "lifetime" alignment from one of the national companies like Firestone, Goodyear, etc. It's more expensive but as you replace parts you can bring it in and they will check and adjust if necessary each time you replace parts and possibly move the steering or suspension out of alignment.

 

Thanx for the link, that is an awsome diagram of how everything is assembled, so I'll know a little of what goes where when I start tearing it apart.

 

Funny you mention, 'cause that is exactly what I was thinking. I have a clunk in the front going over bumps, so I'm thinking bushings and/or upper spring seat. But havent looked into it yet. Gonna do it all at once so I can get a 4-wheel align and be done with it. For now.

 

Hit the fasteners with penetrating oil because you live in the salt belt and likely have dissimilar metals corrosion between the steel bolt and the aluminum bushing frame.

 

Pain in the butt, but i was able to do it without dropping the arm.

https://volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-...g-30951/page2/

 

I plan on doing both(drivers & pass side). Having done it before, would you say it might give me a little more "wiggle room" to work with if I unbolt both sides bushing housings at the same time?

 

I have done about 50 sets. I always drop both arms to the ground then seperate.
You can undo all the lines and ABS sensors from the arms. I also unscrew the hubs and hang them from the body with heavy wire.