Hello everyone. My 97 Volvo 850 has an awful squeak while driving at low speeds. It's on the passenger side. While not in motion and inspecting the car it's difficult to find the squeak, however I really went in depth today and I think it's the lower control arm. It's like it needs lubricated but I don't know about anything as far as suspension parts. Any help would be great. Thanks everyone!

 

Our control arms dont get lubed in these cars. Its most likely a ball joint or a endlink creak.

Can you op load a video of your issue?

 

Okay, so this is the best I can do right now. I tried driving around but every video I took the wind nose killed it. So this is the best I could get with my body weight and strength lifting the car. ... I'm a six foot two, 160 lb scrawny kid so the results are poor.

 

If you have a grease gun get a needle attachment and squirt some grease in the ball joint. If the noise goes away replace the ball joint/arm. The grease that you added is only temporary.

 

If this is the issue how urgent is a replacement? I'm not one to put off car care; I'm just in the process of moving across the state so time is tight at the moment.

 

Jack up the front, grab the wheel at 12 and 6 and try to wiggle it back and forth.
If you have play the ball joint is bad.

then grab the wheel at 3 and 9 and try to wiggle. if there is play the control arm bushings are bad.

If there is any play replace that control arm right away.

If there is no play the problem either isnt bad yet or its not your control arm.

Visually inspect the sway bar end links. if they look bad replace them.

you can try disconnecting the end links to see if the noise goes away...

But that axle does look bad, Is that boot torn?

 

Okay so no play in the wheel. However, yes the boot is torn. I have no idea how new of a 'injury' that is. I know they are mainly to keep the dirt off, but what other consequences are present with that issue?

Also you said the axle looks bad. How so? and what is the timeline on this?

I have to make a 4 hour trip and back this weekend. Will my car make it?

 

The boot covers a rotating joint where the clearances are critical to smooth and quiet operation. If water and or dirt are allowed in there it will cause grinding, clicking and in the end failure. It will take some time to fail but it's something you can prevent.

If you're capable at this point you could take it apart, clean, re-grease and re-boot it. Somewhere around 12-25 for a new boot and grease.
The complete shaft might cost you 75 bucks at an auto parts store and carry a lifetime warranty and for the trouble of re-booting, I'd go with a new or rebuilt shaft.

 

that noise could be the joint going bad... any clicking when turning at full lock yet?

 

Well I shopped around yesterday and found a mechanic to install a whole new axle. From what I can tell the awful squeak is gone. Also the clicking grinding noise at full lock is gone too! My normal mechanic said the part and labor would be 180. However he couldn't get me in until a month from now. So next lowest offer was 240. Took it since Thursday was my only day off this week. May have over paid a bit, that comes with a panicky me. :-\ thanks for all your help guys!!! I'm so glad you saw the torn boot. I would have never seen it!

 

I could have saved you money on that. I'd of been happy to do it for 235


But I know the feeling, money is no object when you own a VOLVO !!

 

HAHA, hey 5 bucks is 5 bucks! Welp the clicking I have had when turning full lock is definitely gone. However the squeak still remains. At times it is worse than others. I'm not sure what it could be since the axle was replaced (as far as what parts that replaces and what old parts remain) When under the car and messing around you can feel the vibration through the lower control arm...if that helps...

 

If you try to spray each bushing one at a time and re-check for the squeak you should be able to narrow it down. I'd recommend a good penetrating oil like PB Blaster or liquid wrench but if you had to, WD40 would be ok for testing. Problem is WD40 isn't an oil and it evaporates.

Spray a joint liberally from both sides and see if the squeak is gone.

Try each of the two control arm bushings at the frame, each of the two sway bar bushings and the bearing plate at the top of the strut from the wheel well and from the engine.

Once you find it you might be able to grease it to cure the problem. Just need to inject a little or take it apart and lightly coat it with a little.

It's not likely to be the ball joint at the end of the control but they aren't easily lubed. Should it turn out to be the ball joint you can try to oil or grease it but if it's making noise it's one component I would just replace as the noise is a sign of wear past normal limits.

Last thing is the sway bar link. It has two ball joints and can squeak and like the control arms ball joint it's best if you find it making noise to replace it.

 

Okay from what I can tell it's the lower control arm bushings where it connects to the frame...not the wheel? lol. So if the grease does not cure the problem what is the general costs to have those replaced...or is not an urgent thing/just annoying?

 

First, inspect them to see if they look solid and round. If they are starting to crack from dry rot or if they are deformed where the bolt running through the center isn't centered they need to be replaced.

Next, try to lube them. See if it takes care of the squeak.

Just the bushings, which can be pressed out and new pressed in are around 30-60 dollars a pr depending on who you get them from. You can go FCP, Autozone, Rockauto ...
You can also spend more and get polyurethane. The advantage is they install easier (DIY) and will last almost forever but they are more $$$. You do save the money you'd spend getting them pressed if you pound the old ones out yourself.
Or for 40-120 you can get complete control arms with new bushings and ball joint.

 

Okay, for my means of inspection I can jack the car up and look/touch. I'm a college student who no longer lives at home.... So...I don't exactly have the means of taking anything apart. That said from what I can tell there is still some rubber between the arm and bolt. very little on top and none on the bottom side of the bolt. I have no clue what I'm really looking at.

Odd thing ia that this morning it squeaked and this after noon it didnt...

Revisiting the description/inspection from numerous posts ago, when under manually lifting the car you can only feel the vibration through the control arm, so I'm fairly sure that isolates the issue, I hope.


I'll also add that there is not play in the wheel as wiggling top/bottom or left/right as mentioned early in the board. Just a reminder for you and myself. So if it is the bushings or ball joint it's not 'that' bad yet...Correct?

 

Just a note, be careful if you spray stuff on bushings. Some things like WD40 are not good to use on rubber because it causes it to decompose. I have used WD40 on belts and things I knew I was going to change soon but would not want to leave it for long. I just replaced an arm and ball joint for around $50.

 

I've found OE lower control arms for 45 dollars. I'm assuming simply by looking at the pictures of the bushings that mine are shot since I cannot see much rubber at all on mine. When I officially move into my new home I'll look around for a garage to install the arm.

What would be a legitimate labor time and price. Also is it recommended to get an alignment as well?

 

Instead of asking us what "they" would charge, call them.

Labor rates vary so it's easier to find out what you'll pay to just call a couple shops and get estimates.

You can also go to the library and if they have a program called AllData, you can use it to look up the time it takes to do the job. The same program also has repair instructions like a shop manual for most cars.

 

Thanks for the info guys