Well, I must have done something wrong.

Three years ago I upgraded the front suspension on my '00 V40 using Volvo factory strut mount service kits - Volvo P/N 30630043.

The kits included the strut bellows (30884200), bump stop (30884198), upper spring seat (30630044), bearing (30616825), dust cap (30616677) and strut mount (30616824).

Now, 23,000 miles later the left front strut bearing is binding and making unhappy noises.

Any idea what I did wrong? I did install the strut bearings dry, maybe they should have been greased.

 

The bearings are supposed to be lightly greased on the outside but I'm not sure that really makes a difference. Do you have stock springs on there? I change my bearings 3 times before I finally gave up and got new Volvo OEM springs...haven't had a problem since. However, I should point out that the springs that I had on there were NOT stock.

 

I'm getting too old to work on my car in the driveway in the cold so I'm going to give RAVE Imports Inc. in Salem, Mass. a try. Let them do my suspension work and front sway bar bushings - ugh! Found them here on the forum actually. Volvo specialists. We'll see how they do.

 

Update: it wasn't the strut bearing, the coil spring was broken.

I took my V40 to Rave Imports in Salem, Mass. I decided to have them do struts and springs in front, a broken rear coil spring and front sway bar bushings. This is the first time I've paid someone to work on my car in a long time and to tell you the truth, it felt good.

Update 6/11/15. Rave Imports botched the installation of my sway bar bushings and the front struts. I am going to have to remove the struts myself now to properly orient the upper spring seats. At this point I can not recommend them.

 

was it broken at the very end where it flattens out (leaving you with a 3-4 inch piece)? I had that happen in the rear of my S40 - couldn't see anything at first but I was getting an odd squeak - it turned out to be the two pieces of the spring rubbing... I had to get in there real close to see where the bottom end of the spring didn't quite follow a correct contour.

 

I didn't look at the broken front coil spring but I did look at both the broken rear coil springs. They both broke right at the end as you say.

In fact I was standing in my driveway when I heard a loud metallic "ding" as one of the rear springs broke. I later found a piece of the coil spring lying on the ground.

I figured with three out of four springs broken I'd just bite the bullet and change the fourth one too.

I've never had this happen - broken coil springs - on any other vehicle.