ok so I went to volvo today and they told me I need to fix both of my upper strut mounts in the front and my sway bar bushings have gone bad. They told me an estimated 8 hours of labor so I went home. lol

they also gave me estimates on the prices for the parts
sway bar bushings $420
upper strut mounts $610



went on the intronet and found parts way cheaper

im buying these parts soon and was wondering if anyone can give me instructions on how to replace these items... pics would be nice also..... Is it a DIYable project? also parts and tools ill need....I do have some basic skills on cars but nothing major.



I think I need spring isolaters also or do they come with the upper strut mounts

 

I would leave both of those items to someone that knows the S40's.
They are a pain.
The upper strut mounts are very dangerous to change.
The sway bar bushings you need to drop the rear part of the subframe.

 

i dont have the money to take my car to volvo or other dealers.....
i know i have to have both front tires on the ground or off the ground when dealing with suspension or else theres a risk of getting ****ed up....
i know the sway bar busings arnt that difficult to replace but im kinda clueless on the strut mounts

 

The strut mounts are complicated. You need to remove the entire strut out of the car.
Then compress the spring which is very dangerous. I have been working on these cars for about 12 Years now and the only car out there that scares the S*** out of me working with the struts is the S40's.

For the sway bar bushings you need to drop the subframe that the rack is bolted to. Also where the middle cross bar attaches to in the back.

 

Can some one post instructions on how to change the sway bar bushings.
I guess I'm going to take it to a mechanic for the struts

 

Let me see if I can find a set.

 

thank you tech

 

This is the best I can do sorry 1st pic is wacky

 

ok so im gonna work on the sway bar bushings this tuesday
any tips or suggestions???



also I think im going to make a CAI while im at it

 

Install all parts they give you.
The little plate goes between the bushing and the subframe.

Also you might want to use longer bolts going back in. The short ones are hard to get back in.

 

Tech, what makes you say compressing the springs on the S40 struts is so difficult? I've been working on front wheel drive cars for about 27 years and I have never had trouble compressing the springs. Are the springs real narrow?

 

They are pretty short. Most compressors bottom out before the spring is compressed enough to take it apart.
Volvo designed a special hydrolic setup for the S40's instead of the normal spring compressor.

I have personally seen 3 of them launch.

 

when I went to volvo awhile ago they told me I need my sway bar bushings or control arm bushings replaced and also my strut mounts...... I told them I thought it could be my sway bar bushings and then the guy walked away and came back and told me I was right and it was my sway bar bushings

I never got a chance to replace my sway bar bushings yet......
but I jacked up my car earlier and took my wheels off...
the bushings already in there look fine to me and have not poped out of place.....
but the end links rubber thing pieces looked like they have poped out........
could that be the reason my there is noise coming from down under

and can I just take my endlinks off and put new ones back on or do I have to take everything apart just to put in new end links

also where can I get some high performence endlinks?

sorry for the lengthy and scrambled post

 

The end links will just come off easy.
If you want to find out if it is them remove both links and drive the car. If the noise goes away it is either the links or the sway bar bushings.

 

Here's my recent experience with a 2002 S40. Had the right sway bar bushing break last year and was lucky enough to change it myself. The bushings are a very poor design and made of aluminum which will tend to break (right side at 120K and left at 135K). The left side is a nightmare and I ended up taking it to the repair shop because the sub-frame must be dropped to get to it. The shock mounts are also poorly designed and don't hold up well either. It's true the springs are short and if you use spring compressor they must be cranked all the way down. I bought a set from Checkers and another from Harbor Freight (don't laugh they work ok) and use a combination of both. Make sure top plate is aligned correctly (per diagram) otherwise you end up taking it apart again because the shock rod/nut is hitting the inside of the strut. I love the car but is a lot more maintenance work than any other car I've owned.