Ok, this winter has been very rough on the car (in Detroit, Michigan area). I have an 04 s60 FWD with about 85k miles on it. Driving over pot holes I get very loud bangs in the rear like there's no shock. Sounded like when I had bent a front rim last winter. So I thought it's "normal" for the size of these pot holes and I was going to replace all the rims after this winter. Not happy. After the last 2 months, the wheels still look okay so I'm beginning to suspect bushings or mounts. I would like to replace as much as easily done (bolt off, bolt on). My question is how much of the rear bushings is easily replaceable and how much require special equipment? For example, when I did the front control arm I bought the whole arm instead of trying to press out the bushings only. I was also thinking strut mounts all around, but keep the springs/shocks or should I just do all new springs/shocks? Springs don't really go bad unless I want to lower or upgrade right? Cost is definitely an issue given how many parts. I think sta bar links, but maybe not the bushings unless they're visibly bad.

 

Sounds like what I had and the issue was a separated shock mount. Mine was the drivers side. I jacked up the drivers rear then put it on a jack stand. Then using my floor jack I moved the suspension up and down and with the trunk mat pulled back I could see the mount separate when the shock was compressed. Since I still had original shocks at 150K I replaced both the mounts and shocks on both sides. Nice and quiet again. $210 from IPD.

P.S. I did have one nutsert that broke loose in the process so the bolt just turned and wouldn't come out. Ended up cutting off that bolt head, but other than that was a very simple job.

 

Thanks for the info. I was leaning towards a shock mount, but thought I'd change out any bushings at the same time. Mine's relatively low miles (85k) but still 10 years old. Did you find any of the bushings like on trailing arm needed changing?

 

My car is still on the original bushings both front and rear at 162K (bought from 2nd owner with all service records) and there are no issues. Nice and tight. Bushings are usually pretty obvious when they are needed meaning they are cracked with chunks coming out. Eventually there won't be any rubber left, so if you want to do just the bushings you need to do it before there is any metal-metal contact that wallows the hole out and you end up needing the complete arm.

 

Haven't heard anyone run into this problem. But there are sub frame bushings that can wear out. I haven't replaced mine yet in my 02 with 174k but I was planning on buying the part from IPD USA next I order something from them. They have a video on how to install them. Basically a rubber mallet and you hammer these Polyurethane replacements in over the existing ones. Even the people on the reviews who said they didn't necessarily need them that did it said the suspension felt much better.

I haven't really looked into the rear suspension although I should. Just got done doing the front control arm's and ball joints. That was much more than I had expected.

The sway bar end links are pretty easy to replace if you have the proper tools. Just make sure if you do it yourself both sides of the car a jacked up evenly when doing any kind of suspension work.