Hello everybody, I am new to working on cars in general and am very confused. through my research a knocking sound indicates bad bushings.
so where would I get said bushings for cheap? I am a student and don't have much money so I may have to get POS parts until I have the money.

Is there a difference in the bushings from front right to front left? How hard are they to replace? Would I need any special tools?

(I am new to mechanics but experienced in electronics, many say it should be easy for me but I am not to sure)

 

A knocking noise could be several things. It would be worth having it professionally diagnosed. Control arm bushings don't usually cause a noise but they can if they are REALLY bad.

 

Problem with getting it professionally looked at is I am on a tight budget. Unless Volvo or some other company can do diognostics for free?

 

Assuming you are talking about noises coming from the "front end" while driving, there are several components prone to wear but each will have its own signature...

My quick check list for front end noises:

1. Control arm bushings - they are the hard rubber inserts that go into the A shaped control arm on the bottom side of the front suspension. When they wear out the steering with not feel tight - as if the car needs a wheel alignment - but the feeling can change when turning left or right. As ES6T noted, generally they don't make a noise when worn. Similarly when the tie rod ends wear, you will get a similar feel so you need to do a visual inspection pushing/pulling tires while the car is lifted to look for play. These bushing do press into the metal of the control arm, so it may require a press to push out the old bushing or insert a new one (Machine shops can do this) or you can try making your own press with hardened bolts/washers etc. Most people find it easier to simply buy a new control arm for this point.

2. Wheel bearings. These will make noise that will change with road speed and with load - meaning when your turn right, the load increases on the outside (left) bearing so the first test is to drive about 30 mph and roll down the windows to listen as you turn left or right to hear if it changes. Grinding or moaning are typical descriptions. These noises can also be made by the CV joints in the axles, so you need to also inspect CV joint boots for tears.

3. CV joints - they will also moan/grind with a change of pitch with road speed but will also typically thump or clunk when turning at low speed with a fully turned wheel (ie backing out of a parking space) so to help tell the diff between a CV joint noise and a bearing, you should also listen for thumps while backing or making a "K" turn (or whatever driver's ed is calling a 3 point turn these days). Also the sound of a CV joint noise will change when you accelerate and let off the throttle where a wheel bearing will pretty much keep the same pitch.

4. Strut seats - The way Volvo has designed most of their front struts is that there is a hard rubber bushing called the spring seat that fits into a metal strut bearing. Usually the spring seats tear at the center where it fits into the strut bearing making a loose coupling. This can cause thumps, particularly when driving over speed bumps, railroad tracks etc - anything that unweights the front spring and presses it again. The front sway bar end links can also make similar clunk noises so they should be inspected before you remove the strut for replacing the seats. To check the end links you can do a visual check for play with the wheels off - but jack the front end of the car by the center (ie cross member) so both wheels are up so as to not put tension on the sway bar. If you need to replace the end links (the rod that connects the sway bar to the strut case), there's a slotted edge that an open end wrench can grab on the back side of the top bolt by the ball joint.

5. Brakes - When brake pads wear they can also produce moaning or grinding noises. The first check is to see if the noise changes when you lightly apply the brakes and then more so with firmer braking action. Plenty of pads have also been installed incorrectly (ie the retaining spring on the wrong side - something I've been guilty of in the past) so if you were told the car recently got new front pads and they still make noises, you may want to take the calipers off and look at how the pads are installed and correct if needed. Brakes on Volvos also tend to squeal. To fix the high pitched noise, you need to remove the pads, check if they have noise reduction shims (particularly in the rear) and apply brake grease to the back side of the pads where the calipers presses as well as on the pins.

BTW, if you should decide to replace spring seats or control arms, those are two parts where I'd recommend OEM. I've had the occassion to replace after market suspension parts after 60K miles where I'm sure OEM would have lasted 120K...

 

I understand. But tight budgets and guessing parts isn't usually good either.

 

True... I will have to see what I can do about having at least somebody look at it. know of any good mechanics that will look at it for cheap in plano, tx?

I will go through this guide and see if there is anything definate. Will try and go through it tomorrow and see what I find.

keeping all options open.

 

suspension bits isn't something I'd worry about for a local independent as they don't generally require special model specific tools or knowledge. My experience is its the odd electrical diagnostic stuff (ie sensors) & special tools that need a seasoned Volvo wrench. What I'd look for is an independent that will be ok with you sourcing the parts. You will hear stuff like "if we install your parts we can't guarantee it etc" but if you want to save some $$, source quality parts from an online source like FCPEURO.COM (who garantee all parts), EEUROPARTS.COM or TASCAPARTS.COM (if you need OEM Volvo) - of course that means you need to have a good idea what's to be replaced.

 

A family member knew someone who worked at Volvo, so he looked at it for free and it was the bushings. Hence there isn't too much damage on them; all they are going to do is make more and more noise over time Until they really need to be replaced. So I am fixing other problems such as the DIM, and the passenger side door that doesn't open from the outside. Both shouldnt cost me a dime hence I have the tools to repair. I ain't paying no couple hundred bucks for a new DIM. nor Am I paying someone to fix the door.

 

cool so now you're off to trying to do the work yourself (our goal here is to make everyone a DIY'er jejeje). Check Youtube and the boards for any write ups - there's a growing amount of content out there - you can probably find some vids on how to replace almost any given part (maybe not for any car model but most of the techniques and considerations are consistent). This is also a good way to see if you are up for the challenge and to see if you need a special tool etc. Post up how this works out for you.

 

I still very much doubt it is control arm bushings, but you never did specify. And if it is control arm bushings, that could be a safety issue, not just a noise. It can also wear your tires prematurely.

 

Yes it is control arm busings. my mother wants to get entirely new control arms instead of just the bushings but it seems like a simple process after the control arm is out. (from what I have seen on youtube at least.)

UPDATE: Fixed the passenger side door, the threaded rod was not in place to push the lock open. seems to work for now, no room for not but seems to just snap in place and difficult to pull out.

Also Making a tutorial on how to fix the DIM yourself on another thread. Next week I will Bring it to work and fix it up. I Will also either record the process or take pictures as I go. (Will examine board and take picture of defects, and engineering faults. Explanation of said faults will either be posted in a separate thread, or in my DIY DIM repair thread.)

 

Hopefully it's the bushings. I've replaced many but I can't remember a time it was for a knocking noise.

 

Never heard a knocking noise either. Usually a grinding noise from the wheel area when you try to take sharp turns at low speeds in a parking lot.

If the lower front control arms are shot I would also suggest looking that the engine mount and transmission mount which have rubber bushing as well if you plan on keeping the car. From my experience with these era cars all those parts seem to wear out about the same time.

 

I seem to get more of a rubbing noise with a reduced turn radius with a slow wide turn at low speeds.

 

Sounds like the lower control arms to me. If you replace them I would suggest doing the ball joints at the same time since you are there anyways.

 

I may end up doing that. the harsh vibrations in the car from it are even breaking fresh solder joints in the DIM.

 

harsh vibrations should not be related to the control arms. Control arms have rubber bushings where they pivot and a ball joint where the hub rotates. They can wear out and give you a feeling like the wheels are going in/out of alignment with "nervous" handling. You may even feel it shift position when turning/backing. Vibrations will come from either a rotating mass - tire/wheel, wheel bearing, CV joint/axle, motor/transmission mounts / torque rods that are worn or broken. key test is whether its road speed related or engine speed/power on-off related. ie if you are getting vibrations at 40 mph and put the car in neutral to let the engine go to idle - if the vibrations go away, I'd suspect mounts. If not, tires/hubs/axle. BTW, if you have after market wheels, make sure they are hub centric - volvos use the hub lip to center the wheels not the bolts. if after market wheels don't have the exact center bore, they need to use hub centering rings.