OK, I've had both front struts, tires and CV joints replaced, and I have also had all motor mounts certified. I'm still getting a vibration in the front end, more so able to feel in the body than in the wheels. Any suggestions?

 

All 4 rims and tires in good condition?

 

Tires have a slight chop on the outside edge, but are relatively new. Not sure about the rims. I think it shakes too much for just the rims to be causing it.

 

You might have a tire with a broken belt.

 

I seem to notice it the most when I accelerate. Those tires are less than a year old. I started having issues when I let F'n Kauffman scam me into replacing the front struts with P.O.S. Monroe Sensatracs! Arrgh!

 

What brand was the axles?

 

I think one was a new Moog, and the other was a rebuilt.

 

I wonder if even though they are new and rebuilt if the inner joint on one is bad.

It is pretty easy to check. With the car in the air grab the total inner joint at the transmission and hold onto it. Then kind of rock the wheel foward and back with the other hand feeling for play in the inner joint. There should be none at all.

 

My mechanic thinks it might be the struts, since they are so firm they transmit every single road impurity into the wheel. I'm sure they are a contributing factor, and if I and an extra $500 lying around I'd take them out, but that seems like an unlikely cause for that kind of vibration.

 

I would check the axles. Most rebuilds do not include new parts in the inner joints. Unless it changed there was no parts anyone could buy to rebuild the inner joints.

 

OK, so my shop checked it out and physically verified all joints on the outside, and there is no play anywhere in the front end. I think at this point could it be something in the transmission or the rack unit that is causing it? This is so incredibly frustrating!!

 

Possibly but something sounds fishy.

 

OK, so I had another Volvo shop check it out, and they think it could be the motor mounts.There is a bushing on the driver's side below the edge of the transmission, and there should be about a half-inch of clearance in between the bushing and the transmission. My transmission is almost sitting on top of it, which means the motor mounts have collapsed too much. That would throw everything out of alignment. Does that sound right?

 

Yes it does. I went through similiar not long ago.

 

Can they be done one at a time? I figure the front one would have the most impact.

 

Yes as long as you don't a wait really long time to replace the rest.

 

OK, so if the front and rear hydraulic motor mounts are replaced, is that going to hasten the failure of the mount that's on the pass. side underneath the crank pulley? That one checks out OK at the moment.

 

If you replace the other 2 then the R/S one will have pressure taken off of it.

 

its probably not the issue in this case but after i go drifting in my car the car will shake side to side and come from the front end when i drive above like 30 for a couple days. It was from ice building up in parts in the wheel well

 

OK, so the front, rear, and bottom side mounts have been replaced. Some improvement, but I think the root issue is still there. I'm curious as to what Tech told me about rebuilt CV joints not having new inner axles. I think that may be what I'm experiencing. That right side axle was replaced with a rebuilt one in October so hopefully if I can have (now a third) independent Volvo shop verify that they will replace it with a new one. Is there a huge price difference between rebuilt and new axles?