I've read almost every strut and mount issue thread on the forum, but I could not find any pictures of what the individual problems look like.

Here are pics of my '01 V70 FWD non-turbo





Whatever symptom this is, is it safe to drive until I get the repairs done? From reading all of the threads, it seems that this can only be one of two things, both of which I can get fixed this week.

Thanks as usual.

 

that doesnt look right. i wouldnt drive it if the shocks are gonna smash into your hood.

 

Luckily that hasn't happened yet, but I'm keeping it in the garage until I figure out what exactly it causing that and get it fixed. I was going to try to do it myself but I don't feel comfortable using a spring compressor. I've seen what happens when it slips out up close and I would rather pay and be safe then take a chance on doing a first-time job that I may do carelessly.

 

Yes spring compressors can be officially be classified as "bad toys to play with"...

Once seen one let go on an Audi 100 front strut when the spring was fully wound down (900lb spring compressed by 3") at least it gave fair warning, there was a barely audible "tink" as the threads began to give way on one end... I've never seen a workshop clear so quickly... 5 grown men huddled behind aconcrete block wall under a metal table as we waited for the inevitable ... 30 seconds later nothing had happened so Shug stuck his head round the corner to have a wee peek...

"BANG"

The look on his face was priceless! Talk about smell it... poor sod must have been sitting in it! The force knocked the audi off the axle stands it was on and dropped it onto its belly on the decks (the bottom of the strut was still attached to the car) no wheels on it!There was a hole in the asbestos sheeting roof where the spring has exited at escape velocity, the remnants of one of the compressors was found embedded in the windscreen of theford that had been parked next to the audi Never did find the rest.

The spring... well we found the spring in the back yard of a house over 250 yards away, it had taken out around 5 roof tiles of the house on it's descent thats how we knew where it was. The workshops were next to the local nick (Police station) and they though a bomb had gone off! Mind you the coppers just about wet themselves when they saw the looks on our faces... talk about wide eyed...[:-] and for the next couple of days they kept popping in and bursting crisp packets behind one of us when we weren't looking.. w..kers!

I promptly ditched my cheapo spring compressors and bought two pairs of Snap-On ones and anytime I have to compress a spring I ALLWAYS use a minimum of three compressors.

 

That is a good story. After telling my wife, she no longer disagrees I should not attempt it myself. Thank you sir

Not to go off-topic, but the spring compressor scares me because of a similar story, to make it short, of a young man who worked on his struts in his garage, compressed the spring and when it sprung out, went right through his chest. Of course, he did not survive. I didn't believe the story at first until I started asking mechanics about it. I quickly decided besides the transmission, anything requiring spring removal would be on my list of things you pay to have done.

 

One thing I notice about the picture is the Drivers side one looks like it was bad at one time and was driven for a while like that. Look at it and you will see that the washer looks concave like it was being pulled down at one time.
From the best I can see in the pics all parts look liek they are there.

To see of the spring seats are bad remove the black cap up top. It will pop right off. Try turning the nut with a 13/16 or 21MM wrench if it spins freely then the spring seat is bad. If it doesn't turn and feels rubbery then it is good.

 

Is it normal for the tops to be sticking up so far past the mount that you can see the shaft like that? I've never seen a strut like that.

I've read on here about the spring seats being bad. Is that a part that can be replaced or a part that is a part of the strut mount, or is that something separate? I'm going into these places blind. I've never had a strut mount go bad, just the strut. Is it possible the mount is ok and just that spring seats are bad or does the clunking indicate the mount? I read how they go bad eventually so I figure i'd start with that. The wheels do not bounce at all so I think the struts i assume are ok.

 

One more thing; the noise coming from the pass. side amplified this morning, from a thunk to a clanking noise like it became more loose. I turned around after leaving my community and took my truck to work instead. It definitely didn't sound right. I'm just hoping I can make it to the shop ok on Thurs. morning without any major damage.

 

The spring seat can be replaced pretty easy. Try what I posted above and see if the nut spins. It is not dangerous at all to try that. The spring is double nutted.

It is normal to have some gap there like on the passenger side.

You might also have a bad sway bar link that is causing the noise.

 

I did what you said. The driver's side one is fine. There is a spring to it when you turn it left or right. I wasn't sure how much it should be torqued to check it but I was able to turn it about 45 to 60 degrees before it started to get really tough.

The passenger side spins in circles as you said. That is also where the noise is coming from, but the wheel doesn't sound like it bounces when driving it.

If you have time, can you link me to a thread that may have the procedure documented to change that spring seat or let me know what is involved? Is it possible to just jack the car up and pull the strut out of the mount to replace this part? Could that be what's causing the noise if it's bad?

Also, when I'm checking the sway bar connections, I'm assuming if there is a bad link on the sway bar or steering linkages that I will be able to jiggle it around by grabbing it.

I really appreciate your help. This will save me alot of money if I can fix this myself, not to mention time.

 

You can remove the entire assembly out of the car then compress the spring and change the spring seat. Yes I will bet that is the cause of the noise.
For the sway bar link with the car in the air so you can get under it pull straight down and see if you can feel a click or a clunk. If they are good it will be solid.

To remove the strut there is the sway bar link that needs to be removed from the strut.
Then remove the ABS sensor from the hub (10MM screw)
Then remove the 2 screws holding the strut to the hub.Push it back away from the hub and swing it to the side.

Then from up top remove the 3 13MM nuts and the entire assembly will come out.

Compress the springs carefully when the spring has play remove the top nut that holds the bearing plate to the strut.
Then there is a cross looking nut holding the spring seat to the strut. I have used channel locks before to get it loose. I made my own tool to loosen them. I took a piece of square tube and cut slots into it to fit over the nut then welded a socket to the end.

It is best to use an air gun or electric impact to loosen the big nut on the top of the strut.

 

Thanks. I did more digging on the forum and found your posts from other threads about the procedure. I still don't trust the spring compressor, but at least I know what the problem is now and even if I do take it in to get it fixed, I know more about what I don't need.

 

I just checked the sway bar and it doesn't move. The spring isn't even mounted correctly in the strut. The end of the bottom spring is not sitting against the edge where it's supposed to be up against. The spring rotated out of place somehow. It's in there, just about 1 1/2 inches away from the the point where the end of the spring meets the edge of the strut that sticks up to stop it, if that makes sense.

 

The mount is so broken that everything is shifting around.
Your alignment is now off, you will have poor steering and tire wear.
Justreplace the damn thing already and get your front end back to snuff

 

I went to find the spring seat, and kept coming up with a Strut Mount Bushing:



tech; Is this the Spring Seat? I assume they are one in the same. I found a local place that came recommended that is cool with me bringing in my own parts.

JRL; I plan on replacing them, but right now I just want a temp. fix until I figure out how far I want to go with the suspension upgrade. I agree with you though. The spring is not loose by any stretch, but I'm assuming it's moved because of the bad spring seat.

 

I wouldn't screw around with this.
It's one thing if they're starting to crack but yours is/are GONE.
You have no front end alignment, every time you hit the smallest of bumps, your alignmentgoes off, the strut plates are part ofthe frontalignment. The strut moves around, no alignment so your tires are wearing poorly, it won't turn or handle correctly

 

Yes that is what you need.

 

Well, one of my cars has a split spring seat so I just got a pair of the new IPD spring seats/ mounts, whatever.
They are supposed to made of MUCH better (ie longer lasting)rubber than OEM.

Now it's decision time for me too as this is the one R I plan to keep for a long time,at 72K miles I suppose in will go new struts and tie rods along with anything else that's a replaceable item!
If it takes 1/2 the labor time to install just the sp.seats alone, now is the time to think about doing the front end.
(Sway bar links are new IPD HD, along with sway bars last year)

 

Hummer,

stop being such a wuss...... get your self some decent compressors, treat the compressed spring with a LOT of respect and you'll be OK. Treat it like a loadedand cocked revolver and you'll be OK (i.e. handled properly they are OK, diss it and you'll end up in trouble), spend the money you would have spend on getting a professional to do it on a set of decent spring compressors (Snap-On for preference).

Secure it in a bench vice, don't stick your face, chest or ***** (or any one elses) in the way of a compressed spring. Ease Springs when required (steady now*) i.e. make it safe - time consuming but safe.

Hope the helps








*BTW the term "ease springs" has a double meaning over here in military circles. i.e. it is "double entendre", correct use is to allow the moving parts of the action on a firearm to move forward onto the empty chamber of an unloaded weapon and the trigger is pulled to release the firing pin... thus easing the spring. The "informal" use of the term hasa similarsort of meaning BUT refers to (cough).... acheiving a different type of relief through self manipulation. [:-]if you catch my drift.... I'm sure tech can draw pictures if you need an explanation.


Tech I am joking BTW!

 

I did go to look at them yesterday. They had every kind except for ones for McPherson struts. Figures I did order the part I needed though.

And just to clarify, the only thing keeping me from getting the entire suspension/struts done is A) I just bought the car so funds are a little low and B) I'd like to see if they make the new Monroe Quick-struts for our V70's. I called them yesterday and they weren't sure, yet, since they were so new.

As far as the mounts, I looked at them closer and they seem ok, for now. They are tight and do not move in the least bit. If I'm going to replace the struts completely, I'm going to buy all new hardware and struts, mounts, etc. Right now, I just want a patch until I figure out what I want to do with the rest, and because I have a few more repairs to do