Front end wanders, clunks

[ngoma]

1985 740 GLE d24t, 174,xxx miles.

Car likes to wander and clunks pretty good sometimes on low speed bumps. Also RF wheel looks like it has too much negative camber (wheel tilts inward at top).

Lifted the front end and checked bushings w/ a prybar and didn't see any obvious loose connections. Wheel bearings felt solid. Is there a special way to test the ball joints and struts? Is there a way to test the strut top bushings?

[RLDSL]

If it's wandering, clunking and tilting inward at the top, you've already answered your own question, that top strut bearing is toast. FCP groton has them here (http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exec/product_id/6520/nm/1985_Volvo_740_760_Turbo_Diesel_Front_Strut_Mount_ Kit_with_bearing_/category_id/181) about $35

[piper109]

Might I suggest also that you go to www.brickboard.com and find the 700/900 FAQ and read the pertinent sections. There is a wealth of experience and vehicle help on there with stuff which is not engine dependent.

Steve

[RedArrow]

Is there a special way to test the ball joints and struts? Is there a way to test the strut top bushings?[/QUOTE]

Yes, that would be useful to know about. I`m also having somethings going on :) at low speed bumps only, especially at slow turns but mostly when driving through uneven/ bumpy road surfaces. Diagnosis:
A,suddenly some oil visible on/under the front (left side) shock
B,left front clunks and I also hear some metal on metal noise sometimes while driving through bad roads.... that can sound like pennies in a beer can if shaken... OR... like 2 loose metal rings shaken on a metal rod or something similar to that.
C,if I push car down many times, I do hear a click-clunk every single time.
D,there`s no bad noise while turning wheel side to side. (strut bearing ok?)
E,front bushings are in ok condition

How does a very bad ball joint sound or behave? Although I do think it`s my strut that went up to heaven but I was scared to compress these strong King Kong springs with a sh!tty cheap compressor especially with manual tools. (Michaelovitch did it on his Renault smoothly but currently I do not have a great spring compressor. I am also hesitating on what type of struts needed/suggested. I think I have the front springs of the Diesel donor vehicle that was used to build this originally gasser wagon. etc etc)

[ngoma]

Is there a special way to test the ball joints and struts? Is there a way to test the strut top bushings?

Might have better results for questions on standard Volvo issues non-specific to D24 on some of the other (MUCH more active, MUCH larger pool of knowledgable responders, etc.) Volvo RWD forums. Here are three:

http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?model=700
also look at their 700-series FAQ

http://forums.turbobricks.com/forumdisplay.php?f=12&nojs=1#goto_forumtools

volvoforums.com/forum/volvo-240-740-940-12/

suddenly some oil visible on/under the front (left side) shock

Oil leaks from shocks/struts are bad news. I replace them when I see oil.

left front clunks and I also hear some metal on metal noise sometimes while driving through bad roads.... that can sound like pennies in a beer can if shaken... OR... like 2 loose metal rings shaken on a metal rod or something similar to that.
Strut top bushings will give a clonk mostly when driving up a driveway apron at an acute steering angle.

How does a very bad ball joint sound or behave?
Mine started erratic wandering, a vague feeling of steering instability. It was hard to verify. I had the front end supported on jack stands to replace the diagonal strut rod cone bushings and accidentally saw the two halves of the balljoint move independent of each other only when the wheel was pointed in a certain direction and moved along a specific axis. Otherwise, it tested OK. Don't recall any noticeable noise.

I am also hesitating on what type of struts needed/suggested.
Folks are saying the Bilstein HD are a bit to hard for daily driver, forget if they liked Monroe or Gabriel (or KYB?) or OEM Sachs/Boge. Think it was Sachs/Boge.

[745 TurboGreasel]

Sometimes on install the strut tubes are back filled with mineral oil for more heat disipation, if that is leaking, no big deal.

[v8volvo]

If the strut is leaking oil then you won't have much damping on that corner, are you noticing ride/handling symptoms too or only noises? Most of that stuff I put on new and should not be breaking down yet. Struts maybe since they've seen a lot of miles already but balljoints for sure should be fine....

It does have the diesel front springs but the strut inserts are all the same either way.

As for the noises, have you checked to see if the big gland nut that holds the shock insert into the strut tube is tight? Sometimes those will loosen up and make bad noises as the shock jumps up and down inside the tube...

[RedArrow]

If the strut is leaking oil then you won't have much damping on that corner, are you noticing ride/handling symptoms too or only noises? Most of that stuff I put on new and should not be breaking down yet. Struts maybe since they've seen a lot of miles already but balljoints for sure should be fine....

It does have the diesel front springs but the strut inserts are all the same either way.

As for the noises, have you checked to see if the big gland nut that holds the shock insert into the strut tube is tight? Sometimes those will loosen up and make bad noises as the shock jumps up and down inside the tube...

Well, i`m not absolutely 100% sure that the oil is from the strut tube (might be some brake fluid seeping from the caliper) but I am definitely sure that the left front of the car has some kind of a suspension issue that I can clearly experience&hear .all times. + it also feels through the steering wheel as well... when I hit small bumps or while driving through uneven surfaces the left front has that knock/knock/clunk sound to it. Easy to hear a `keychain-type` noise as well, like there were metal rings loose being shaken on a metal rod. On the other hand the car cruises straight, steering feels pretty stable and tight and there are no badly deformed bushings or loose connections anywhere at the front. Most of the clunking noises (L side only) occur on low speed bumps and slow turns but the major knocking sound comes if the wheel arrives in a hole or on a larger bump. Then it sounds like I drove through a deep manhole that has a sloppy loose lid or whatever and it produces a sound of a shaky metal hit on metal sound effect...

I think it has something to do with the strut itself, idk. The insert probably has too much play inside & it moves around in the tube.
If I grab the wheel on top and pull on it hard, I think I can see the strut insert being in a slightly angled position; it has an unwanted movement too with a sound somewhere inside.
Yes, I think the ball joints and tie rod ends are all fine but we`ll inspect them again next time at the removal of this crazy strut.
I noticed a knocking/clicking sound btw many-many thousands of miles ago but that time it happened only at very slow speeds and only at left turns on very bumpy roads. I suspected the upper strut mount and bearing that time. We talked about it, remember and it seemed okay but I suspected that it will end up being more sensitive over there. :) I just kept hearing that sound but there were no negative effects on handling. In Jackson Hole, WY I showed it to a European car specialist :) mechanic who said that my strut is going to be toast soon but it`s completely fine to keep driving. 10k later I`m here but whatever it is, will be solved I`m sure.
I will keep the d24t pros` good advice on which spring compressor to buy. Thanks for now!
Low quality video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAuYG60oVsM&feature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPQ5eKLHh1c&feature=youtu.be

[RedArrow]

As for the noises, have you checked to see if the big gland nut that holds the shock insert into the strut tube is tight? Sometimes those will loosen up and make bad noises as the shock jumps up and down inside the tube...

Tomorrow I will, thanks!

[745 TurboGreasel]

Yes, mine sounded like that after it came loose while riding on a flatbed tow truck:confused:Reached in with a big pliers, and cranked it back down, worked fine till I got some fancier struts.

[RedArrow]

As for the noises, have you checked to see if the big gland nut that holds the shock insert into the strut tube is tight? Sometimes those will loosen up and make bad noises as the shock jumps up and down inside the tube...

The gland nut? `Bingo!` Today afternoon. Car`s lifted. Shock insert does have substantial play inside the tube. Nut looks *bad*, huge amount of cruel rust visible; sprayed it every 5 mins, 3 times (WD40). Then started tightening the nut (went pretty well) which resulted a full turn (360degrees) then it stopped. I went backwards a quarter of a full turn (70-90degrees) in order to start over the tightening procedure from that point again... Sprayed again, started tightening... and here I expected the nut to go another full turn (which sounds a lot, I know, but half of the threaded parts of it was still out) BUT instead of that it went just a little, less then that quarter turn I already had before ... and THEN suddenly the whole thing shot itself out of the tube so the nut got completely free/loose, strut insert `bang`... went UP, the lifted wheel DOWN all the way, wow I should have it on camera including my face expression there. I would never think that this would happen. (loose nut+rust=fail) Luckily it did not when I got the whole assembly out a few days ago.... Now my susp is crippled until I get parts...:) What caused this, idk, but now I might have a strut housing that probably has no inner thread whatsoever (???)(inspection tomorrow) OR if get lucky again, it will take a new insert with a new gland nut securely. I have to get the whole thing out again (but this time I am not sure whether or not it should be done using the spring compressor while the shock is still in the car.)
Well, every day is a new day in Volvo-life... a new issue and some adrenalin + nighttime parts-hunting... :)

[745 TurboGreasel]

Hydraulic fluid isn't really compressible. I bet there is some in the bottom of that tube.
The nuts usually sit a couple threads above flush.
They clamp the top of the cartridge by the bottom of the nut, and there has to be thread enough for them to for sure reach.

I bet the cartridge is as fine as it was before. Seemed good when I drove it:D