How to Rebuild the Front Suspension of the Volvo 700

The front suspension on a Volvo 700 series incorporates ride quality as well as steering control. While a complete rebuild of the suspension might appear to be daunting, it is well within the range of work a home mechanic can do, provided you take it one step at a time. You will be surprised how much better your car handles once you complete the job.

Instructions

1

Chock the rear wheels, both front and back, to ensure that the vehicle can't move. Using the floor jack, lift the front of the car one side at a time, placing the jack stands under the frame and carefully lowering the vehicle until it is securely supported on both sides. Place the jack stands far enough towards the rear of the car so as not to interfere with the suspension work. Remove both front wheels. Using a socket and the ratchet, remove both front brake calipers and hang them from the frame so as not to stress the caliper hoses. Remove both front caliper brackets and front brake rotors. Set them aside. Locate both wheel speed sensors and carefully disengage them from the spindles. Unplug the connector and set the speed sensors aside.

2

Examine the driver's side wheel spindle and locate the control arm stay. Using a socket and the breaker bar, loosen the rear frame bolt. Remove the bolt with the ratchet and an open end wrench. Disengage the bolt from the bushing. Remove the opposite wheel's control arm stay frame bolt, as well. There is no need to disconnect the stays from the control arms. Using the pry bar or large screwdriver, apply pressure to the bushing until it slides out of the frame bracket.

3

Locate the outer tie rod end. Using a socket and the breaker bar, loosen and remove the nut. Insert the tie rod removal tool between the tie rod end and the control arm and strike it sharply with the three-pound sledge hammer until you get the tie rod loose. Using an open- end wrench, loosen the lock nut that is located on the threaded portion of the rod. Unscrew the tie rod end and set it aside for disposal. Examine the inner tie rod and locate the dust boot. Using the pliers or the cutters, either loosen the dust boot clamps or cut them, then slide the dust boot off of the rod. Examine the inner tie rod removal tool. Select the appropriate socket and apply the removal tool to the inner tie rod. Unscrew the inner tie rod and remove it from the steering rack. Set the inner tie rod aside for disposal.

4

Examine the stabilizer link. Using a socket and the breaker bar, loosen and then remove the nuts holding the link in place. Next, locate the rear control arm frame bolt. Using the socket and breaker bar, loosen and remove it. At the other end of the control arm, you will find the ball joint. Using a socket and ratchet, loosen and remove the two bolts attaching the ball joint to the strut tube. The ball joint, control arm and control arm stay should come loose. You now can remove them from the car. Set them aside for disposal.

5

Looking at the strut assembly from within the engine compartment, locate the two nuts holding it in place. Remove them with a socket and the ratchet wrench. Have an assistant ready to pull the strut assembly out once you remove the nuts. Attach the spring compressor tool to the strut assembly and tighten it until you take the spring load off of the cap. Using a socket and the ratchet, remove the nut holding the strut cap and bearing in place. Once they are loose, you can pull the strut out of the tube. Examine the strut and note the position of the spring. Remove the old spring and loosen the compressor tool. Install the new spring and compress it with the tool. Install the new strut, bearing and cap. Replace the nut and, after ensuring that the spring is properly aligned, carefully disengage the spring compressor tool. Maneuver the strut assembly back into the wheel well. While your assistant steadies the assembly from below, line up the bolt ends through the holes in the engine compartment and replace the nuts. Tighten them with the ratchet.

6

Locate the stabilizer bar and observe the bushings and clamps holding it to the frame. Using the ratchet and a socket, remove and replace each of the bushings and clamps with new ones. Use a socket and the ratchet and replace the sway bar links at each end of the stabilizer bar.

7

Install the new control arm. Maneuver it into the wheel well until the rear bushing is sufficiently engaged with the frame clamp so as to allow you to install the bolt. Slide the bolt into the frame clamp and bushing. Use a socket and the ratchet to tighten the bolt. Take the new control arm stay and insert the proper end into the control arm. Tighten the nut that secures the stay to the control arm. Looking at the other end of the stay, slide the stay bushing into the frame clamp until you can insert the bolt. Tighten the bolt with a socket and the ratchet. Attach the new ball joint to the bottom of the strut tube. Tighten the two ball joint bolts with a socket and the ratchet. Insert the ball joint end into the control arm and tighten the nut, using the ratchet and a socket.

8

Install the inner tie rod end. Insert the inner tie rod into the steering rack and tighten it, using the inner tie rod tool. Slide the dust boot into place and use the pliers to position and secure the two clamps. Attach the outer tie rod end and screw it onto the rod until it is at approximately the same position as the one you removed. Tighten the lock nut with an open- end wrench. Insert the outer tie rod end into the control arm and tighten the nut with the ratchet and a socket. Attach the new sway bar link to the control arm and tighten the nut with the socket and a ratchet. Repeat these steps with the opposite wheel.

9

Reinstall brake equipment. Replace the rotor on both wheels and tighten the pin bolt that holds it in place. Replace the caliper brackets and then the calipers, tightening all bolts using the ratchet and a socket. Replace the wheel speed sensor and re-attach the connection. Install both wheels then use the floor jack to withdraw the jack stands. Remove the wheel chocks from the rear wheels. Make arrangements to have the alignment adjusted.