Thank you, David! Your videos are always super helpful. My 2013 XC90 has reached the same milage as yours and it's time for the controls arms. What do you think of putting in Delphi ball joints while in there? Delphi ball joints are cheaper in price than Lemforder and easy to get locally.
Thank you. These videos are made for you. This is a tough job for a diy person. The passenger side has power steering lines that can be tuff to get around. As far as brand names, Delphi is ok. I have found the OEM provider is typically superior. All of the work you are planning to do could go to waste on the premise of saving a few bucks. Just food for thought. Good Luck and I hope you have success.
@@A_Renaissance_Man Thank you, David! Your learned tricks from the field are defiantly for me (e.g. the double glove trick)! Thanks for the heads up that it's a tricky one... I'll make sure to do it over a long weekend to be safe. I don't get to do a lot of hands on work anymore and car work is a relaxing outlet for that side of me (EE by degree). I recently got some Powerbuilt jack stand/bottle jack combo units which have been great for my unibody Volvos! I'll take a harder look at going with IPD control arms and get the Lemforder ball joints. You're right that it's not worth saving a few bucks. For my suspension refresh project, the only non-OEM provider parts were the Delphi control arms and debating the Delphi ball joints. I'm already saving a whole ton of bucks on the labor/mechanic parts markup. Not worth cutting corners on two of the most important parts of the suspension system! Hope you have an awesome weekend and thanks again!
@@atomikrobot300099 Excellent and good luck. My degree is an MET from ODU. Electrical is a tough one for me as I have trouble seeing the electrons, haha. I wish you the best and as a note I only disconnected and reconnected the tie rods and did not get an alignment. The tires worn down correctly after the job but, an alignment is recommended if you know of a shop that you like. Also, most but not all, Volvo dealers are good for alignments as the equiptment is top notch. $200-$300 for that service is not unreasonable as that should last the life of the vehicle baring a wheel strike. It is the rear tires that are the toughest to align.
As soon as you said there's a "Pop" or "Clunk" at full lock in reverse, and shaking steering under braking (though I need to feel if the pedal is affected, as I suspect my rotors are warped - old and worn), I thought "this will show me my problem"! Then you said "control arm"... Bugger, mine are new... As are my struts, top plates, and bearings (I rebuilt my struts), sway bar links, and ball joints... There's not much left...
You are correct. Rotors are the number 1 problem with these XC90s. I have returned to OEM and I have found they have lasted the longest. I change the rotors with every brake pad replacement. Good luck.
@@twentysevenlitres I did have a transfer case shaft go bad on me. I did a very short video post mortom on that. Perhaps you can talk to Justin at L&B Auto. He can help with the diagnosis. Look them up online. They rebuilt cases and will ship one to you if that is the issue.
@@A_Renaissance_Man to Australia! I'm suspecting something more simple - clunk is new since I've done the suspension work, so might be something I've done incorrectly, or as I've stiffened everything back up, I may have exacerbated another issue such as subframe mounts, or steering linkage etc.
@@twentysevenlitres Oops. Sorry about that. I did not realize your steering wheel was way over there. My only other comment is to pay someone you trust to diagnose the problem and do the work yourself if you are trying to save some money.
So would you recommend Delphi over the Lemforder brand? I installed a Detroit axle kit, that I ordered years ago, and am having this front wheel movement when braking. Going to go through the torque specs and alignment this week to see if there is any improvement, or I am going to have to buy another arm set, and redo the work. Looking for real driver experience, and your videos are so detailed. Thanks
Lemforder will be the brand you will get if you order directly from an official Volvo web site and I am currently driving on Delphi without any issues. After 10 years of ownership I have learned first hand, and from the shop, that control arms are wear items and their life expectancy is around 60,000 miles. Don't forget to put in new ball joints, since the control arm will be apart, new ball joints are a no brainer. Good Luck and I have had good experience with both brands so I am saying both are equally good.
I do want to chime in lemforded is a 10,000 mile bandaid I don't know what is going on with that brand lately but stay away, moog is great IPD or Delphi
I experience the clunking and vibration in the steering wheel when braking. If it's the control arm bushings, could that also explain a vibration I feel through the whole car between 65-75 mph? (Going in a straight line on smooth asphalt.)
Yes those two issues are generally connected. Most shops will perform a diagnostic service for free to come up with the repair estimate. Hopefully, you have a trusted shop or mechanic that can help.
@@knoxflyer101 I put the bushing in a vise and moved the bushing around by actuating the arm. The new control arm's movement was 1/4th of the length of the old one. Since that was difficult to film and not very dramatic, I left the whole diagnosis up in the air like a mystery. Sorry I added confusion instead of making a matter-of-fact-video. I will say the improvement in the ride far exceeded my expectations.
My first response is the wheel bearing. We had a horrific noise that turned out to be the rear wheel bearing. Ended up doing all four. Made videos on that. If that is the issue and you plan on keeping the vehicle then SKF is the Volvo OEM brand used and I would not go cheaper or you will being doing the job twice.
Wow. Not sure where to start, and I'm not one of those over critical people that just starts commenting on other people's posts. The fact you are unsure how to properly check for movement of a potentially bad hub bearing is grounds enough to stop giving bad advice. Please, people, there's so much information on the internet; not all good, not all correct. Choose wisely and from a few known reputable sources. However, he is correct, the left side is the driver's side in Amererica....
Excellent presentation, content, and video work. This must be the best video on TH-cam on this subject. Thank you for your work!
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice comment.
Thank you, David! Your videos are always super helpful. My 2013 XC90 has reached the same milage as yours and it's time for the controls arms. What do you think of putting in Delphi ball joints while in there? Delphi ball joints are cheaper in price than Lemforder and easy to get locally.
Thank you. These videos are made for you. This is a tough job for a diy person. The passenger side has power steering lines that can be tuff to get around.
As far as brand names, Delphi is ok. I have found the OEM provider is typically superior. All of the work you are planning to do could go to waste on the premise of saving a few bucks. Just food for thought.
Good Luck and I hope you have success.
@@A_Renaissance_Man Thank you, David! Your learned tricks from the field are defiantly for me (e.g. the double glove trick)! Thanks for the heads up that it's a tricky one... I'll make sure to do it over a long weekend to be safe. I don't get to do a lot of hands on work anymore and car work is a relaxing outlet for that side of me (EE by degree). I recently got some Powerbuilt jack stand/bottle jack combo units which have been great for my unibody Volvos!
I'll take a harder look at going with IPD control arms and get the Lemforder ball joints. You're right that it's not worth saving a few bucks. For my suspension refresh project, the only non-OEM provider parts were the Delphi control arms and debating the Delphi ball joints. I'm already saving a whole ton of bucks on the labor/mechanic parts markup. Not worth cutting corners on two of the most important parts of the suspension system!
Hope you have an awesome weekend and thanks again!
@@atomikrobot300099
Excellent and good luck.
My degree is an MET from ODU.
Electrical is a tough one for me as I have trouble seeing the electrons, haha.
I wish you the best and as a note I only disconnected and reconnected the tie rods and did not get an alignment. The tires worn down correctly after the job but, an alignment is recommended if you know of a shop that you like.
Also, most but not all, Volvo dealers are good for alignments as the equiptment is top notch. $200-$300 for that service is not unreasonable as that should last the life of the vehicle baring a wheel strike. It is the rear tires that are the toughest to align.
Molto Molto bravo sei un grande 🇮🇹
Thank you very much
As soon as you said there's a "Pop" or "Clunk" at full lock in reverse, and shaking steering under braking (though I need to feel if the pedal is affected, as I suspect my rotors are warped - old and worn), I thought "this will show me my problem"!
Then you said "control arm"... Bugger, mine are new...
As are my struts, top plates, and bearings (I rebuilt my struts), sway bar links, and ball joints... There's not much left...
You are correct. Rotors are the number 1 problem with these XC90s. I have returned to OEM and I have found they have lasted the longest. I change the rotors with every brake pad replacement. Good luck.
If I can solve my "clunk" in reverse, I'll be a happy boy!
@@twentysevenlitres I did have a transfer case shaft go bad on me. I did a very short video post mortom on that.
Perhaps you can talk to Justin at L&B Auto. He can help with the diagnosis. Look them up online. They rebuilt cases and will ship one to you if that is the issue.
@@A_Renaissance_Man to Australia!
I'm suspecting something more simple - clunk is new since I've done the suspension work, so might be something I've done incorrectly, or as I've stiffened everything back up, I may have exacerbated another issue such as subframe mounts, or steering linkage etc.
@@twentysevenlitres Oops. Sorry about that. I did not realize your steering wheel was way over there. My only other comment is to pay someone you trust to diagnose the problem and do the work yourself if you are trying to save some money.
I'm here because my XC90 is literally dancing when I'm driving on the road. Need to take it to the mechanic
Yes. That does sound like a control arm issue. I hope all goes well for you.
Good work 👍
So would you recommend Delphi over the Lemforder brand? I installed a Detroit axle kit, that I ordered years ago, and am having this front wheel movement when braking. Going to go through the torque specs and alignment this week to see if there is any improvement, or I am going to have to buy another arm set, and redo the work. Looking for real driver experience, and your videos are so detailed. Thanks
Lemforder will be the brand you will get if you order directly from an official Volvo web site and I am currently driving on Delphi without any issues. After 10 years of ownership I have learned first hand, and from the shop, that control arms are wear items and their life expectancy is around 60,000 miles. Don't forget to put in new ball joints, since the control arm will be apart, new ball joints are a no brainer. Good Luck and I have had good experience with both brands so I am saying both are equally good.
I do want to chime in lemforded is a 10,000 mile bandaid I don't know what is going on with that brand lately but stay away, moog is great IPD or Delphi
I experience the clunking and vibration in the steering wheel when braking. If it's the control arm bushings, could that also explain a vibration I feel through the whole car between 65-75 mph? (Going in a straight line on smooth asphalt.)
Yes those two issues are generally connected. Most shops will perform a diagnostic service for free to come up with the repair estimate. Hopefully, you have a trusted shop or mechanic that can help.
@@A_Renaissance_Man Here, in the Seattle area, everything comes at a hefty price. Thanks for responding.
Why take the CV axle out ???
Thank you for asking. This was also a Bearing Replacement job so the CV Axle came out to ease the disassembly and reassembly.
So what was the issue? I never heard you say what was wrong with the control arm
The rear bushing was worn. One of the connections to the metal was split.
@@A_Renaissance_Man and the only way to see that split would be to remove the control arm, correct?
@@knoxflyer101 I put the bushing in a vise and moved the bushing around by actuating the arm. The new control arm's movement was 1/4th of the length of the old one. Since that was difficult to film and not very dramatic, I left the whole diagnosis up in the air like a mystery. Sorry I added confusion instead of making a matter-of-fact-video.
I will say the improvement in the ride far exceeded my expectations.
@@A_Renaissance_Man-
Hi my name is fritz I have a 2008volvo xc90 the passage side is very noisy very much what can that be
My first response is the wheel bearing. We had a horrific noise that turned out to be the rear wheel bearing. Ended up doing all four. Made videos on that. If that is the issue and you plan on keeping the vehicle then SKF is the Volvo OEM brand used and I would not go cheaper or you will being doing the job twice.
Wow. Not sure where to start, and I'm not one of those over critical people that just starts commenting on other people's posts. The fact you are unsure how to properly check for movement of a potentially bad hub bearing is grounds enough to stop giving bad advice. Please, people, there's so much information on the internet; not all good, not all correct. Choose wisely and from a few known reputable sources. However, he is correct, the left side is the driver's side in Amererica....