- posted
16 years ago
1997 Volvo 850, non turbo, 2.4 liter engine, sedan. Before jacking the front up, take the plastic wheel covers off to expose the axle nuts. Take a heavy duty 36 mm socket with a long handle breaker bar use a pipe extension or you will have to literally stand and jump on the handle to break the nut free. Or use an impact they are very hard to get loose. Jack up the front of the car so you have about six inches clear under wheels. Put jack stands under both sides with wood softeners heavy duty between uni-body and stand. Block wheels. Put parking brake on. Remove wheels. On the left side or driver's side first take spring clips off of calipers. Carefully pry back caliper piston enough to clear any ridge on rotor. Take a 7mm Allen socket remove bolts that are inside rubber grommets there should be plastic caps to remove first. Take of caliper. Then use a 12mm socket to remove caliper bracket. Take off the one small looking bolt with tapered pin on it. The rotor is rusted on so take a dead blow soft hammer and hit rotor until it comes free. Don't be afraid to hit it hard. Spray rust penetration spray on all nuts and bolts. Disconnect ABS wire set aside. Remove steering tie rod end nut off. Then hit the end of bolt with hammer to loosen tapered pin. The bolt has an extension so you don't hurt threads. This year Volvo can have either two types of lower swing arms. First, the ball joint is integrated or is part of the swing arm and the other has a bolts on a braket .The ball joint and braket has three studs and nuts that bolt into lower swing arm. If its the integrated style there is a round shaft that points up and inserts into a clamp in back of the hub on the bottom. Even though you soaked with penetrating oil it will probably break or shear off. If the nut come out you probably won't be able to drive it out. If it dose not come out cut off flush with grinder. Take a punch and drive it out with a large hammer. You might have to get mad it and beat the piss out of it but it will come out. New ones are cheap and available. Take something tapered or use wedges to separate lower swing arm from hub this too will take some effort, be careful not to damage ball joint rubber boot. The other style ball joint, Just take the bolts out. Replace this style with new ones, for about $50,00 US each. The integrated Style is $175.00 US each and has to be separated from chassis. Now. The fun part. Carefully pry behind inner CV joint and Transmission. If that does not work take to small wedges and carefully drive them in. It will pop loose when the spring retainer clip comes free inside. The wedges will just suddenly fall and the axels will come out. Now the right side, maybe should do this side first because it's harder in some respects. Repeat everything above but this side the left side has and intermediate shaft with a bearing bracket mounted to the side of engine. Take bearing cap off has 2-
12mm bolts. Bump it with a hammer cap will come off now take the 4 bolts out that attaches the other half of bracket to the engine 3-
12mm bolts and surprise 1- 14mm bolt in the hardest to reach area. Take a hammer and bang around until bracket comes off. It has to come out or shaft will not come out. Then grab the entire mess and pull it out straight it will come out with a little effort. Now go have beer or 10. Should not cost more than $120.00 ea. US for rebuilds new are 3 times as much. Not worth fixing if boots are open and dirt got in. Clean up everything with degreaser. Be careful not to damage seals on the transmission or now's the time to change them. Now's the time to put rotors and brake pads on. Put a little anti-seize on the tie rod end and the post for the ball joint end. Wow that was fun but saves about $2,000.00 US well worth the pain. Don't get frustrated just keep attacking.