I have a 1987 760 GLE with a B280F. I just replaced the ball joints (they were original at 250K kms, but they were quite worn and starting to bind).
Anyhow, I notice that if you crank the wheel at low driving speeds (ie: parking, pulling out of my driveway), the steering rack seems to shudder (but not really though the steering wheel), you can see the wheels shuddering a bit too (nothing is loose in the front end though, bearings are good too.
I am figuring the rack is getting to the point where it needs to be rebuilt... The boots have slight tears in them, and you can see rusty ooze coming out of them (slight tears meaning just bigger than a pin-hole). I am surprised the rack has stood up for so long, really well made.
I am assuming the rack is shot, and it appears to be easily removed (I'd do the tie rod ends at the same time + alignment). Pump should be fine?!?!? any suggestions?
Cn't really tell you if it is the rack, the pump, or both... but:
Check the fluid. Look for particles and use a magnet to see how much metallic particles are there. SOme folks permanently dangle a magnet in there to remove as much of the ferrous particles as possible.
jack the front end up and pull the boots off the rack. Grag the tie rod ends and shake them. If there is any noticeable play or knock, then somehting needs to be replaced.
Rebuilt racks come with inner tie rod ends (all the ones I saw in the US did). Best price I found was at FCP Groton.
With that many miles there are probably some other parts that could use replacing as well. __ __ Randy & \ \/ /alerie's \__/olvo '93 960 Estate
Maybe all you need to do is put new inner tie rods (and boots to protect them). Disconnect the tie rod end, and see how tight the inner joint is, and how smoothly it works. If they're rough and/or loose, then replacing them may cure your problem.
I'm pretty sure the inner tie rod end is fine, I've rebuilt several racks for my Italian car collection, and am quite familiar with changing out super rare inner tie rod ends on racks!! ouch....
However, this feels like a surging, you could hold the wheel under pressure, and it almost feels like air is passing through the rack and "pumping" the rack, making it shudder...... The struts are new, the ball joints are new, the tie rod ends are not (outers, I believe they are original and are still good!!!!, ball joints were real bad!!)
Anyhow, it is still driveable and doesn't pose a safety concern, I'm quite happy with this old car............ and intend on keeping it for a long time.
The bad interiors of the '87s is the only piss off, I really wish I had the '88 dash which doesn't crack. All the interior plastic is explosive when touched, (trim around seat belt shoulder restraint, which goes into the pillar, cracked...., lots of other stuff too).
Also, I think Mike F. mentioned that the 240 OE amplifiers aren't good in another post, but you know what.... the '87 760 GLE comes with a crap deck, but a decent power amp and fairly good speakers. I put in a nice DIN mount and a Pioneer DEH-1600 CD player, hooked it up to an electronic crossover, mid/highs go to the OE Volvo amp (made a connector making front/rear speakers on 2 RCA connectors instead of 4 seperate channels), and have a sub amp with 2 10" subs in the trunk....... First off, the imaging of the OE Volvo speakers was unreal........ and the amp puts out decent clean power when fed a clean source signal!!! Maybe lower end Volvos get worse amps, but this particular setup is a nice Mosfet PWM power supply and Bi-Polar transistors on the outputs, sounds sweet. Deck power from the Pioneer doesn't compare (which uses Mosfets on the outputs, but no where near the same amount of power, rated for 50W/ch, more like 20W/ch RMS clean, 50W peak (Wp-p).
I just wish my B280F would sound as good as my Alfa 2.5 Litre V6, ohhhh....... that was-a nice-a car-a.... ;)
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