- 05/13/2014
- 1 Min Read
- By: Jay VanGorden
The Most Common P2 Volvo Front Suspension Noise
So you're in your ride cruising down the streets when all of a sudden you hear a knocking noise coming from the front suspension. Now, most of us love our Volvos and have come to know that there are several things that could cause knocking or clunking in our front ends. But, one of the weakest links are the rubber upper spring seats. Whenever I hear a noise from the front end of a Volvo this is my number one thing to check out.
The upper spring seat carries the load of the front coil spring force and essentially takes the most abuse in the front end of these vehicles. If possible, first verify that the noise is coming from the spring seat which can diagnosed properly using a set a chassis ears, but chances are you won't need them if the failure is bad enough. When these seats blow out, you know it. If you're still unsure if the noise is coming from the seats, you can remove the upper strut nut and washer from inside the engine bay with the strut still installed. The nut and washer can be seen in the diagram to the left and are numbered 1 and 2. Once these are removed you'll see the "T nut" and will be able to better gauge the condition of the seat. If the metal sleeve is misaligned, cracked, worn or broken, replace the spring seat.
Now, for the upgrade. Instead of replacing the spring seat with the factory design, replace the spring seat with the more durable, heavy duty Volvo XC90 spring seat part number 30683637. The XC90's spring seats were made to withstand more abuse and will last a lot longer on your vehicle. You can find the updated Volvo P2 Upper Strut Mount and Spring Seat Kit here.
This upgrade can be performed on the following vehicles:
S80 - 1999-2006
XC90 - 2003-2014
V70 - 2001-2007
V70 XC / XC70 - 2001-2007
S60 - 2001-2009
