- 01/25/2017
- 1 Min Read
- By: Alex Fiehl
Volvo S40/C30/C70 Rear Upper Control Arm Upgrade for Worn Tires (P1)
Volvo's P1 chassis is known for being a small, nimble, and fun to drive chassis. Before being completely discontinued in 2012, it covered vehicles like the C30 hatchback, all the way to the ultra-practical V50 wagon.
To achieve such a nimble handling vehicle, Volvo initially shipped these vehicles with aggressive rear alignment settings. In particular, a lot of negative rear camber was used to make the car very sharp in the corners. Sometimes this camber exceeded -2.0º, not often seen on a stock street car. As is natural with an alignment, you can never have both an aggressive alignment with long tire life - it's one or the other. Many owners of non-corrected vehicles notice excessive rear tire wear, involving the cupping or feathering of the inner tread blocks.
Eventually, Volvo and the aftermarket stepped in to create an upper control arm that would mitigate the amount of negative camber in these vehicles, restoring treadwear to acceptable levels. While bringing the camber closer to 0.0º is great for treadwear, it can reduce the "snappiness" of a vehicle's steering. Again, you can never have the best of both worlds when it comes to suspension.
There are still P1 Volvo vehicles on the used market that are out of warranty and have not had the updated control arms installed. If you own one of these vehicles and suspect the upper control arms are contributing to accelerated rear tire wear, get the alignment checked. If it's out of spec, there are
two options.
OEM
Volvo updated their upper rear control arm design with different dimensions to align the rear knuckles with improved treadwear in mind. Use caution before purchasing these blindly - some vehicles with the non-updated control arms may still have acceptable rear camber.
Volvo Rear Upper Control Arm - Genuine Volvo 31201356
Aftermarket
SPC's version of this rear control arm is a great alternative if you desire a greater range of adjustment than the updated Volvo piece. With 4.5º of adjustment, there is always enough room to dial in the alignment exactly how you want. It can be used as a cheaper alternative than the OE Volvo parts, or as an upgraded suspension component for aggressive track-day setups.
Volvo Forged Rear Upper Camber Adjustable Control Arm ( S40 V50 C70 C30) - SPC-31201356
Both arms will fit all 2004.5-2011 S40, C30, V50, and C70 models. Contact our Volvo catalog manager Jason VanGorden if you have any questions.
