Swedish automaker Volvo is one of the industry’s movers capable of turning the sports wagon-making school upside down. Making room for passenger comfort in high-performance vehicles, Volvo cars feature an integrated suspension setup that boasts best-in-class drivability. Comprised of a series of STRUT tower stays and STRUT links, the Volvo suspension assembly is built into the car’s chassis, facilitating even weight transfer throughout the car’s suspension. With Volvo’s STRUTS primed for chassis flex during high-speed cornering, Volvo’s frame is strengthened and makes the car resilient against body roll.
The Volvo STRUT tower tie unites the STRUTS and the anti-roll bars of the car. Together, these bars and towers form a frame within the car’s frame and absorb chassis flex, preventing the car’s cabin from swaying excessively, especially during tight corners. Newer Volvo models come standard equipped with a STRUT tower mount. Older Volvos can match the suspension setup with a simple drill and bolt procedure. Because the front suspension rotates left and right during steering, the front struts are mounted and require no drilling, while the rear struts are drilled into the car’s chassis.
Volvo’s front and rear STRUTS are designed to take most of the flexing of the frame. They are steel braces built for durability and can even be reused. They are mounted on heavy-duty chrome AXLE SUPPORTS to resist stress. The front STRUT MOUNTS, however, must have pivot points to allow the front wheels to turn. THE STRUT MOUNTS on the head of the Volvo suspension assembly have rubber seals with BUSHINGS and bushings to provide flexible coupling. Front STRUTS with a rubber mount are used on compact Volvos that have a set of McPherson struts. This type of STRUTS can also be used in the rear of the car if it is four wheel drive capable. In most cases, fixed chrome shafts are used on the rear STRUTS so that the car is better equipped against chassis flex.
As the Volvo hugs corners, the STRUTS absorb the stress and it flows down the mounting points. The chrome shafts of the rear STRUT MOUNTS absorb stress, while the rubber portion of the front STRUT MOUNTS are susceptible to wearing their BUSHINGS and bearings against frame flex. While axle ASSEMBLIES can accommodate deflected frame flex, BUSHINGS and bearings can give way and reduce pivot point flex. Due to the normal stress placed on Volvo front struts, the STRUT MOUNTING BUSHES and bushings are parts of the suspension assembly that require regular maintenance.
A worn STRUT MOUNT BUSHING can make steering difficult and take away from the cab comfort provided by Volvo suspension. It results in erratic steering and makes a crackling and popping noise. Even at cruising speed, a failed MOUNT can rear its ugly head in the form of excessive suspension play. This can break the rubber portion of the SUPPORT and snowball into a disproportionate bounce and collapse of the front STRUT. In most cases, creaking noise precedes erratic steering and is one way to tell if the Volvo STRUT MOUNT BUSHING has exceeded its peak performance.