How do I test for bad end links?

13175 Views 8 Replies 6 Participants Last post by petew, Jul 14, 2009

Minn R

Discussion Starter · Jun 22, 2009

I have been having a noise in my front suspension lately. I thought it was axle ping at first, but both bolts are very tight. The noise happens when going over bumps and also when shifting. It also happens at low speeds if you let off the throttle and then get back on the throttle.
1. How do i test to see if my end links are bad?
2. Can it still be axle ping if the bolts are tight?
3. What else could it be?
Any help or suggestions would be very helpful.
thanks

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art_werks

· #2 · Jun 22, 2009

Re: How do I test for bad end links? (Minn R)

My iPd endlinks were loose at one point. I heard a lot of rattling under the car and looked at everything to no avail, because my endlinks seemed tight. I decided to tighten them, however and with only about a 1/4 of a turn on each endlink the rattling went away. Just this weekend I made a point to loctite and torque to spec all of my endlink bolts.
If you are hearing rattle when you are shifting, though, that sounds more like the axle bolts.

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VolvokidS60R

· #3 · Jun 22, 2009

Re: How do I test for bad end links? (Minn R)

Get the front end or rear end that you think has the bad end link.
once lifted you grabe the swaybar rt at the link and pull down if theres play its bad if not move on to the next

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art_werks

· #4 · Jun 22, 2009

Re: How do I test for bad end links? (VolvokidS60R)

Quote, originally posted by VolvokidS60R »

...once lifted you grabe the swaybar rt at the link and pull down if theres play its bad if not move on to the next

I tried this and found no play, but when I tightened the bolts on the endlinks, the rattling went away. I think it hard to tell if there is play in the endlinks just by grabbing them, because of all the tension.

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PdangerP

· #5 · Jun 22, 2009

Sometimes you can actually have a bad enlink, not just a loose one. My IPD endlink in the FL failed. If you jack up the car, you can use a pry bar to manipulate the wheel from the bottom. If it rattles, you have a bad one.

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firehawk618

· #6 · Jun 23, 2009

Simple to check. Remove it completely and just make sure your sway bar is safely tied up out of the way and take it for a drive.

Or you can just remove one side and go for a drive and listen if the sound quit on the side that it is removed on and do the same for the other side.

I prefer to just take them both off altogether.

Most cars you don't even have to worry abou tieing up the sway bar but just check to make sure it won't drop and intefere with anything.

Unless it's ready to fall apart you won't be able to feel any play in it.

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Minn R

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jun 23, 2009

Re: How do I test for bad end links? (Minn R)

thanks for the replies.
I tested the end links and they seem to be fine.

My nest question:
Can you still get axle ping if the bolts are tight? and what else could be causing this sound since its not the end links?

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VolvokidS60R

· #8 · Jun 23, 2009

Re: How do I test for bad end links? (art_werks)

Quote, originally posted by art_werks »

No not hard at all i do it ever day expect saterday and sunday. How else do you think a tech test a sway link...? just like that. if you tighten the nut and the noise went away then it was cause it was not prople tq.
if you dont have the XC90 bolts hen yea youll still get ping.
Yea a pribar works good too. put it between the sway bar and the subfram were the link is taught bad and pry up/down. pribars work good for the SLIGHT noise but i like to pull on them. You get a better feel

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petew

· #9 · Jul 14, 2009

Re: How do I test for bad end links? (Minn R)

I've been living with rattling suspension for weeks now.... and I know that sound -- volvos go through end links ~ 20,000 miles or less.

so I ordered a new set from IPD and jacked-up the car.

son of a burch those (rear) nuts are a pain in the asp!

so i rolled the car into Midas and let them have a go at them with their impact wenches.

took two guys a full hour to get one nut off the rear link

so yes, if you hear suspension rattling it's most likely an end link or two...

and yes, it's an easy repair...

... unless it's not

the upside is, because suspension parts deterioriate slowly, you don't notice how bad your handling is until it's way bad.

I'm loving my "new" sports car

http://********************/smile/emthup.gif

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