Lower Control Arm Wishbone Replacement Volvo V70 S60 S80

PLEASE PRESS LIKE if you find this useful. Thank you.
I show you the quickest and simplest way replace your control arm, which is also known as a wishbone.
There is NO driveshaft removal and I show you how to do the job with basic hand tools. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Using my Amazon links does not cost you any extra.

[jap]

Well done that man!!! After struggling for eight hours to get the wishbone in, on the left front of my 2004 V70R, and enlisting the help of my neighbor I searched YouTube, and found your video. The right side took a total of 2.5 hr and was a total piece of cake. The "R" parts are a little beefier but you method worked perfectly. I'll be drinking to your health tonight. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

[MrRogerpettersson]

I just did this, and a tip is to add a block of sorts between the strap and the engine underside so the pull angle is more efficient, it tends to pull straigt to either side rather then in a downward angle, I used a sissor jack so I could adjust the pull angle

[TheRegistrant]

After studying this video religiously i finally got mine replaced on my v70xc with 170k miles. Followed every step to the T and had help pulling/ pushing the ratchet strap underneath and dropping in the ball joint. This is a tried and true method.

[MrGrogee]

Sir, you are a gentleman and a scholar. If you ever find yourself in Southam, allow me to buy you a drink. Thanks again!

[pingpong]

Just gunna give a shout out. Did my s80 like how you instructed and finished. Took my sweet time with everything n stopped midday to eat breakfast.... Took me around 3 hours total. Probably will take n hour n a half if I do it again for both sides. Best time safer is the straps to hold the lower control arm down. Thanks for the tips!!

[Peppermint]

This needs to be done with both wheels off the ground, or the sway bar link will put pressure on the strut and it will force the spindle sideways making it difficult to align the ball joint into the wishbone. I prefer removing the two lower strut bolts, but you need a breaker bar. I have some videos on my channel, look up with 'peppermint control arm'

[keith]

Just had my Volvo diagnosed with worn out bushes and realized I was getting built up for the "lets strip the car down" quote where they make sure you're sitting down.
After watching your video I am seriously thinking about having a go at this, great idea on the drive shaft staying in place. All in all a very well made workshop video, picture quality was good.
Well done.

[mikelsc]

Thanks Rob I have to tackle this job in the next couple of weeks. This is the most comprehensive video I have found and I am glad you showed this can be done without lifting the engine or removing the axle. I do hope to have access to a lift when I do the job so that will be an added bonus. Please keep up the good work brother!!

[iancull]

I'm half way through changing both control arms & ball joints (passenger side done, rain stopped play yesterday) and I really could't have managed without your video. My only difficulty was locating the rear bush correctly... after a bit of gentle persuasion from a rubber mallet it seated perfectly.

[aaronross]

I had great difficulty on my XC90 trying to separate the ball joint from the control arm on disassembly, and getting the ball joint located back into the arm on reassembly (the rachet strap bit). In the end I found it MUCH quicker and easier to undo the two 13mm bolts holding the ball joint into the hub, and by tapping on the control arm withdraw the whole ball joint unit from the hub (rather than separating it). Then I separated the ball joint from the control arm in my press, fitted it onto the new control arm and reinstalled. Or just fit a new ball joint to your new control arm and don't even have to separate the old ones. When using the rachet strap to reassemble it is much easier to have the ball joint already attached to the arm. It only took me about 1hr to do my 2nd one using this method.

[calebandrachellezhang]

I just want to thank you for your tips on using the strapping tie down to install the ball joint. By this method it saves a lot of headache.

[gregbailey]

I’ve fought with ball joints so much. Thanks for making the video!

[stuartwilliams]

Thanks SiRobb. Without you I'd have been doing it by the DIY manual (no names mentioned!) and jacking up the engine! It was a bit of a bonus to find that on mine (S60 2.0T), having loosened the 17mm bolts using your method, I was able to withdraw them completely and change them if I wanted.
Something you didn't mention was the proximity of the metal pipe to the 17mm bolt head next to the undershield bracket. In order to get the clearance for the bolt head I had to wedge a small block of wood between the pipe and the subframe lip to force the pipe aside, which was a bit scary as I was worried I was stressing nearby pipe joints too much, but I seem to have got away with it.
Strap idea worked well too. These days all my mates say they are too old to help with jobs like that. Wimps!

[leearnold]

I've just done my abs rings and noticed my one wishbone Bush looks just like yours. Great video, lots of helpful tips

[MrGrogee]

THANKS THANKS THANKS @SiRobb for showing me how to do this and give me the confidence to try it without shelling out £££ for a garage to do it for me! I wouldn't say I didn't struggle but I did get there with a little patience and trial and error. I would say to anyone trying this for the first time: borrow an impact driver (saves time). I was a little worried I'd dislocated the driveshafts but they were fine - there is quite a bit of in/out movement to allow for suspension travel so don't worry if you notice it. Bolts can be very tight - if you can, get under the car and soak the bolts in WD or similar a few days before you start. The bit I struggled with most was pulling the arm down to reconnect the bottom ball joint - an extra helper would have been ideal to give me the few mm I was looking for. All in all an EXCELLENT video for anyone trying this for the first time.

[jaieschofield]

Instead of pulling the arm down I just put the jack under the front of the drum & lift it onto it👍 I know the straps are strong but some people buy them from pound land & they are unforgiving when they break.thanks for the vids buddy👍

[raiderman]

i have done this job a few times, and will be doing another one on a 2005 volvo s60 soon. hopefully i have time to record a video. i have never replaced those bolts on any of the ones i have done in the past. i live in California, so we don't get much rain, so usually the bolts are in good shape. if they are rusted, i would recommend replacing them.

[free-businesses]

Great video, and I too don't like to waste time taking down drive shaft or disconnecting what is not required, and as a tip for others, if you don't have ratchet strap, just use another jack and place it under rotor and jack up and ball joint will slip in with less danger of tension strap slipping. Accomplishes same thing to allow ball joint to fit back into wishbone. Even easier, replace ball joint at same time for they will go sooner or later and with the amount of work required to get access, sure will save time in long run.

[brickwaltt]

Thanks for taking the time to make and post this video! I was at a loss for the last 2 hours on how to install the control arm. Now that I see what I need to do, I should be done in about 20 minutes!

[vogeltron]

MOST IMPORTANTLY! WHEN DOING THIS JOB MAKE SURE BOTH SIDES OF THE CAR ARE JACKED UP EQUALLY. WITH THE ANTI SWAY BAR YOU COULD ACCIDENTALLY PULL CV AXLE OUT!!! GOLDEN RULE OF SUSPENSION WORK IS ALWAYS MAKE SURE BOTH SIDES ARE JACKED UP EQUALLY, THAT IS FIRST RULE OF SUSPENSION WORK.

Good video I did this job on my 02 S60 Last year and it was difficult. The first spot you showed with the bolts under the car where the skid plate goes I had to buy a long rod to break them, there is like you mention zero way to access them properly. It can be done without jacking up the engine it was a learning process. Personally if you are going to do this job and drive it for quite a while I would highly suggest getting new lower control arms with polyurethane bushings. This might make the initial handling a bit tighter but over the long haul I did this at like 170k miles I have 210k and expect to not have to do this job again. I also suggest if you go through the pain of doing the control arms might as well replace the ball joints at the same time. For cost and effort I found it easier to replace the control arm with the ball joint locket in and use a pry bar with rope similar concept to your method (probably less dangerous) and get it in its spot then torque it down to its correct spot to put it in place. Overall great video. When I did this the videos on here were not very clear and I ended up spending two days, I pulled a cv axle out and broke and sway bar end link.

The two most difficult aspects are definitely getting to bolts underneath where the skid plate is and using some kind of pry system to get it over the ball joint or in my case to get the ball joint & control are in place. To give my experience for anyone who reads this, 4 to 5 years ago I knew absolutely nothing about cars. Now thanks to youtube and community boards I have been able to do rotors, break pads, control arms & ball joints, spark plugs, motor mounts, fuel pump. Especially for Volvos it is expensive to have work done you can do yourself. My advice to everyone is watch as many videos as you can for different tricks and methods and be sure to check out the various community boards. Lots of great info there too. Most of these jobs especially for suspension aren't rocket science.