2001 V70XC Horrendous vibration

2001 V70XC Horrendous vibration

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Rick101

Original Poster:

6,969 posts

150 months

Monday 20th March 2017
quotequote all
Wondering if anyone can give me anything to think about.

Bought a V70 XC last year, 2.4 Petrol model, 118K. Bit over shed money. don't mind spending a bit on it but conscious of throwing good money after bad.
The car drives with a vibration. It's mainly through the steering, a little though the seat. Don't really notice it in the 30's but from 40 right up to speed you feel it more. I think there is a bit more vibration under braking too so I suspect front end. Almost feels like driving over those small red rumble strips. Doesn't bother me for local runs but I'm taking it to Le mans in June and that's a fair way with a heavily loaded shaker.

Went in for major service when I got it at a Volvo Specialist. After they test drove it they suggested it was probably the prop shaft. After researching online and finding that to be a common thing I (with gritted teeth) had it removed. £80 odd later and the problem remains.

I'm going to go back and speak to them next week and see if they think they can find the issue rather than just guess at it. I will get the prop but back in either by them or another garage if they are unable to solve.

Just wondering if anyone could give any suggestions on where to start. I don't tend to keep cars long, i.e less than 12 months. I like this one but if this remains an issue I'll prob swap to something else.

It is an auto. Dropping it into Neutral make no difference, vibration remains. Engine and gearbox seem pretty good.
Wondering if I took it to local tyre shop they would be able to check the wheels aren't buckled or some other issue with the wheels.

Last MOT-
Advisory notice item(s)
slight play in steering
o/s/f bottom ball joint has slight play
underbody corroded

Edited by Rick101 on Monday 20th March 20:47

wiliferus

4,060 posts

198 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
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Go for a long drive, then check how hot your wheels are. I had a sticky caliper on my V70 and that presented as a vibration.
If you have a disproportionately hot alloy after a good run, that's your culprit.

Dog Star

16,132 posts

168 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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I suffered sheer hell with the OHs V70 getting vibrations sorted - the whole car shuddered at motorway speed, but it was apparent 45+

Buckled wheels. Got some lovely, refurbed Tethys alloys with brand spanking new Yokos off Ebay for £300. Smooth as silk. Under test conditions on a closed road I took it up to over 140 indicated and it was like a magic carpet.

See if you can borrow some wheels and check.

Super Slo Mo

5,368 posts

198 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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It's worth getting a proper 4 wheel alignment check done. They are very sensitive to alignment and can feel quite skittish if they're out of line.
Mine (V70 admittedly) felt like a different car once it's been properly aligned, much smoother and had lost the vibration and general feeling of malaise that went along with it.

Your car might be fine of course but it's a relatively inexpensive thing to get checked.

Rick101

Original Poster:

6,969 posts

150 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Booked back into the Indy on Mon. I could try changing single wheels but that will be a bit of a pita and take a considerable amount of time compared to what they could do.

Have instructed them to leave prop shaft off for now. Start with a wheel balance check and work from there.
I doubt it's the wheels as had them balanced last year when I bought it but worth checking again. Would be nice easy fix.

Great car, bar the awful MPG so would be nice if it could get sorted.

Dog Star

16,132 posts

168 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Rick101 said:
Booked back into the Indy on Mon. I could try changing single wheels but that will be a bit of a pita and take a considerable amount of time compared to what they could do.

Have instructed them to leave prop shaft off for now. Start with a wheel balance check and work from there.
I doubt it's the wheels as had them balanced last year when I bought it but worth checking again. Would be nice easy fix.

Great car, bar the awful MPG so would be nice if it could get sorted.
I spent a lot of time on my wheel vibration issues - including all new bearing (they were all shot anyway), drop links, brake discs and even tyres.

Replacing a wheel one at once wouldn't have worked. I had THREE buckled wheels.

DJT

231 posts

161 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
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Yep, I've got one or more buckled wheels on my Mk3 V70 that need replacing.

morgrp

4,128 posts

198 months

Sunday 26th March 2017
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Start with absolute basics - tyres first - are they block treading or damaged/delmanating etc have they worn unevenly, are they matching both sides (especially important on an AWD to have matching tyres). Get the balance checked - balance and buckling issues tend to happen at certain speeds and not others so if the vibration comes and goes it could be this - that said if there are several out then it will be all over the place.

Then if no luck with these then move on to brakes Calipers are common failure on V70s and they tend to manifest as running free when cold and then seize on and cause severe vibration around 10 mins into the journey once they heat up - once they cool off they free up again making diagnosis hard - normally the rears behave this way more so than the fronts but check all of them.

Next up I'd check all engine mounts - top engine mounts are more prone to wear than bottom. I'd check the driveshafts and CV boot and joints.

Then I'd move on to suspension and geometry etc -

Rick101

Original Poster:

6,969 posts

150 months

Sunday 26th March 2017
quotequote all
Great thanks.

Tyres are all matching, tread within 1mm and correct type etc.

Going in tomorrow so will hopefully have some news

morgrp

4,128 posts

198 months

Sunday 26th March 2017
quotequote all
Rick101 said:
Great thanks.

Tyres are all matching, tread within 1mm and correct type etc.

Going in tomorrow so will hopefully have some news
Just double cehck for block treading as it can be hard to spot

Dog Star

16,132 posts

168 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
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Any news/progress?

Rick101

Original Poster:

6,969 posts

150 months

Tuesday 25th April 2017
quotequote all
Hello,

Funnily enough still on with it.

Went in for another check after prop was removed. the found remnants of some tyre slime in the OSF wheel. The cleaned that out and rebalanced all the wheels. it has given some improvement in that it has reduced vibration through the wheel. It seems there are other issues though as vibration feels more mid/rear now.

I then took it to a good wheel place. the had a visual inspection of the wheels and advised they were structurally in good nick with no obvious problems/buckling of the wheels. That was last week.

Just been down to a different Volvo specialist and he had the car up on ramps for 20 min. had a good look round. noticed the disks look worn but didn't seem to be sticking. this concurs with my checks, back of hand on disks after a 20 mile fast run with hard braking. He also checked handbrake on and off.
He did note the OSR tyre was possibly slightly oval.

Now I have booked the car back in at original specialist. I've asked to loan a set of wheels for test drive. If that cures it then it's prob that tyre. if not, I'm just going to live with it. It's only because I'm quite particular I want it perfect. Nobody else has noticed it when driving or passenger.
i've also asked them to refit the propshaft following the test as I nearly got stuck the other day laugh

Bloody cars! Love 'em

Dog Star

16,132 posts

168 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
quotequote all
Rick101 said:
Hello,

Now I have booked the car back in at original specialist. I've asked to loan a set of wheels for test drive. If that cures it then it's prob that tyre. if not, I'm just going to live with it. It's only because I'm quite particular I want it perfect. Nobody else has noticed it when driving or passenger.
i've also asked them to refit the propshaft following the test as I nearly got stuck the other day laugh

Bloody cars! Love 'em
The vibration on ours was absolutely doing my head in trying to track down. It was only because a couple of tyres needed replacing and the wheels were peeling so badly and I'd spotted so perfect, refurbed "Tethys" alloys with brand new Yoko winter tyres on that I just changed all four wheels and tyres. Instant, smooth perfection.



Rick101

Original Poster:

6,969 posts

150 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
quotequote all
Hadn't realised until mech said yesterday it was okay to run different tyres front to rear on these cars. I thought you had to match all 4 by design and depth.

Will report back if it's a tyre issue. Quite surprised it's so common. I have never had an issue like this before. Is it a 'feature' of this type of tyre? I'm running Pirrelli Scorpions.

Rick101

Original Poster:

6,969 posts

150 months

Tuesday 9th May 2017
quotequote all
Back into garage yesterday. Asked them to change for spare set of wheels and similar XC style tyres, also prop shaft went back in.

Had a test drive, some feeling from shaft but a better drive with it in place I think.Less vibration from rear noted.

On return mechanic noted VERY small buckles to 2 wheels, 1 slightly worse that the other, NSR, which is where I felt the vibration was coming from.

Original wheels refitted and I will live with it for now that I know the car is essentially safe, just slightly uncomfortable of certain roads.
Come the time to replace the tyres, I'll prob look out for a replacement set of wheels. Either that for get them refurbed/straightened.

Thanks for the advice 6 garage visits and we finally get to what you guys told me at the start!