lowered rear axle problems

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mat_91
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Joined: 07 Oct 2009 08:50 pm
Location: nottinghamshire

lowered rear axle problems

Post by mat_91 » 15 Jun 2010 05:42 pm

my rear end feels very weird my anti tramp bar snapped a while back now i am getting round to fitting a smaller one
when it snapped it had 2" blocks on and it didnt feel an different with out it
other day i fitted some 3" blocks went drifting everything fine there so its not like its the blocks
but ive just come home at 60mph ish and had to serve quickly but not a massive amount and the rear end felt like i had 2 flat tyres
ive looked all all the bushes and there fine made sure all my bolts for the lowering blocks are tight and there ok
i know there not gunna be amazing and it did feel like this standard but no were as much as it did now
also ive had it on tracking machine today and the read out for the rear toe is left -0.65 and right -0.60 camber left -1.5 right -2.0
meaning there both toeing out alot would this make the back feel weird as thats alot
i think the back axle is shagged also it sits lower on the drivers side rear more the leaf springs fault
might just pick up a new axle and see if that fixes it as its clearly bent alot
what do you guys reckon
thanks
Last edited by mat_91 on 15 Jun 2010 06:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Ride_on
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Re: lowered rear axle problems

Post by Ride_on » 15 Jun 2010 06:06 pm

I think the toe in is the cause. Rear axle bending is a common problem especially with repeated hard acceleration (seemingly no matter what engine).

My project 360 has camber -1deg both sides. All my cars have suffered rear toe in, but I've never actually measured it. Will do soon as I plan to straighten mine by cut/bent/weld.

http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... oe#p109865

Edit to say, you will be lucky to find a straight one, they are all bent to some degree IMO. Even granny cars are racked by mechanics.
1980 345 DL_______1987 360 GLE (project car restored to GLT spec and B230FT'd)
1984 360 GLT______1987 360 GLT
1983 360 GLS______1989 360 GLE
1985 340 GL_______1986 340 1.4
1985 360 GLS______1995 940 SE 2.3 Turbo Estate (daily)
1987 340 GL 1.7

mat_91
Posts: 636
Joined: 07 Oct 2009 08:50 pm
Location: nottinghamshire

Re: lowered rear axle problems

Post by mat_91 » 15 Jun 2010 06:12 pm

yer the research on here shown that they all bend no matter what engine :evil:
but if the axle is toeing out on both sides how would i bend it back to what it should be
slice cut the back to the right angle the weld and reinforce
it is actully pretty bad and you can feel it at 30mph ish
its not because ive got big blocks giving loads of leverage on the leaf spring
just read on here that the hub mounting faces rust could this make it happen
think ill strip it down tomorrow and see wt its like
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340GLT
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Re: lowered rear axle problems

Post by 340GLT » 15 Jun 2010 10:45 pm

To be fair i would say by running 3" blocks with no tramp bar you are experiencing spring wind up, after all the further you move the axle from the springs the moment is increasing, thus increasing the length of the lever in theory. Try fitting an anti tramp bar asap.
Adam
F559 LFE - 340R 2.0 16v
C208 CTR - 340 1.8 16v
D300 LBO - 360 GLT 3 Door Turbo project!! (and restoration)
F706 RBX - 350R in process!!!

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Chris_C
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Re: lowered rear axle problems

Post by Chris_C » 15 Jun 2010 11:12 pm

340GLT wrote:To be fair i would say by running 3" blocks with no tramp bar you are experiencing spring wind up, after all the further you move the axle from the springs the moment is increasing, thus increasing the length of the lever in theory. Try fitting an anti tramp bar asap.
Adam
What this man says. I get spring wind up with *no* blocks on my engine
'89(G) 340 GLE B172k
'03 S60 D5 SE, '91 (J) MX5, 1954 Cyclemaster
Ex:
'89(F) 340 GL F7R (ex B172k) - Fake -> SBKV 300 Runner Up 08, 12; '91(H) 340 GL B14.4E - Kar; '88(F) 360 GLT B200E - Jet -> BKV 300 Runner Up 09; '89(G) 360 GLT B200E - Beast

Ride_on
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Re: lowered rear axle problems

Post by Ride_on » 15 Jun 2010 11:29 pm

mat_91 wrote:yer the research on here shown that they all bend no matter what engine :evil:
but if the axle is toeing out on both sides how would i bend it back to what it should be
slice cut the back to the right angle the weld and reinforce
it is actully pretty bad and you can feel it at 30mph ish
its not because ive got big blocks giving loads of leverage on the leaf spring
just read on here that the hub mounting faces rust could this make it happen
think ill strip it down tomorrow and see wt its like
Is it toeing out or toeing in?

toe-in = front of rear wheels closer than back.

My first 340 was very bad, after I had been driving it for a few years, normally ok, but when going through puddles nearly spun. Probably the lack of anti-tramp+lowering is making it alot worse.

My plan to straighten involves cutting the tube (which is weak IMO) (you can see the leafs are twisted up slightly up with the toe-in on springs that havn't been disassembled, so its not the box/hub mounting area), not sure what you mean 'cutting back to the right angle'. I'd just cut the tube 95% of the way round and brace with a chain and bottle jack or sledge hammer maybe, then weld and reinforce.

There 4 big bolts holding the rear hub in place, I can't see how corrosion would affected it against that force?
1980 345 DL_______1987 360 GLE (project car restored to GLT spec and B230FT'd)
1984 360 GLT______1987 360 GLT
1983 360 GLS______1989 360 GLE
1985 340 GL_______1986 340 1.4
1985 360 GLS______1995 940 SE 2.3 Turbo Estate (daily)
1987 340 GL 1.7

mat_91
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Location: nottinghamshire

Re: lowered rear axle problems

Post by mat_91 » 16 Jun 2010 09:30 am

yer i did think not having a anti tramp bar wouldnt help
might drop my 2" blocks back on to see if its the leverage causing this
but i think ill drop another back axle on it as it is toeing out alot
this rear end set up its just daft a solid axle would have been alot more simple
after all thats basically what it is just with the diff on the car
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340GLT
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Re: lowered rear axle problems

Post by 340GLT » 17 Jun 2010 01:31 am

The rear end is the way it is to reduce unsprung weight though, which is a very good idea. The rear beam is extremely light compared to a solid axle. I would be suprised if you axle is very bent as none of the 7 or so 300's I have had have been out of tolerance.
Adam
F559 LFE - 340R 2.0 16v
C208 CTR - 340 1.8 16v
D300 LBO - 360 GLT 3 Door Turbo project!! (and restoration)
F706 RBX - 350R in process!!!

mat_91
Posts: 636
Joined: 07 Oct 2009 08:50 pm
Location: nottinghamshire

Re: lowered rear axle problems

Post by mat_91 » 17 Jun 2010 08:09 pm

yer i was fine but i hit a curb drifting other day and its bent the way i hit it so thats what happened
and i know its the system has got less un sprung weight but come on i bet you wouldn't even
notice if there was a solid axle under the back when its gets a proper engine in it
it will have solid axle so ill have to see
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Ride_on
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Re: lowered rear axle problems

Post by Ride_on » 17 Jun 2010 11:29 pm

The axle is solid, I assume you guys are talking about a 'live' axle.

Your 7 300s may have been in tolerance, that doesn't mean they handled right. I've never measured mine for toe in, just looked down and vaguely aligned with the wheel arch or body, and I know how the new (straight) ones handled (awesomely!!). Left always worse then right, it is visible its bad IMO. Anyway what is the tolerance for toe-in? Whatever it is I suggest we reduce it when aiming for better handling.

I suspect Volvo could have relaxed the tolerance so bad cars didn't fail, believe me I've worked in manufacturing companies that have done that. There was never a big safety scare about it so the judged it just about ok, but we can do better.
1980 345 DL_______1987 360 GLE (project car restored to GLT spec and B230FT'd)
1984 360 GLT______1987 360 GLT
1983 360 GLS______1989 360 GLE
1985 340 GL_______1986 340 1.4
1985 360 GLS______1995 940 SE 2.3 Turbo Estate (daily)
1987 340 GL 1.7

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