front struts GLT 4 doors / 3-5 doors

[Duvel78]

Hi everyone,

Yes, it happens sometimes, I can send messages Sorry for my lack of activity on the board, the fact that I'm not driving a Volvo anymore as daily car doens't help! But I still have my whole stock of 340 & 360 series

I don't know if anyone can answer this question but we'll see. I'll change the front struts on my 5 doors GLT. I found another GLT 5 doors that i'm using as donor car but the struts aren't in the best condition. Part numer left is 3208470, right it is 3208471 There is also an orange paint mark on the spring

My problem is that I could use parts in excellent condition from another GLT that I have, but 4 doors. Part numbers on it are different... Front struts are 3208468 left, 3208469 right... The spring has also two paint marks, green and white.

So why a difference between the GLT 4 doors front struts and the GLT 3&5 doors front struts? I really can't understand this... Can I simply use the 4 doors front struts or is there any contraindication? There must be something different, I can't imagine Volvo doing that without any good reasons...

Thanks for the replies!

[volvodspec]

is any of the 2 GLT's a MK2 and the other a MK3?

[Duvel78]

Good question, they are both from 1987-88 > mk3

[Hell Driver]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but this is an interesting thing for me to find out about too. I'm intending to do some swapping around of these parts and wondering now if these parts are inter-changeable. Are struts fully inter-changeable between for example a 1980 Mk 1 343 an a 1983 360 GLS? (springs to be uprated and adjustable dampers). I was just assuming the old 1980 spring cups would be rusted like the rest of the car (but still have to look at them properly). Also for rear leaf springs.

[volvodspec]

yeah i just checked with the 85-91 parts catalog, and there indeed is a part number difference for 4dr and 3/5dr 360's for the struts.

they both have the mk3 360 antirollbar mounts just underneath the lower springcup, so they are interchangable. there might be a teenietiny camber difference inbetween the both of them, as the saloon might have a center of gravity that's slightly further towards the rear.
the GLT stiffness and 2cm lowering bit is in the springs and shocks, well atleast what's left in that after 20 years

all in consideration i think you'll be ok swapping either way around. all mounting points match so should be plug & play.


@ helldriver, there are loads of differences for the struts for all 300's.. mostly slightly different camber depending on body and engine.
they are however, all interchangable. 360mk3 is the only exception as this needs a 360mk3 strut to fit the anti-rollbar, all other struts can be fysically swapped.

343/345's sit 2cm higher than 340's and 360's. so technically, if you mount GLT springs all around on a 343 or 345, you lower the car 4cm

[Hell Driver]

Thanks for that, looks like I'm ok then, can't wait to get started!

[Duvel78]

Thanks for your reply volvodspec, very interesting!

So it's apparently a question of camber value between the saloon and the hatch... Does anyone know the different values between the 2 GLT models?

I hesitate now between using the right part used on the hatch series but not in good condition and using struts in perfect condition from a GLT saloon! What would you do? I can't really realize what could be the difference on the road... Is there a risk that I feel an important change?

Most of our 360s have cracked plates above the strut and a completely destroyed bearing, I think it's already changing a lot the handling of the car!

[bogbasic]

Time for some lovely new strut cups and bearings.

[Ride_on]

Hmm interesting, I concur with the part numbers on Saloon / hatch. Can't measure my front camber at the moment, Haynes doesn't show any difference except for 1.4. 1.7 has some different Kingpin+castor!

[Chris_C]

Hmm interesting, I concur with the part numbers on Saloon / hatch. Can't measure my front camber at the moment, Haynes doesn't show any difference except for 1.4. 1.7 has some different Kingpin+castor!

Green books show all the dimensions, but I believe they too only show the 1.4 variant and it's half a gnats c*ck.

[Duvel78]

True, green book isn't very helpful for this, shame... Any idea about the camber values between the hatch and saloon? Saloons should have a higher negative camber value?