Volvo 480 Club Europe

Hi Guys!

My nearside front spring is popping out of the top mount and doesn't want to stay in it now!

Ive been out there with coil spring compressors doing the biz and nope,shes not having it!

Feel like a twat asking this,but I guess it is possible to fit a spring upside down!!!?I say this as the Part No. detail on the n/s one is upside down!!!!

As I say,feel a fool and can guess what the response is going to be,but if I dont have to yank out the spring and its just bent,then obviously thats less work!?!!!

Cheers!

Steve Cat.

Hi Steve,

Not sure about them being wrong way up.

I had the same problem fitting my PI springs to my 480S kept falling about.

BUT they fit my turbo without a problem! How odd, Maybe we did them wrong and right on the turbo?

Is the suspension any stiffer or lower on the 480 Turbo as standard compared to the ES/S?

If so, maybe the springs are for an ES/S and not a turbo model, only thing i can think of really. I'm probably wrong, but you never know.

Good Luck.

When I checked (a while ago, now), I seem to remember the springs being exactly the same for all 480's. They have changed the design of the top-mount slightly at some point - The new ones have studs on the top, which you use a nut on, whereas the old ones just had a bolt which went into the top of the top-mount. I didn't think there were any other differences though.

I've had the same problem of the spring coming off the top-mount too, with my PI's. I think MatBat has also experienced the same thing with his lowering springs (not PI's - another brand). I managed to get mine to re-seat itself without having to take it off the car though - just pulling down on the spring, enough to get it to move.

Is there any way you could use cable ties over the top coil of the spring, and the top-mount to hold it in place? This is what I was going to try and do when I next take it apart.

Ben.

I used cable ties in mine,not s crude as it sounds, all it does is help stop lateral movement on the mount and keeps it located nicely.

i'd not want them if i thought they would fall off.

the part numbers don't correspond to up and down, they are just stamped on there randomly it seems. I don't remeber whether the fron tsprings are "directional" anyway. usually if you put things in wrong it just won't fit.
I think its just sagged, youve caned it round a corner and its popped out. I guess you'll have to take the strut off the car to get the compressors on properly.
then try the cable ties as suggested above.

I had the same problem with all 3 sets of lowering spring i have had. 2 sets of 40mm and 1 set of 60mm. I put new top mounts on and touch wood this has sorted it out everytime with no other problems