Volvo 480 Club Europe

For those of you that read my previous post, you will have seen that I bought back my Father's 480 just before the pandemic. I restored it to MOT standard and he had a wonderful, nostalgic summer driving it again.

As we got into the Autumn he noticed a creaking noise from the back end. The bracket that holds the trailing arm had broken on the N/S/R.

Dad sold the car in 2016(?) (owned it since 1998) because the bracket holding the O/S/R arm snapped. The buyer had it welded up, but the repair is a poor standard, already starting to fatigue and needs doing again properly.

Today I got the car out on the ramp and began to investigate. I've taken off the rear bumper for better access and removed the bracket. I'll be taking it to work tomorrow to be blast cleaned and we can see how much metal is left. I'm confident I can repair it so it's stronger than when it left the factory.

Whilst the bumper is off I'll get our bodyshop to repair the cracks/bends and re-paint it. The bumper bar has had some fiberglass added by the previous owner. Ideally I'd like to replace it as it can't be welded. Has anyone any ideas on where I'd get one from?

Also, I need some new rear trailing arms. On the opposite side, the previous owner punched a couple of nails into the tube and I've no idea why. These are still the original ones, so have lasted for 230,000+ miles. Any help/advice gratefully received.

Thankfully, the rest of the car looks as good as it did from the day I finished it last year and everything still works!

retrokid1983 wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 27, 2022 8:01 pm

Also, I need some new rear trailing arms. On the opposite side, the previous owner punched a couple of nails into the tube and I've no idea why. These are still the original ones, so have lasted for 230,000+ miles. Any help/advice gratefully received.

The rear arms are available from polar parts in the uk; the “nails” are actually there for the later abs wiring to clipped onto, not some previous owner bodge!

Interesting! Ok that's the arms sorted, thank you!
Now just the bumper

Rear Bumper bar is finest unobtainium. Take what you've got to the blasters and see what comes back

Then do your best to rebuild that! Thankfully its not an MOT able item, which may explain why the previous owner fibreglassed it.

jifflemon wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 27, 2022 8:16 pm

retrokid1983 wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 27, 2022 8:01 pm

Also, I need some new rear trailing arms. On the opposite side, the previous owner punched a couple of nails into the tube and I've no idea why. These are still the original ones, so have lasted for 230,000+ miles. Any help/advice gratefully received.

The rear arms are available from polar parts in the uk; the “nails” are actually there for the later abs wiring to clipped onto, not some previous owner bodge!

shipping etc isn't excessive

Looks like the only option is for the rear bumper bar to have some repair work then. I'm guessing if I drill out the screws I'm left with a sheet of metal, foam and then another sheet of metal? Does anyone have a picture of it out?
Fabricating something isn't a problem. I'll take it down with a wire brush on the grinder and see what I have left. One of the threads has snapped and needs replacing.

Are the side brackets obtainable?

not sure what 'side brakets' but rear bumber bar isn't and anything fixed to 'chassis' is probably a DiY affair.

I made new and so dod Cranne and JKM, your phots are 'missing in action' Google seems to play silly sods from time to time, I could se those on first post initially but not now and no other photos . ..

retrokid1983 wrote: ↑

Sun May 01, 2022 6:38 pm

Looks like the only option is for the rear bumper bar to have some repair work then. I'm guessing if I drill out the screws I'm left with a sheet of metal, foam and then another sheet of metal? Does anyone have a picture of it out?

that's the view from the "foam side"

The screws go into small plastic towers. Just chisel the heads off them if they're not undoing.

That's really helpful, thank you. The arms have arrived today and are correct. Images should now be working. These are the side bumper brackets:



Does anyone have a pair? Both are broken.

Cheers

Rob

I had the same problem with the brackets, see viewtopic.php?t=36585

This forum is incredible. I've just purchased the last two. Many thanks