Do report on the strut brace (and belly pan too!). TIA
1) Poly-bushed the top engine link/mount on my '99. Horrible dashboard shaking. restored it
2) Poly control arm bushes in a P2. Highly rcommended.
Q: Have you heard if the poly bushing which fits an aluminum arm fits the later steel ones?
3) The 4 Poly front subframe inserts. Felt an improvement I wouldn't call much. White powder came out with the bolts.
Don't know if it was dried thread-lok or salt. If it was salt, I'm glad I got it out.
1) I have high hopes. I did the "Bob Vila" mod to convert the engine support, which LOOKS like a strut brace but isn't, into a strut brace on my step son's P2 S60 last night. OH MY GOSH. Just wrote it up here:
www.swedespeed.com
I have the same hopes for the P80. This is what I ordered, OEM is Ohlins, actually. I got it for less than $80 from a dealership with an accessories sale they had going on. It's stuck in chicago in a FedEx scrum so hopefully get it within a week. I guess now that these cars are older, old stock stuff is cheaper and fortunately still available. I hope it works well since getting a beefier rear sway bar for these is almost impossible now; out of production and few take-offs to be had. P2 take-offs are easy/cheap to come by, just get a take-off from a S60R or V70R.
Volvo Performance Strut Tower Brace - Genuine Volvo 9204176
www.fcpeuro.com
2) I haven't changed any control arm bushes yet up front - stock is still good (mileage is relatively low). I did get some solid rubber rear trailing arm bushings for the cars I will put in later (the OE is the typical Volvo semi-solid/hollow type that wear out). That is supposed to help, and is cheap to do.
3) I put the iPd inserts in three cars. In the 2000 XC and the S60, it made a nice little improvement, smoother ride, slightly better steering, less flex. In my prior 2004 XC70, which had some wanders in the steering, oh wow it transformed it massively in both steering and ride/handling. I was pleased enough with the cheaper inserts I did not bother with solid mounts at higher cost/effort.
If you do get a P80 (or still have one), this is a heck of a deal on a cool engine grate. My P2 XC had an iPd aluminum shield (I saved it and will re-use it when I get another P2 XC70, which I will, preferably and Ocean Race edition). $93 delivered from Volvo Annapolis. The P2 did not "scream" for a belly pan, but the P80 has the PS lines running almost flush with the engine pan, wide open behind it. Really gave me the willies because I do go a little off-road, camping with these.
Genuine Volvo Part # 9451954 (9204978) - Protecting grating. Fits 850, C70, S70, V70, V70 XC. Ships from Smith Volvo, San Luis Obispo CA
parts.smithvolvo.com
It is badly mislabeled in the Volvo database ("seat cover?") here's an old brochure for it from UK market. p/n
9451954 fits all models, awd or fwd, despite what the brochure below implies.