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Delta Link Anchorage Replacement


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I took my 850 GLT for an alignment job after replacing P/S rack and got a bad news from shop foreman.

He said “your rear toe-in is messed up because of a broken rear suspension part and will cost $1300 to replace it.”

Well, he showed me the part on the right side of rear suspension and told me that it was called delta link and whole thing had to be changed. He quoted $350 for part and 5 hours of labor and $90 for re-alignment. It was rusted and half was broken off. I knew he was trying to sell me a BS job :angry: because it was held with a bushing (I didn’t know what it was at that time) and it shouldn’t need whole new delta link. I thought this guy was worse than stealership and really disappointed about them because they have close to 30 shops in my metro area and thought they were reputable.

Here is the picture of the broken right side anchorage.

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I was worried about rust-frozen bolts and nuts as I read some of posts. I sprayed plenty of penetrating oil stinking the whole garage. I wished I didn’t do that because I didn't have any problems removing fasteners. Air impact wrench certainly helped it. Most important thing is you can replace both anchorages without removing the delta links. I was going to completely remove the right side delta link and slide it out to replace anchorages because I didn't have direct shot at the horizontal bolt holding the right side anchorage. I bought the anchorage kit from eEuroparts.

1. Chock the front wheels

2. Put the car on jack stands and remove wheels on both sides. Best place is right in front of the delta link mounting bracket. I placed a foot-long 2X4 underneath the body.

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3. Unscrew the three right side bolts (17mm) holding delta link bracket and the bolt for delta link (18mm). Do not completely remove them. I think you may not need this step and save a new bolt which is about $12 from stealership.

IMG_3812.jpg

4. Remove both side anchorage vertical mounting bolts and nuts (21mm nut and 14mm bolt head)

5. Remove 2 set of bolts and nuts for torsion bar on left side. (front: 13mm head and 15mm nut, rear: 15mm head and 18mm nut). 2 Front nuts are for anchorage and 2 in the back are for stabilizer in the picture.

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6. Remove 2 nuts on right side delta link holding torsion bar (16mm) and wiggle out the torsion bar using pry bar from left side delta link.

IMG_3814.jpg

7. Remove torx screw (T-25) holding the brake line on the center of left side delta link and pull the brake line out of plastic clip on the delta link. The flexible brake hose between two delta links, the thin metal brake line, and delta link bushing give enough flexibility to maneuver delta links around.

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8. Jack up the outer edge of spring seat to unload the tension at the end of delta link. You can do one side at a time or both sides together if you have two jacks like me.

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9. Swing out the left delta link by pulling the brake caliper and pull out and down the right anchorage out of mounting area. Mine had a broken right anchorage and it was easy using pry bar. I was surprised to see the amount of flexibility in the delta link design.

IMG_3821.jpg

10. Swing in the right delta link and pull out the left anchorage and push down using pry bar. Now you can have a clear shot to the horizontal bolt. I used an air impact wrench and it came off easily.

You can see both end of delta link are out of the mounting position and ready to accept new anchorage in the picture.

IMG_3822.jpg

11. Slide/hammer in right side anchorage to the delta link. You can not put the right delta link back in with a mounted anchorage as you can do it for left side. Engineers have to make our life harder :angry:

12. Install left anchorage to the delta link using horizontal bolt (18mm). Tighten the bolt to 37 ft-lb and additional 120 degree using breaker bar. When you tighten the additional 120 degree, the anchorage will rotate. Orient the anchorage to account for this rotation when you tighten to initial torque of 37 ft-lb.

IMG_3818.jpg

13. Put the installed left anchorage back into delta link. Pry bar will help. Install vertical bolts and nuts (hand tighten only this time).

14. Put the end of left delta link which is on right side of car (this left and right things are confusing?) back into delta link mounting area. Install horizontal bolt for right side anchorage through an access underneath the delta link. I used 3/8” drive 18mm socket swivel joint to do this. Also you need to put the left side anchorage back into position first in step 13, or you will not be able to start the threads for the right side. You can see the hand-tightened bolt here.

IMG_3831.jpg

Here is knuckle breaker and price to pay for not removing the right side delta link. The access hole gives you just enough room to put ½” drive 18mm socket and ½” breaker bar and tighten 1 notch in the 16 points socket. Lift the spring seat high enough to swing ½” breaker bar. Another trick I had to was to push the anchorage far back to engage socket and push forward to tighten using pry bar.

IMG_3826.jpg

You could just remove the flexible break hose in the middle of delta link and abs sensor on the right, and remove whole right side delta link. That will make anchorage job easier and then you have to flush the brake fluid. Depends on how you look at it, it saves your agony of slow tightening. Now you are done with hardest part of job.

15. Install vertical bolts and nuts for right side anchorage and hand tighten them.

16. Lower the jack (do not completely lower it) underneath the right side spring seat and remove the hand tightened left side anchorage bolts and nuts and pull out the anchorage

17. Re-install torsion bar on the left side of delta link and install bolts and nuts (hand tighten only). This takes some swearing and maneuvering.

18. Install right side nuts for the torsion bar.

19. Put the left side anchorage back into delta link and install and tighten the vertical bolts and nuts (37 ft-lb and additional 120 degree) followed by right side tightening

20. Tighten the both sides’ bolts and nuts for the torsion bar.

21. Screw back the bracket for flexible brake line and push back the brake line into the plastic clip.

22. Tighten the unscrewed bolts for delta link (I used new one, 77 ft-lb and 90 degree additional) and bracket (48 ft-lb and 60 degree additional).

23. Install tires and go back to $1300 dollar stealershop for re-alignment ( :P kidding, I went to a different shop).

Picture of the newly installed right side anchorage.

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For the new left side.

IMG_3833.jpg

Picture of the broken right side anchorage. Left side was still ok but had cracked rubber.

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I completed the job for $72 for parts and $75 for alignment. It took me 5 hours but I think you can do in 3 hours. I took time taking some pictures and going through a few trial and errors.

Now, I wish mine is 850 R not GLT :(, sigh !

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Nice writeup.

$1300 :angry:

The last time I had my sedan aligned one of those links was bad. I was going to take the car home and replace it, but the mechanic told me he could do it no sweat and it wouldn't cost much.

The bill was $180 + tax. That was a 4 wheel computer alignment, and the shop had the part shipped over from the local dealer.

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how much do you think it would cost to fix a t a mechanic i need mine done

Call the dealer's service dep't and tell them the what you want done. They can tell you the hours that would be given to do this job. Whoever you take it to should assign equal to or less but not more than the dealer, add the cost of parts plus taxes, and you should have an idea. You better hope the mechanic knows Volvo.

That's what I'd do.

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hey..nice job

did you notice anything unusual with you rear suspension as you were driving?

it feels like my car likes to sway back and fourth especially on the interstate.

Dan thinks its a delta link.

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Just wondering for I crapped my pants and I love how it feels and giggles.....what is the usual life span on the rear components such as this? Or does it vary and hard to say?

I assume the rear bangs around or carries on when these need replaced?

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