12 replies to this topic

[Big Will]

I recently ordered new control arms, outer and inner tie-rods and a whole bunch of other parts from Jamie at DW Volvo. Great customer service as always and my parts arrived extremely quickly.

Anyway, the I ordered inner tie-rods based on the chassis number of my car since SMI racks supposedly only started 549830 on a V70 and my car is way below that. Therefore, my car should have been equipped with a TRW rack. In addition, the chassis code on the ID plate reads what looks like an "A" but must be a "4" to signify that it is a TRW rack. So far so good.

So Jamie sent me inner tie rods for a TRW rack. Upon trying to install them, we discovered that these were the wrong inner tie-rods! I was confused.

Many years ago, the rack was replaced by Big Dee Volvo @ 52,000 miles (just out of warranty of course). Is it possible that the dealer installed the wrong rack?! I guess it would bolt up the same but I'm just surprised that no one would have bothered to install the right part...especially one like that.

I'm not one to complain about stuff like this, but I actually feel like going there and asking them to install the right one.

[Chilled Man]

did they change the inner and outter rods at the same time also ?

if not you got sent the wrong parts.

not the first time that has happened with them but they are happy to take returns back with out question thou unlike my local dealer.

[cbon]

By "chassis code" on the "ID plate", are you referring to the code on the 5th line on the right hand side of the product plate? If so, tell me how that entire code reads.

(On some cars, like mine, that code doesn't contain any characters referring to the rack.)

[Big Will]

Chilled Man, on 04 July 2009 - 10:24 PM, said:

did they change the inner and outter rods at the same time also ?

if not you got sent the wrong parts.

not the first time that has happened with them but they are happy to take returns back with out question thou unlike my local dealer.

Justin, Volvo racks come with inner tie rods and the outers are all the same regardless of TRW or SMI rack. I don't think they sent me the wrong parts based on my vin and chassis code, but they are the wrong parts. It's no problem, I called Don and he said he'd send out the "right" ones ASAP so I'll send back the original ones they sent me. They are great at DW - no issues whatsoever with them. I'm a bit upset with the dealer that replaced my rack 110,000 miles ago if they put in the wrong one for my car!

My chassis code reads: 2W2MMW"A" I guess you're right that my product plate simply lacks the steering rack number.

Nevertheless, based on my chassis number, my '98 car should have had a TRW rack not an SMI rack

[Chilled Man]

wait now i am confused how can they be the wrong ones if they all work ...... ?

so lost ... lol and nothing new

[Big Will]

Well ok, perhaps "wrong" is too loaded a word. But, it would be wrong if it was not the rack the car came with from the factory. If indeed both the TRW and SMI rack can be interchanged then I guess there is no functional wrong.

[Chilled Man]

So now I am even more confused lol

Agian its one of the parts of any of my cars I have never had to change .

I have on other peoples cars but not mine.

So two different rack manufactures but the inner and outer tie rods work with either one then or ?

Is there any external differences or is just two different manufactures ?

considering I looked at the one the 01xc and the inner and outer tie rods looked exaclty the same on my 98 minus the 01 come from the bottome where in my 98 the come in from the top

[Big Will]

LOL Justin apparently I'm good at confusing you.

I'll try to explain.
Volvo used 2 different racks during that generation of cars. One is TRW designated by a "4" on the ID plate at the end of the chassis/suspension code located on the bottom right of the ID plate, and the other is an SMI rack designated by a "5." The inner tie rods are different and specific to each rack. The outer tie rods are all the same.
My car does not have a 4 or 5 at the end of the suspension code on the ID plate for some reason. Apparently there are others with the same omission.

That said, based on the chassis number of my car (last 6 digits of the vin) I should have had a TRW rack from the factory.
The rack on this car was replaced about 8 years ago and the dealer used an SMI rack and associated inner tie rods. I only know this b/c when replacing the inner tie rods the other day which I ordered from DW Volvo, I bought TRW ones based on my chassis number and they didn't fit. Therefore I have an SMI rack. The mystery is why an SMI rack was installed.

It's not a big deal and the correct inner tie rods are on the way, I'm just surprised that a Volvo dealer would have replaced the rack with the other type not originally fitted to the car as seems to be the case.

[cbon]

Big Will, on 05 July 2009 - 12:58 AM, said:

LOL Justin apparently I'm good at confusing you.

I'll try to explain.
Volvo used 2 different racks during that generation of cars. One is TRW designated by a "4" on the ID plate at the end of the chassis/suspension code located on the bottom right of the ID plate, and the other is an SMI rack designated by a "5." The inner tie rods are different and specific to each rack. The outer tie rods are all the same.
My car does not have a 4 or 5 at the end of the suspension code on the ID plate for some reason. Apparently there are others with the same omission.

That said, based on the chassis number of my car (last 6 digits of the vin) I should have had a TRW rack from the factory.
The rack on this car was replaced about 8 years ago and the dealer used an SMI rack and associated inner tie rods. I only know this b/c when replacing the inner tie rods the other day which I ordered from DW Volvo, I bought TRW ones based on my chassis number and they didn't fit. Therefore I have an SMI rack. The mystery is why an SMI rack was installed.

FYI, for later reference, on your car, as on mine, the chassis code on the product plate has nothing to do with the steering rack. I'll bet your chassis code, like mine, references to suspension parts. For example, my chassis code is S4YHANS. "S4" denotes the front strut, "Y" denotes the front stabilizer, "H" = rear shock absorber, "A" = rear spring, "N" = rear stabilizer bar, and "S" = front and rear bump stops (helper spring).
I finally found I have a TRW rack by finding "TRW" stamped on the outer lip of the boot. Others on VS have found theirs stamped on the rack itself.

Maybe it's just my peculiarity, but I wouldn't want to assume it's an SMI rack just because the inner tie rod didn't fit -- I would want to actually see either "TRW" or "SMI" stamped on the rack itself. But, like I said, maybe that's just me. Sounds like you already have SMI parts coming, though. Hope this one works for you. Frustrating!

[Chilled Man]

Ahhh I see now

[Big Will]

cbon, on 05 July 2009 - 01:44 AM, said:

FYI, for later reference, on your car, as on mine, the chassis code on the product plate has nothing to do with the steering rack. I'll bet your chassis code, like mine, references to suspension parts. For example, my chassis code is S4YHANS. "S4" denotes the front strut, "Y" denotes the front stabilizer, "H" = rear shock absorber, "A" = rear spring, "N" = rear stabilizer bar, and "S" = front and rear bump stops (helper spring).
I finally found I have a TRW rack by finding "TRW" stamped on the outer lip of the boot. Others on VS have found theirs stamped on the rack itself.

Maybe it's just my peculiarity, but I wouldn't want to assume it's an SMI rack just because the inner tie rod didn't fit -- I would want to actually see either "TRW" or "SMI" stamped on the rack itself. But, like I said, maybe that's just me. Sounds like you already have SMI parts coming, though. Hope this one works for you. Frustrating!

I appreciate the response, but actually the identification plate is supposed to list which steering rack your car has. The last digit of the Chassis code (suspension code) is supposed to be a "4" or a "5" denoting either TRW or SMI. This information will be given to you by your dealer when looking up which rack to order or inner tie rods to order. It also states this clearly in both VADIS and VIDA. These parts programs also clearly state the chassis number break where Volvo started using SMI racks. I mentioned the number in a previous post.

I agree with you though that the only way to know is to look at the actual rack at this point. However, if the TRW inner tie rod parts didn't fit, there is only one other choice :-)

And scene!

[Matty Moo]

on a handful of 850's, I have yet to see a plate with a 4 or 5 on it. The only way to tell is to crawl under the car. Even then, If the boots have been changed, you can forget about finding any type of id on those. That's when you have to get under there with some rags and a decent light and just look around.

both of my 96 850's had trw racks.

a2matt's 98 v70 has a trw rack.

and another 98 s70 has a trw rack, along with another 97 wagon I looked at the other day.

[B1mmer]

All you need to find on the rack is the stamp for where the rack was built. All SMI racks were built in France and all TRW racks were built in England. When I bought a new rack, I considered replacing the guts (SMI racks are servicable, but TRW are not), but I had a TRW. - AB