Front end rebuild/upgrade using OEM & aftermarket parts | SwedeSpeed

Here are links to reviews from other SwedeSpeed members about the handling of my XC90 using parts listed in this thread,

— Start reading the journey, what parts can pop or creak, and what works —>
I wanted to share my personal experience and set-up with using OEM and aftermarket parts to rebuild or upgrade the front end of the XC90. These are my personal opinions and hope you can benefit from real-world experience, rather than hearsay. After driving BMWs for 20 years I wanted more from the handling. The XC90 finally went from boring to sporty.
Edit 2-28-2022: Volvo, unfortunately, didn’t win awards for its handling and performance. Almost every single part mentioned here are replacement parts for your worn suspension that can help improve handling. You can save money too.

If I didn’t put it in the pic or listed below, the parts replaced are original Volvo. For my 3.2 engine mounts, I used all Hutchinson from FCP. I noticed on some of them, they looked exactly the same as the Volvo part, but the Volvo logo was ground off.

⭐ Don’t forget to read the parts updates and table summarizing which specific parts to use below! ⭐

Control Arm Bushings
The main thing to talk about are the control arm bushings. I had replacement Meyle control arms, but when a winter sale for poly forward control arm bushings plus an additional sale on top of it came up, I jumped at the opportunity. I used original Volvo for the rearward bushings. My assessment, I love the poly control arm bushings because they remove the bushing cutouts that flex and since they pivot in the bushing rather than twist the bushing when the control arm moves up and down, the geometry is more precise without the harshness. Yeah, each time the control arm moves up or down, the front rubber bushing twists. The poly bushings were a little firm at first and it took about two weeks for the bushings to break-in (it was frigid January winter). Now they are wonderful.

For those looking to press bushings out of the old control arms, I can assume most people mainly fall between either you want the factory ride or sportier. If you are going to spend a typical $20-40 per bushing to be pressed out and replaced, I would go straight for the original Volvo or the Polyurethane ones. (❗we are starting to see early failures in OE Volvo rubber bushings) For bushings that carry so much load in the suspension, it’s worth skipping both Meyle and Lemforder, especially if you’re already going to pay for them to be pressed. Why save a few dollars when they will be on for 70k-100k miles and are essential to the suspension.
(Added links to first-hand reviews)

Brake Rotors
The next thing I might change are the Zimmerman brake rotors. I think they have more ferrous (iron) material because they can form light rust in humid or wet weather. This means you feel grinding first thing in the morning as the pads clean off the rotors. I might try the Ate ones next time. The Bosch rear rotors don’t have the same problem and I like them.

Subframe Bushing Polyurethane Inserts
The last part I want to share are the subframe poly inserts. This is well documented, but if you live in an area that uses salt, I would skip the forward two inserts. The forward bolt threads are exposed to the outside elements and rust. Water and salt sit in the threaded part like a pocket, making it worse. Thus, I and others, have had these forward bolts break when trying to remove them. So, my suggestion is you can use the rearward two poly bushing inserts to help tighten things up and those rear two get most of the turning load.

The rest of the parts are performing really well and have been documented in other threads. They are of good quality, either equal or better than Volvo in my opinion. I love this set-up and with the right alignment, it works very well. It is civilized in normal driving, but really sporty on the turns.

Alignment Specs
The last bit that does not require parts is the alignment. I personally believe the factory rear settings are too toe’d in and this gives that front corner pushing feeling on circular highway off-ramps. Especially with the front end sport build, I noticed the rear was pushing straight/forward when I turned, so the trick is to reduce the factory (around) +0.17 of toe in on each side or total toe of +0.34. You can instruct the alignment shop to make it zero, or if you want a little straight line safety for the highway/towing/carrying 7 passengers/wifey/teenager, reduce it to +0.10 each side or a total toe of +0.20 (still within spec range and my recommendation). This will improve the rear to follow the front wheels on turns and still feel stable at higher speeds.

*(Tip) Added November 13, 2021
Volvo put a TJ out a number of years back. All P2 XC90s should use the 2009+ wheel alignment spec. Pre-2009, front wheels were toe’d out, now updated to toe-in. The alignment rack software at Volvo dealerships and shops does not have this update, so the updated spec needs to be handed to them. Link to the TJ: Steering wheel vibration
(I reduce front toe-in also, see table below)

⭐ 1st Long-Term Update (May 7, 2020)
– Also see 2nd long-term update for strut mounts below

Besides the changed parts below, the rest mentioned in the original post are going strong with 33k-38k miles on them.

Brakes
-I changed the brake pads to Wagner Thermoquiet Ceramic pads. They perform better in cold, wet, and hot compared to Bosch Quietcast and Centric Posi Quiet Semi-Metallic. The Wagner TQ Ceramic does not have the dark brake dust. (Wagner’s semi-metallic has less friction)
-Bosch QC and Centric/Stoptech PQ carried a friction rating of FE. FF is a good OEM pad friction rating, so both these pads indicate they can fade with heat. The Wagner TQ Ceramic carries a friction rating of GG, the highest for a street pad.
*(Tip) More about how you can spot good friction on brake pads: Identify low and high friction brake pads

-I changed to Bosch rotors and they rust less than the Zimmermans. I now only recommend the Bosch Quietcast or original Volvo rotors. (Other well-known OE European rotor brands are good too from Ate and Pagid)

Strut Mounts/Bearings
⚠ Diagnosing “popping” noise: At about 17k miles, I started to get a creak when I turned the wheel at a slow speed, like out of a parking spot. After around 30k miles of use, it changed to a small pop.
*(Tip) Around 35k miles, I removed one front wheel at a time with the front on a jack stand, then I placed one hand on the strut/spring and the other on the control arm. I had a 2nd person turn left and right. I could feel the pop in the upper area and not the control arm, signaling it is not a balljoint, but the strut mount/bearing.

❗I can no longer recommend Lemforder for a strut mount/bearing. See how they looked. While it did not completely break, it did make a noise creaking and popping. There are other accounts of this in the forum too. The bearing also made [scratchy] wear noise at 38k miles when I checked it after removal. I have now switched to the Corteco strut mount and the noise is gone. Corteco comes with nuts rounded at its upper area, so have a wrench or deep socket ready, otherwise, you can strip the nuts. (see the update to strut mounts below)
🧐 Quality online parts stores stopped carrying Lemforder strut mounts/bearings. The leftover stock is ending up on Ebay. Some of them have fake pics, showing INA bearings and made in Germany when these were made in China and did NOT have INA bearings.

⭐ 2nd Long-Term Update on strut mounts: more popping (September 25, 2022)

Welp, I just changed the strut mounts/bearings on another XC90 that had Corteco mounts which started to pop while turning the wheel after 24k miles. I installed the Febi-Bilstein mounts as the replacement. The bearings are INA and this brand of bearing is a very well-known OE quality bearing brand. The mount looked of quality on par with the original Volvo. The popping while turning was gone after the install. The XC90 owner does live in a pothole-prone city where there is road construction on his route to work. I expect this Febi-Bilstein mount to last a very long time. Note: The mounts do not come with new nuts
-Along with the strut mounts, it is advisable to change the spring pad/seat/perch at the same time. Due to the available spring pads/seats, Sachs was used in this update. The description notes it is an updated HD design and hopefully, this will also last for a long time.

Rear Suspension (added February 26, 2022)
People have asked about the rear. Without going into the shocks, the best upgrade and maintenance item is the rear trailing arm bushing, or rear stay control arm bushing. Changing the rear trailing arm bushing will improve overall turn-in and handling. The bushing can affect the rear toe when it flexes. The updated bushing is solid rubber while the original has cut-outs for flex. You have to use an original Volvo bushing for this part (some owners have started to use poly with good results too).
Here’s the Swedespeed thread about the rear stay control arm: Rear stay control arms bushing replacement

Strut Selection.
While there are options for struts, I have installed the Bilstein B4 Touring struts on non-sport, as well as my Sport suspension. They work extremely well for both types of springs. Since the Bilstein B4s are Touring (not the stiff Bilstein Sport/HD) it is a mild upgrade that yields great results by reducing nose drive and improving handling. The handling will also feel safer. Do your search, but here is some feedback on real-world strut choices: Need Front Strut Suggestions

**Remember, you can always use a slightly higher-rated strut on stock springs. The P2 S60R came with different driving modes (Four-C/Active Chassis), in which the driver could put the struts to Comfort, Sport, and even stiffer Advanced modes, while still using the same springs. Many many modern vehicles have options for dynamic suspensions too while still using the same springs. Some struts/shocks automatically adjust (varying rate) to the road while using the same springs. Bilstein lists the Touring B4s as direct replacements for the XC90.

Sport Suspension parts?

*(Tip) Many XC90s have Sport suspension parts even if they don’t have the Sport or RD package/trim. Find out if you do. Discussion on 3.2s having Sport parts and decoding your XC90.

Don’t know your front brake size or if you have Nivomat (U.S. XC90s)?
*(Tip) You can read this post of how to easily check, if you have rear Nivomat Self-Leveling shocks or 328mm dual-piston front brakes

In Summary: Parts & Adjustments to use
(will be updated if needed)
*attaching useful pdfs: list of front OE parts, part numbers, torque specs, etc. from @ggleavitt and updated alignments specs (all XC90s) from @Capndirk