by looking at the IPD cataloge. Now, I meant to ask you boys earlier what some of this stuff was, and now I am! Please, hold your laughter and remember I am learning here!!
1. Endlinks. I can see these are suspension related somehow...but...uh...what? what do these endlinks do?
http://ipdusa.com/product.asp?strParent ... rtRecord=1

(why is it that they have different descriptions online??)

and...okay...that was it. Most else I have at least a vague idea about what it's all about. I'm impressed, all that catalogue and only one thing I didn't know how it was related to suspension! Just for that, I deserve a cookie!!!

Those link the arm of the sway bar to the front strut tube. The original ones (an especially the aftermarket ones) tend to wear out, and IPD is claiming that theirs won't. Doubtful.

Here' a good picture of a pair of sway bars for an E46 BMW. The black bushings you see on the horizontal part of the bar would be clamped to the chassis, and the ends of the bars are where the end links go to connect to the suspension. The bar is free to rotate in the chassis bushings, but when one wheel tries to compress more than the other (like in a curve, when the car is leaning), the bar tries to resist the twisting motion and transfers force from the unloaded wheel to the loaded wheel. When driving down the highway, typically both wheels move the same amount and you don't even know the sway bar is there.

meah god bless the five year warranty. Course, that leaves you ripping out endlinks and waiting for them to replace em.

endlinks on any newer volvo (including yours) suck big monkeys...they will last typically 40k maybe before needing to be replaced.

soo chances are good mine need to be done eh?

good god andy when we eventually do get her up to get a good look at her, you're gonna make me cry arentcha?

if you'd like, I could poke your eyes out with a toothpick to make you not think about it

um...no...i kinda like my eyes andy....they're quite decorative and useful.

do sway bars have a...um...how to say what i want to say...too much work today has fried my bloody mind...do swaybars have a lifetime expectantcy or are they pretty much unless you smash the heck out of your car it's good?

(psst...could these endlinks be the creaky factor?...I know I know, I need to get under there n take some crap apart to truly find out don't i?

sways clunk they don't creak so no. But yes swaybars are just big thick pieces of metal that will never break but they might bend in an accident (The one on my car is bent)

wh00t to not needing a swaybar!!!!

so....uh....alignment.....wheres a decent place that wont rape me to get that done?

myself at valentine volvo.
Personally from what i've heard, not many people in the city know how to do an alignment properly. I know that i've done a couple for people on here and they havn't been up to my standard.

Speaking of which: Dale, Matt...how are they? I can redo them for you guys, I remember having to use heat and that messes with the settings a bunch.

Kat, I can add it to your tab.

hookay.....so...um...you already own my soul....your weight times two in beer....
hmm....firstborn child as well?

Until I get the new tires/wheels on the 242 I won't know how the alignment is. Ecsta 712s a horrible at best. They're far worse when they're bald. The car is a handful right now but I attribute that to the tires, not the alignment...

Mine seems good - very little wander or corrections needed to keep a line. My upper strut mounts are hurtin' so I'm not sure I get the feel I should have, but the alignment seems great.

Off topic because I have the attention span of a goldfish...

PANIC! They didn't have those pretty yellow microfiber clothes at costco that are absolutly amazing in their glory!!
So since I suck and I don't have a costco membership, (I was leeching off muh mommy on this trip!) and I'm sure someone out there does, if ANYONE sees those at costco, pick me up a pack and I will pay you back cost of them plus a beer or something. anything. i heart these and am like a junkie. i need more! MORE! oogity boogity boo!

(yes, there;s also a certain amount of sleep insanity tonite as well...and why have y'all been so quiet this weekend? I know it's the last long weekend of the summer but that's no excuse to get lives! )