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Driver's rear corner sits ~2" lower than the passenger side. That wheels has much more noticeable negative camber.
I had the car on a lift during safety inspection and the inspector measured the springs and told me the driver's side spring was compressed 2" lower. He suggested that a "hefty" individual probably caused premature sag over his 12-year ownership of the car. That fit with some of the other "evidence" I could see in the interior of car
Based on that, I replaced both rear springs with a set from a 97 s70. I switched the driver and passenger side replacements just to be sure... I also gave the car a rear brake job while it up was up high.
Once complete, I put the car back down and *exactly* the same sag reappears. The driver's rear corner is *still* 2" lower with an entirely new set of springs!
My first fear was serious damage from an accident - bending the frame, pushing suspension parts out of whack - but crawling around under the car and measuring things reveals ZERO evidence of a serious accident.
For example, both lower spring carriers are exactly 5.75" from the ground surface, both springs were exactly the same unloaded height, both wheels are identical, both shocks are the same type. All parts have the same level of "patina" on them...
With one exception. the driver's rear suspension arm. That's new(er). It still has the Volvo labels on it and it has much less pantina. After ruling out the rear springs, I think the suspension arm *is* the culprit. Well.. not the arm itself, but the installation. I know this car hasn't been to the dealer in 5 years, but I think the arm was replaced more recently than that but who knows
Unless there is an adjustment I am not seeing, I now strongly suspect that trailing arm bushings were incorrectly installed - perhaps even switched when the suspension arm was replaced.
Looking at the off-center bushings, mentally "flipping" the one on the port side of the car would raise the trailing arm slightly, removing the excess camber of the driver's rear wheel, and *hopefully* release the 2" dip on that side.
Could the one or two of the trailing arm bushings have been reversed when that arm was replaced? Would that fit my described symptoms?
I do not relish taking the rear suspension apart right now so if there is an adjustment that would correct the issue, please let me know.
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