Last winter I described my (and an indy Volvo shop's) attempts to locate the source of a sharp pop/thump noise in my rear axle. This shop checked everything--calipers, hubs, hand brake assemblies, torque rod bushings, trailing arm bushings, half axles and bearings including swapping out the rt half axle (no change), transverse rod bushings, u-joints. Everything was ok; I had them replace the rt trailing arm bushings just to be sure (I had the bushings already) but that didn't fix it.

The noise was getting to be nearly every time I changed reverse-forward-reverse, or put my foot on the brake while moving, or let off the brake while moving. The shop owner said "they usually don't fail without warning" but I once had one lock up on a 122, so I started looking.

Not easy to find a rear axle for a 1992 with ABS. Got to be another ABS unit, and even then there are two different pulse rings (48 and 96 blips on the wheel) according to someone on this board.

I did find out that the part number on sticker on the left rear side of the axle housing determines everything (go easy when you clean off the undercoating; you can wipe off the numerals). According to the local Volvo dealer, if the part number matches your old unit, then every piece in it will be identical.

Finally I found a good low mileage axle, and paid the shop to install it--too big a job for me to tackle.

Works GREAT. No pop, no whine (was getting more of that on the old unit), no swishing when turning at low speed, no slack. ABS and speedo work properly. Whew! I'll run it a thousand miles then put in fresh lube.

Sorry to be so long-winded.

Doug Harvey