IPD XC60 T6 Overland Project

We normally like to purchase project cars with higher mileage. If the exterior paint is in good condition, the interior is in great shape, we do not mind getting vehicles with higher mileage. Here at IPD our product team and R&D department thoroughly inspect the mechanical condition of our vehicles. Our team does not mind putting work into fixing or replacing parts if needed. Having a car with higher mileage also gives us an opportunity to see what parts are prematurely failing. This gives us insight into common failures so we can help our customers. It also gives us an opportunity to create or design parts that are better than what came on the vehicle from the factory. 

We found our 2010 XC60 T6 locally with 120K miles on it. We got it from the original owner. It needed additional maintenance performed before we moved forward on any upgrades, we call that "stage 0". Once we brought it to the shop for our team to inspect, we made a list of parts that needed attention while creating a list of ideas for parts that we could upgrade. We knew we were ready to install and develop parts that would allow us to be confident while adventuring around the pacific northwest. That is when we decided to designate any new exclusive overland part with the new name aventyr (swedish for adventure).

We have had the opportunity to collaborate with great vendors on this XC60 overland project. We have been able to evaluate what the possibilities are when looking at overland a Volvo. Wheel and tire combinations, rack combinations, rooftop tent accessories, trailer hitch accessories, and additional lighting to help anyone looking to get off the grid. Here at IPD we are not looking to do anything super crazy with our project vehicles. We like to keep our projects mild, appealing to the mass of customers who might be looking to achieve the same upgrades. We also like to keep our vehicles properly maintained while adding upgrades that will not deteriorate the ability to commute while maintaining reliable transportation.

The XC60 has served us well allowing us to develop exclusive parts. Owning the XC60 also allowed us to add parts from OEM, OES, and other aftermarket sources to our current product listings. If you have been thinking about outfitting your XC60 so you can get off the beaten path and create your own oasis, we are confident you can have a set up that will allow you to do so in an XC60 model. Simple upgrades really will open opportunities for you to explore with confidence. Below you will see more information related to our XC60 T6 project. 

After we purchased the XC60 Volvo, we traced down an oil leak that led us to the brake vacuum pump.  The seals in that system were brittle, cracked, and broken. We created an upgraded kit made from Viton rubber that can withstand higher heat temperatures and last longer than the factory or aftermarket replacement parts.

After replacing the vacuum pump seals, we decided to look at the READ (Rear Engine Accessory Drive) components. The XC60 had a little over 120K miles so it was time to replace the accessory belt and all related components. We added a comprehensive list of those components to a KITBUILDER allowing our customers to select and choose specific parts in the READ assembly. The main drive belt and idler pulley were noticeably worn out. We also inspected the water pump and tensioners.

Next on the maintenance list was the PCV system. Volvo finally made it easier to replace the PCV Oil Trap assembly on these cars. Located on top of the engine it was a clever idea to make sure our XC60 breather system was working properly. 

The transmission was working and shifting smoothly.  Having the right Aisin fluid for this vehicle in-house we figured it would be wise to perform a full transmission flush using a Volvo diagnostic tool to help us monitor the fluid temperature when flushing the old fluid out. 

We did not immediately change the coils or the spark plugs.  After owning the vehicle for 1.5 years an ignition coil decided it was time to short out and combust while driving. It was fun seeing fire and smoke coming from underneath the hood. The good news is the only damage was to the actual coil itself. That gave us a good reason to maximize our listings for ignition coils. One of our product team members wrote a blog specific to these coils and how this has become a common issue. We will make sure and include that in this article. 

The last item related to maintenance was the thermostat housing and sensor.  We offer a high-quality replacement thermostat assembly here at IPD specific for these models.  Our thermostat broke causing it to become stuck in the open position.  This set off a check engine light specific to the thermostat. Once we removed the thermostat from the vehicle, we could see the factory unit broke, causing the spring to wedge itself in the side of the engine block. You can watch a full overview off the installation of that thermostat assembly below.

The reason we went with the XC60 over an XC70 or other P3 vehicle was due to the size of wheel and tire packages available for this Volvo. The XC70 does not give you the ability to install the size of wheel and tires we were looking for without cutting into body pieces or creating a look that was inappropriate for the car. The XC60 has a much larger inner fender area that allows you to run a larger wheel and tire package. Our XC60 came with 18” wheels.  The factory tire size for those wheels is 235/60/18. The overall diameter on that wheel and tire packages is approximately 29.1.”   We looked at the largest wheel offered on the XC60 T6 R design that came equipped with 20” wheels.  The R design with 20" wheels uses 255/45/20 tires maintaining the 29” overall diameter.  We wanted something larger, but just enough to make the tires look appropriate with the 30mm lift.   We chose to go down a size on the wheel to a 17” and find a tire that has a taller sidewall.   We chose the tire size of 245/70/17 giving it an overall diameter of 30.5”, just barely 1.5” over factory specifications. Keep in mind it will alter your speedometer overall reading when going to a larger wheel and tire package. 

Once we knew the overall diameter we wanted, it was time to find a wheel and tire package. We collaborated with our friends at OZ Racing and Tire Rack. We obtained a set of OZ Racing wheels that are 17x8.5” and have an offset of ET40mm. Going with a 40mm offset would push the wheels toward the fender by 12-13mm compared to the factory wheels. We outfitted those wheels with BF Goodridge KO2 All Terrain Tires with the white letters facing out, giving it that off-road look. There are multiple options of all-terrain tires in the 245-70-17 size. Having a tire in a common size will help keep the cost down along with providing more options for tire brands.  

After going with a smaller diameter wheel while increasing the size of the tire sidewall, we knew it was going to increase the overall weight of the wheel and tire together. For any Volvo owner who rotates their tires, it can be troublesome lining up the holes with the factory lug bolts. We installed IPD’s Wheel Stud Conversion Kit. The Wheel Stud Conversion makes it easier to mount a heavier wheel without having to line up the individual holes on the hub. We recommend this conversion if you are looking to go this route. Your back will be thankful later!

For this overland build, we were not looking to increase the overall toque or horsepower, we just wanted something to give it a little more grown being an off-road vehicle. We added IPD’s downpipe and exhaust system for T6 models. This gave the XC60 a perfect tone when cruising down the highway or idling up a rocky hill. 

Some of you are familiar with our billet aluminum accessories.  Some of those pieces are appealing to eye, some are functional replacement parts.  We added our Billet Aluminum Torque mount to our XC60.  The factory rubber prematurely fails.  We offer an upgraded polyurethane version that will outlast any rubber component.  We finalized the upper toqure mount in T6061 Billet Aluminum.  The mount is easy to see when you open the hood of your Volvo.  We wanted it to be a statment piece for everyone to see.  

We are currently working on adding applications for IPD’s Turbo Control Valve for all P3 turbocharged models. We have been running our current IPD TCV on the vehicle for over a year with no issues. We are in the process of creating a new mounting bracket that will allow our customers to install the TCV easily on their T6 engine.   When we installed the TCV, we upgraded all the TCV lines to IPD’s silicone vacuum hoses in blue. 

These cars do not come with a factory boost gauge. Boost gauges are a great telltale sign of something going wrong. We added an IPD boost gauge and pod kit. We recently added applications and video instructions to our website specific to these models. IPD’s boost gauge is a fantastic addition for any turbocharged vehicle. 

Volvo does such an incredible job with their intake systems; it is hard to design something that will function better.  There are not any gains to be had by replacing the factory airbox. IPD designed and developed high flow panel air filters that are a direct replacement for your factory air filter. They flow better and will outlast any other filter in the market.  Owning this vehicle allowed us to design and test filters specifically for the P3 chassis turbocharged engines.  

Once we completed the suspension, wheels, and tires, it was time to outfit the vehicle with overlanding accessories. We turned to our long-time friends at THULE to see what Rooftop Tents they had available. We were all in on the THULE Tepui Explorer Kukenam 3-person tent. 

Platform style racks are becoming extremely popular among the overland community. Platform racks are versatile and sleek allowing the end user to customize any mounting system for whatever devices they plan to install on the roof of their vehicle. We initially went with a Rhino Platform Universal Rack that is 44” wide by 56” long.  It is enough to cover the roofline of the XC60. We mounted that to a set of Thule HD low-profile feet and crossbars that attach to the Volvo factory rails. We will be swapping the Rhino Rack for the new THULE Caprock Platform Rack. THULE just released a full lineup of platform racks in 2023 with a bunch of accessories and mounting options. We did have to create custom mounting brackets for the rooftop tent. This allowed us to install and remove the tent quicker. We fabricated wider brackets that allow us to secure the rooftop tent to the wider platform rack with ease.

The THULE Kukenam 3 tent is on the larger side of rooftop tents, it takes up the entire platform rack. We wanted more accessories but ran out of room when mounting the rooftop tent to the platform rack. Our R&D team got creative and fabricated our own receiver that mounts in the Volvo factory trailer hitch. Our receiver incorporates an accessory panel allowing you to install gas cans, water bottles, axes, shovels, or a spare tire. It also incorporates a 90* release system so you can swing it out of the way when entering the rear cargo area of the XC60.  We worked with Rotopax, who is extremely popular among the overland community selling high-quality gas cans and water containers with integrated locking and stacking systems. 

When going off-road to a remote location, you must try your best to keep your food organized. Our good friend Adam Nonis at Atom Design created a full storage unit and outdoor kitchen for the rear cargo area of the XC60. It incorporates a slide out storage unit with a folding table and LED light. It also has an additional slide out that incorporates a cutting tray and wash station.  This is a one-off customized unit specific to the rear cargo area of the XC60. This slide-out is finished with factory matched carpet and a tie-down system allowing you to secure any cargo you want to mount on top of the unit. This has been extremely handy when going on an extended adventure.

For many years, IPD has had a fantastic relationship with PIAA. PIAA is one of the industry’s leading manufacturers of high-performance light upgrade systems. We offer different PIAA lighting upgrades along with their incredible Silicone Wiper Blades. We obtained a 44” LED Light Bar.  We custom made brackets that allowed us to mount the light bar directly to the front of our platform rack. Platform racks have integrated channels that allow you to fix or bolt down any accessory with a channel lock and fastener. We used our custom brackets and mounted the large LED flood light to the front of our rack using the PIAA wiring harness. We ran the wiring down the a-pillar into the cabin of the XC60. The PIAA light switch controlling the lightbar is mounted flush on the dash. Having a light bar installed comes in handy if you are off the grid exploring in the dark.

When we purchased the XC60, the front headlights were faded and rock chipped. We replaced both front headlight assemblies with new Volvo genuine units. At the same time, we replaced the factory halogen bulbs with PIAA’s LED Conversion Kit. It was a simple plug-in-play set up. Upgrading the factory halogens is necessary. It is a fantastic way to make your car look more modern while getting better light out in front of you while driving at night. 

Now that we had the light bar, upgraded headlights and bulbs, we wanted to give the XC60 one final addition in the fog light location.  We used PIAA LED 530 fog lights. The PIAA 530 LEDs are larger than what came factory on the Volvo XC60. We wired them into the factory fog light harness. This makes it simple so you do not have to wire in a switch, you can utilize the factory fog light switch already located on the dash (for cars that come equipped with factory fog lights).  We did have to create a custom bracket to mount the 530’s in the XC60 bezel. We also had to trim the bezel, opening it up allowing the larger PIAA light and cover to fit properly. The PIAA LED 530 kit comes with a grille pattern cover that makes it look appropriate for off-roading. We currently do not sell the PIAA 530. We do offer the PIAA LP270 LED kit for other models, but we have installed it on other XC60’s with ease. We will be coming out with that kit soon.

This project car has been mild compared to previous vehicles here at IPD. Our goal was to evaluate and create a vehicle that everyone can build themselves. It has been a great SUV for daily driving and the occasional overland trip. Our XC60 did multiple sections of the WBDR (Washington Backcountry Discovery Route) Unfortunately in 2022 forest fires kept us from completing certain sections. It did a fantastic job on all service roads with light ruts. We did have to get creative when crossing deeper ruts while maneuvering around Mt Adams located in Washington State. Sections of the WBDR are extremely steep. We encountered mud, snow, gravel, dirt, and steep areas covered in larger rocks. The Volvo AWD system did amazing on these surfaces with larger tires. The only area where we could foresee any trouble would be in deep ruts. We did have to use traction boards to cross ruts that were too deep for our rig to manage. Remember these are AWD not 4x4 vehicles.  Entering a deep rut could potentially get you stuck or damage body panels and fenders.      

If you are looking to get off the grid and explore non-paved surfaces, building an XC60 might be the way to go. They are extremely comfortable and capable of doing more than transporting soccer balls! Thank you for taking an interest in our Volvo XC60. If you would like to know more information about this project vehicle, please feel free to contact us.

If you want to see an overview video of our XC60, you can click on the video link. We also have a video highlighting our project vehicles exploring. The overland video gives you a quick look at the beautiful terrain while exploring the Alvord Desert in Oregon. We also show a glimpse of IPD staff (Chris and Bud) trekking through the Washington Backcountry Discover Route in the XC60’s. 

IPD is grateful for all the relationships we have built over the years. We would like to thank the sponsors below for collaborating with us on new products and promotions.

OZ Racing Wheels-  Thank you for helping us with the OZ Rally Racing Wheels.

PIAA Lighting-  When it comes to lighting, PIAA is the brand we have always trusted. 

ROTOPAX-  Providing incredible off-road accessories.  Gas/Water cans and mounting accessories. 

THULE-  Our friends at Thule have been extremely generous when it comes to partnering in R&D and supporting us with camping equipment and roof rack accessories.  

TireRack (www.tirerack.com) -  TireRack does it better than anyone in the industry.  Amazing customer service and support.  We appreciate the partnership.