Nivomat question.

[M-R-P]

So, as many of you are aware, I recently discovered Plod spec Nivomats on the back of my car. I did some digging into replacements and found some suitable Boge automatic ones (I have Boge automatics on the front and like the quality).
Thing is, It looks like I have standard mounts which is odd as Nivs are supposed to have a chunky mount, rather than the weedy standard one.
Also, this whole "self - leveling" idea of Nivomats shocks appears to be twaddle - they're just hi pressure shocks. There's no wires so they can only rely on the gas pressure to keep the wheels out of the arches when you fill the car with bags of sand etc. (they're bloody good at it too)

Enough of my ramblings, what's your opinions? just change the shocks or play it safe and do the mounts too?

I found a kit with shocks and mounts for 169 quid on fleabay... worth the money?

I'll be flogging the nivs at some point if anybody's interested?

[Nealevo]

Martin, just change the shocks, and if worse comes to worse im sure new top mounts are only £20 ish, it will look much better.......How hard can it be :-)

[M-R-P]

Actually, quite hard - the shocks are longer than the travel of the arm, so when I jack the car up, I risk the spring popping out (it's already done it once and took me an hour to sort. I will also have to get a jack under the bottom of the shock itself so I can get the bolt out.
Technically, an easy job but physically demanding - plod nivs are mental.

Also, what if I find it does actually have nivomat mounts - will they take a standard shock?

All suggestions gratefully received ;)

[Redbrick]

Nivomats are brilliant IMHO. If I didn't think that I would have taken them off the V70 D5 when I changed the fronts to Bilstein B6 HD's.

There was a better video showing how they work but I can't find it.


http://youtu.be/iJICKuHSAeo

If you are going to change to standard shocks then I'd change the top mounts at the same time.

[M-R-P]

Thanks for that, I didn't realise they worked that way. We have similar (only hydraulic) systems on some of the machines at work. This would explain why they cost so much too.
The problem I have is, they make the car's ass-end sit far too high and although it handles well, very well if I'm honest, it looks daft...
http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g413/martinrpeachey/DSCF9292.jpg
Is there an extended mount that can effectively lower the rear? even with standard springs, the cars back end was still too high.

[merc85]

Marty, Cars with self nivo's the mounts are all rubber in the middle had have a notch cut at the bottom 3 bolt fixing.

Cars less nivo's the shock site in a metal cup which is part of the mount. :)

[M-R-P]

Thanks Gav, does the mount bolt in from the dop or does it have to be fitted from underneath? I have the urge to fabricate a lowering mount.

Brick - what have you done to lower yours? Or are Plod nivs different, and that's why it's sitting so high? (there appears to be a different part number for plod nivs)

[JUDGENINJA]

There is also evidence that the Nivomat will be destroyed by the extra pressure exerted from the short distance of the replacement springs. My 850 sits on the floor because the suspension had lost all it's oil(past MOT due to the strength of the springs). Also the V70 suspension when Mr Shifter came to look at the car had started leaking...

[M-R-P]

Oooh, good info Wayne, got any links to findings etc? gonna go do some googling.....

[JUDGENINJA]

Unfortunately it is pure idle gossip, but I've never done any google searches...

[M-R-P]

Ok, today I've been educated in an aspect of Volvos that I didn't even realise I needed educating in (thanks redbrick).
I want the car to sit level but I don't want to lose the functionality of the nivomats... Do I just bite the bullet and get standard shocks and mounts - losing the nivomat functionality?
Keep it as it is and put-up with the car sitting with it's bum in the air, like a randy cat?
Make a bracket to lower the nivomats?

Awww hell, I dunno lol

[merc85]

With nivo's and nivo rear springs, And 40mm lowerings springs at the front.

19470

Lowered alround standard rear shocks

19471

[M-R-P]

Gav, I still love the look of your car on the fox wheels...
Looks like I'm gonna bite the bullet and go for standard shocks and mounts...
I'll speak to the boss and see what she wants to do...

[merc85]

lol the fox wheels were nice rims and the car really rolled nice, But i like Volvo rims and money was tight, sooo Hence the comets, and tbh i Love them, makes the car more of a sleeper, a old M reg 850 estate, Nowt special lol

Hope the above pics helped.

[M-R-P]

lol the fox wheels were nice rims and the car really rolled nice, But i like Volvo rims and money was tight, sooo Hence the comets, and tbh i Love them, makes the car more of a sleeper, a old M reg 850 estate, Nowt special lol

Hope the above pics helped.
They did mate. My car will look the dogs danglies when she sits level.
If you ever need those wheels refurbed, gimme a shout mate;)

[M-R-P]

Final question on the nivomat thing...
Do they rely on some sort of leveling system or do they have a set point to which they level themselves?

I think I know the answer but I'd like confirmation before I start manufacturing something...;)

[V70 Graham]

I ditched the Nivo's and mine still rides fine, and how often are you ever going to REALLY fill the boot up with serious weight ?

The choice should be fairly easy, convincing Soozi may be a touch harder :argue:

[M-R-P]

I ditched the Nivo's and mine still rides fine, and how often are you ever going to REALLY fill the boot up with serious weight ?

The choice should be fairly easy, convincing Soozi may be a touch harder :argue:

Never a truer word spoken... ;)

However, yours was soft and comfy before you lowered it and ditched the nivs, mine has always been hard and high at the back.

I have a plan tho...

[M-R-P]

Ok, just been to GSF and they recon I can't fit standard shocks even with mounts. I tried explaining that he's thinking about the 4C system but I didn't get anywhere.
Over to europarts who would happily sell me shocks and mounts but they were stupid money and they couldn't get hold of mounts for the foreseeable future.

I'm getting very close to modifying the lower shock mounts...

[The Flying Moose]

Idea martin!

Keep the Nivomats, LPG the car, get more to the gallon but add weight to the rear and it will sit itself down.

Either that or tint your windows and plop a gun rack in the back!

[M-R-P]

Idea martin!

Keep the Nivomats, LPG the car, get more to the gallon but add weight to the rear and it will sit itself down.

Either that or tint your windows and plop a gun rack in the back!

Hmmm....

Windows are tinted...

And I may or my not have 2 M15 assault rifles strapped to the subwoofer ;)

[M-R-P]

Oh yeah...

I popped in my local scrappy earlier.
They had a 2003 S80 with the right shocks and mounts and 57k on the clock but the bloody thing was on it's brake disks at the bottom of a pile of cars, right at the back of the yard - no chance of getting it lifted :(

[cherry1809]

I'm looking at sorting the suspension more, but I'm really happy with the nivo's. I'm -40 on the front at moment but the back's still standard. Sits nice and it's not too high. When I fill the back with lead and copper, 5 mins down the road it pops up again. Love it!

[simpT5]

Mine had Nivos on the rear when I first got it, used to sit really high at the rear! When I'd had enough of it looking daft, I fitted 40mm lowering springs all round, ditched the Nivos and fitted standard shocks and top mounts too.

I think it looks and handles loads better now, and to be honest, I don't really miss the self leveling of the Nivos too much, I was a bit anxious when I first loaded her up with two weeks worth of camping gear and three kids but it was fine.

Before shot with Nivos...

http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/ab281/simpt5/high.jpg


After dropping 40mm with standard rear shocks...

http://i872.photobucket.com/albums/ab281/simpt5/April17th2010.jpg

[merc85]

nice clean example you have there simp

[M-R-P]

Tomorrow I'll be making bracket to lengthen the fall of the nivs, effectively lowering their level. I'll update as I go.

[oblark]

Like the ones Pedro has on BT ???:smile:

[M-R-P]

Like the ones Pedro has on BT ???:smile:

Same idea - I'll fit a bracket to the bolt hole in the lower arm, where the bottom of the shock would normally go, then fit the shock to the end of the bracket.
Should give me a 40-50mm drop on the back, without upsetting the nivs :D

[V70 Graham]

Same idea - I'll fit a bracket to the bolt hole in the lower arm, where the bottom of the shock would normally go, then fit the shock to the end of the bracket.
Should give me a 40-50mm drop on the back, without upsetting the nivs :D

All done for Saturdays meet lol

[M-R-P]

I should be able to fit them tomorrow afternoon :D