Lowering my car

[T5frankie]

I was wondering what kits/sets people are using and how they rated them, uprated springs and dampers or coilovers? i don't want to spend alot i want it pretty low and i'ts got to handle well

[V70 Graham]

Stribo is using the coilovers, his C70 looks good lowered and it handles well, I think the ride quality suffers though, iirc he got them from eBay, I'm sure he'll correct me if I'm wrong lol

[claymore]

Low doesn't always equate to better handling.

I use FK coilovers on the front, FK dampers and standard springs on the back (I found the FK springs made the rear too twitchy)

there are a few people who will tell you my car is nice and smooth, but handles quite well ;)

[T5frankie]

Stribo is using the coilovers, his C70 looks good lowered and it handles well, I think the ride quality suffers though, iirc he got them from eBay, I'm sure he'll correct me if I'm wrong lol

yeah but there are crap coilovers and there are the mutts nuts coilovers, they range from £200-£1200

[T5frankie]

Low doesn't always equate to better handling.

I use FK coilovers on the front, FK dampers and standard springs on the back (I found the FK springs made the rear too twitchy)

i was looking at the fk ones pretty god price too, whats the ride like with the coilovers? why didnt you use them on all 4 corners?

[V70 Graham]

yeah but there are crap coilovers and there are the mutts nuts coilovers, they range from £200-£1200

Think his were around the £400 mark.

[claymore]

i was looking at the fk ones pretty god price too, whats the ride like with the coilovers? why didn't you use them on all 4 corners?
Ride is a bit harsh around town, but once you start pressing on, they smooth out really nicely, as I said, I felt the rear springs were quite hard and I like the rear to dig in rather than hop out.

[T5frankie]

Ride is a bit harsh around town, but once you start pressing on, they smooth out really nicely, as I said, I felt the rear springs were quite hard and I like the rear to dig in rather than hop out.

worth the money in your opinion? i'd rather have a full set

[AndysR]

yeah but there are crap coilovers and there are the mutts nuts coilovers, they range from £200-£1200

They range from £200 - around £2,000 don't you mean ;)

I've got Koni adjustables on mine and it handles well and rides nicely with the fronts set at 3/4's firm and the rears 1/2 way. The Koni's are around £600 I think but my brothers KW coil overs are better, in fact they're the best you can get, but will set you back as near as makes no difference £2,000. Even more extreme you could get KW to make you up a custom set of coil overs like Russ did for the Peril but that does cost a lot to do that. Don't scrimp on the suspension if your going for huge power as you'll get more gains from a decent suspension set up than you ever will from huge power.

[daza-b]

On the prosports that are about £250, on track they would be good but a bit bouncy at speed, I drove a car with some BC Racing ones on and I really do rate them and kits available for about £650 if you shop around

[claymore]

worth the money in your opinion? i'd rather have a full set
Rears aint coilover anyway, they are spring and damper.

[daza-b]

Rears aint coilover anyway, they are spring and damper.

Is there any coilovers out there that have front and rear coilovers for these cars?

[stribo]

Is there any coilovers out there that have front and rear coilovers for these cars?

You won't be able to get coilovers on the rear without major work on the suspension, and mounting points, and I mean major. I've got a set of Pro sport coil overs on mine (£230 on Ebay), as Frankie said you get what you pay for, mine are a bit bouncy on the lowest setting on the front (you won't be able to fit the adjusters on the rear) but on the track they really came into their own. Just depends what you're after.
These are the ones I got, but I'm guessing the place I got them from don't have any, as they've got them advertised for £1230!!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PROSPORT-COILOVERS-FOR-VOLVO-850-SALOON-AND-ESTATE-1992-1997-FWD-/360760201724?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Car+Make%3AVolvo%7CModel%3A850&hash=item53fefbd1fc

[theflyingbrick]

ive got the same ones as stribo,cant comment on ride quality as I haven't drove the car lol but it does look well, as above the price is currently 1230 as theyre out of stock!!

[JUDGENINJA]

I've got FK's on the V40. I don't like them.

Fronts seem to have no travel and one day they feel extremely hard, bit the next the bottom out too easily.
Rears seem OK..

I want either KONI yellows if I can ever find some or KWs varient 1(the only type I can get for the V40).

[partsforvolvos.com]

I had kw on the s40. Worth every penny of the 1100 I paid. I removed konis yellow I thought were rubbish. You get what u pay on suspension

[MIKESC70T5]

Not sure if its the same for all cars, but on the M forums they all say a good quality set of coilovers ride as good as a standard setup, but just fitting lowered springs can give more jumpy ride when pushing it into corners etc.

[craigoodwood]

i've just got eibach -40 springs on standard dampers, they not as low as i wanted but the handing is fantastic acts just like a 309gti and the smoothness on normal commute is quieter and less boaty ;)

[c70geoff]

I got the cheapy ones and so far they ok

[leet5r]

gaz coilovers for me , cant say about the KW but 8,04 round the ring is jcviggens t5r says otherwise
, am goin to take mine off soon and clean them up then get a 4wheel laser set up for fast road

[iancho]

Low doesn't always equate to better handling.

I use FK coilovers on the front, FK dampers and standard springs on the back (I found the FK springs made the rear too twitchy)

there are a few people who will tell you my car is nice and smooth, but handles quite well ;)

Having recently had the great pleasure of sitting next to Colin I did comment on how well his car handled through bumpy and uneven bends at very high speeds. This man is a real genius when it comes to cars and his ideas.... it was so smooth and comfortable I was expecting to be shaken to death, quite the opposite....

This is one car that corners like it's on rails even at 137mph (Private Road) this car is highly underestimated and so is the driver :biggrin:

[mitchyboy01]

Remember coilover springs are around £70 a pair so change them if you dont like the way the coilovers are sprung from the factory. People fit coilovers, find they don't like the ride so flog them, when all they really need to do is find out the spring rates and buy a more suitable spring. My FKs on the T4 where awful and very crashy on the front and bottomed out. I considered going back to standard shocks. A memeber on VOC posted the spring rates of the FK's so I fitted stiffer springs and and now have the best handling car I've ever had.

[960kg]

Low doesn't always equate to better handling.

I use FK coilovers on the front, FK dampers and standard springs on the back (I found the FK springs made the rear too twitchy)

there are a few people who will tell you my car is nice and smooth, but handles quite well ;)


Similar but different.......i have 40mm dropped Yellow Apex springs all round with Bilstein struts on the front but have reverted to standard dampers on the rear.

The equal springs keep the trim level as per Volvo but keeping the standard rear dampers it let`s go sooner and helps the rear to step out when lifting the loud pedal quickly.

My next move is 1 1/2 Degrees Negative on the front only.......i do hate understeering motors......inherited dare i say from all my previous Ford performance RWD cars.

[Jim S70R]

Same as mentioned above if you want good results from your car then you've gotta pay premium prices!! Good tested kits GAZ, KW's and none coilover kits koni's. If you've got a decent coilover kit then it won't ruin the ride quality of your car.

Can I also suggest a set of IPD roll bars to if your looking for a good handling setup....