I've done it! Some changes to the barge

**RobbieH** · Sunday 28th June 2009, 20:55

Had all the following fitted :

week before last:
two Goodyear Excellence 225/45/17 fronts (rears on F1 GSD3's)

last week:
exchange wishbones with Powerflex front bushes, Volvo rears
Sachs Supertouring front shocks, Boge rears
Febi front spring mounts
(all courtesy of V70torslanda, cheers John

)

Eibach springs (30mm drop)
IPD front drop links
Volvo original rear drop links (old ones wouldn't come apart when the changed shocks, but they looked a little knacked at any rate)
Wheel alignment and adjustment

Also new PAS reservior (old one was leaking) and Powerflexed the lower engine/gearbox torque mount.

What a complete difference, combined with the engine brace conversion plus the T5D5 group buy UltraRacing strut brace, the handling is totally changed and way to the better. Still got the nice Volvo ride but just so much more positive and confidence building plus much flatter in cornering. I'm well happy with it now.

I was organising a cycle race yesterday which involves driving round the race circuit putting up the various warning signs we have to put up under our regulations, combined with having to set up the HQ, results service, etc and riding the race meant I had to "make progress" as one of my old advanced driving tutors put it. So a good combination of motorway, dual carraigeway, main A-roads, B-roads and unclassifieds combined with a good few corners of various shapes and sizes really allowed me to test the new setup. I think I've found new limits to put it mildly. Just so impressed with this setup. I'm chuffed.

Next stop, new brakes and remap. Just got to start saving again.

The only downside is the vibration from P'flexing the lower torque mount is killing me ears. The vibration at idle is 'orrible, the wheels shake, even the spoiler is vibrating and it drones at speed which I can see it might lead to headaches over a long journey (and we're due to drive to the French Alps in August) so may have to go back to an original Volvo version if this doesn't get much better.

Thanks to all on here who replied to my questions and helped me on to these decisions. Next topic - brakes, but that's later.

**v70torslanda** · Sunday 28th June 2009, 21:16

New pics!

J

**RobbieH** · Sunday 28th June 2009, 21:27

Originally Posted by v70torslanda

New pics!

J

To follow. There's a rather large hole appeared in the road in front of the house where the ground under the road has caved in so no chance of parking the barge in the same spot where I took a load of piccies on Wednesday before it went in for the changes. Patience please

Yes, I know what you said but I just couldn't resist the Eibachs

**RobbieH** · Sunday 28th June 2009, 21:38

Oh all right then. I did just take a couple of quick piccies outside the headquarters at Allostock village hall. So just to quench your thirst so to speak..........

**cornclose** · Sunday 28th June 2009, 21:52

Cheers Robbie, I hope to be doing a similar writeup and be similarly chuffed in about a week's time when I have my new setup installed !

**v70torslanda** · Sunday 28th June 2009, 21:59

How come your car's so clean?

It's been p****ng down on mine for the last fortnight!

J

**v70torslanda** · Sunday 28th June 2009, 22:06

Seriously. It looks great! I bet it handles a treat too. I want a go.

Chris took me for a little drive in his T5 yesterday. That RICA is summat else. Frightened the bloody daylights out of me inside 2 miles! That's going to handle sweet in a couple of weeks. Once we're all modded up we should have a mini meet and be real saddos!

J

**dave stew** · Monday 29th June 2009, 08:21

I too will be saddo who will be part of this P2 modifying odyssey! I have a set of four Sachs 'Advantage' dampers in my garage (thanks for dropping them off John) so will be fitting these in the coming week. Should be interesting to see how they differ to Super Tourings, especially after a quick blast in John's so equipped D5 over the Nottingham Communist Party's speed ramps on our road last Saturday.

**timbo_1975** · Monday 29th June 2009, 10:19

Originally Posted by RobbieH

Oh all right then. I did just take a couple of quick piccies outside the headquarters at Allostock village hall. So just to quench your thirst so to speak..........

To my eyes, the stance now (30mm less) looks like how the V70 should look from the showroom!

**RobbieH** · Saturday 4th July 2009, 18:39

Some before and after piccies for info.

Before

After

Proper numpty that I am though, I forgot to measure the actual drop

.

**RobbieH** · Saturday 4th July 2009, 18:49

And this is what came off....

**thebadger** · Thursday 9th July 2009, 09:14

Why do the drop links always look like they've been left in the sea for a year!

I'm sure they could make something better than the mild steel backs on them. I doubt that coating them in hammerite would help them much either!

Just shortly I shall do something nice to my car! But I will pay dearly for it!

**cornclose** · Friday 10th July 2009, 09:08

Originally Posted by RobbieH

And this is what came off....

I have a box similar to that in my garage...

**thebadger** · Friday 10th July 2009, 09:12

Me too, I have a set of D5 springs & a full set of goosed droplinks, also 2 grilles & a set of comets which need a refurb.

Need to do a tidy up!

**RobbieH** · Friday 10th July 2009, 09:31

Originally Posted by thebadger

Why do the drop links always look like they've been left in the sea for a year!
I'm sure they could make something better than the mild steel backs on them. I doubt that coating them in hammerite would help them much either!

Just shortly I shall do something nice to my car! But I will pay dearly for it!

With the amount of salt the local council use, especially last winter, I might as well have parked it in the sea

. You should have seen a pair of wheels I had on my work bike - the bare aluminium braking surfaces almost had holes rotted in them

**RobbieH** · Friday 10th July 2009, 09:35

Originally Posted by thebadger

Me too, I have a set of D5 springs & a full set of goosed droplinks, also 2 grilles & a set of comets which need a refurb.

Need to do a tidy up!

What sort of grilles are talking of here then? I have an idea for a small mod but I need a spare one to play with rather than mucking mine up. Any chance of getting my grubby mits on one if they fit a V70 P2 (54 plate)? At cost of course.

**RobbieH** · Friday 10th July 2009, 09:38

Originally Posted by thebadger

Why do the drop links always look like they've been left in the sea for a year!

I'm sure they could make something better than the mild steel backs on them. I doubt that coating them in hammerite would help them much either!

Just shortly I shall do something nice to my car! But I will pay dearly for it!

Well then, pray do tell us more. I'm intrigued!

**mikouk** · Friday 10th July 2009, 10:00

Looking great Robbie, glad you're happy! Looks much meaner.

The only downside is the vibration from P'flexing the lower torque mount is killing me ears. The vibration at idle is 'orrible

I had a ride in Redbricks that had this aswell. Great when moving but I thought the car was going to fall apart when idleing. I think all mine needs now is the IPD ARB's and I will be happy, ish. Oh and better Brakes, Oh and better tyres, oh and.........

I'm still not happy with the suspension though. It seems like things are getting worse. Its like the shocks are dying already. Redbrick had a go in mine and hated it. Its great when you want to make 'progress' but normal driving is horrendous. It bangs and crashes over the smallest of bumps. I need to find someone with the same setup to compare and contrast. I wonder whether the shocks are faulty. Any way of telling?

**cornclose** · Friday 10th July 2009, 10:21

I think Redbrick has the Volvo sports chassis that I've just fitted to mine. Firms the car up no end, nice and tight, no roll in the bends, and yet still maintains the armchair ride. Really impressed with it.

**Redbrick** · Friday 10th July 2009, 11:07

Just to clarify- it did have what you have now got, the 'dynamic sports chassis'.

Due to the 100K+ on the clock I have swopped the front shocks for Bilstein B6's but kept the springs all round and the rear self levellers.

The ride in mikouk's FSD/ Eibach equipped T5 confirmed I had made the right choice keeping the original springs and going down the Bilstein route.

I now have the IPD front ARB on, combined with the Ultra Racing strut brace and QBM strut bar conversion. OMG what a difference. Big grin on my face hunting out corners