Suspension

[Dan H]

Can anybody shed some light onto what the difference is between AWD suspention and normal 2wd suspention? Apart from the spring rate, what are the other differences?

[danny-R]

I can't , sorry lol

[JamesT5]

Can anybody shed some light onto what the difference is between AWD suspention and normal 2wd suspention? Apart from the spring rate, what are the other differences?

AWD rear suspension has Nivomats (self levelling suspension). In layman's terms it means you can carry a small elephant in the back and the rear end will still look like it's up on axle stands.

[JamesT5]

Oh, some 2WD cars had Nivomats too, as far as I'm aware they're the ex-plod machines. MRP will no doubt give you a dissertation on Nivomats and AWD suspensions....

[claymore]

Can anybody shed some light onto what the difference is between AWD suspention and normal 2wd suspention? Apart from the spring rate, what are the other differences?

Everything is different, they are not interchangeable.

[JamesT5]

Everything is different, they are not interchangeable.

Anything can be done if you throw enough time and money at it.

[Dangerous Dave]

The front suspension isn't any different to the FWD apart from the springs are different to make the car higher.

As has been said, the rear suspension is a completely different setup, there is a frame built around the diff which contains the shocks, springs, wishbones, etc. The rear floorpan of the car is different with mountings for the suspension/diff unit.



The petrol tank is also different, it sits like a saddle tank over the front of the diff/viscous coupling. The rear brakes are use 283mm discs and different calipers. The exhaust comes straight off the cat along the propshaft and over the N/S suspension to silencers behind the rear bumper.

HTH

[Biff]

It's different as been said. Lol
I've been working on some "drop bolts" to lower the rear of mine by 2" to level it out with 40mm springs when I hopefully find a pair.
As said its self leveling which will drop when you chuck a weight in the boot but levels out once you've driven round the block.
Some say its better but I don't see how it's better than a decent top spec coil over which along with an uprated damper are obsolete for this car unless you want to remortgage & ruin the ride.

[Dangerous Dave]

I replaced the Nivomats on my awd, £360 (and that was discounted from over £500, though they were genuine)

[Biff]

I replaced the Nivomats on my awd, £360 (and that was discounted from over £500, though they were genuine)

That's cheap as chips! Is that a 1 off deal? Mine seem ok but it's a nagging doubt they may give up. Off the service history it looks like its had some replacements but if I drop it it will certainly come back to haunt me. Lol

[Dangerous Dave]

LOL, got them from FRF Swansea (via Rufe) was surprised at the discount (pretty sure I have got the price right) but it was a few years ago now (think it was around 2008).

Mine were knackered, oil all over them and dust boots were shredded

[Biff]

I'll bare that in mind. Cheers.

[Dangerous Dave]

They do a great service and delivery is quick (even with stuff from Sweden).

I did have a trawl through ebay and find some cheaper pattern parts though, the price has really come down these days.

[Biff]

They do a great service and delivery is quick (even with stuff from Sweden).

I did have a trawl through ebay and find some cheaper pattern parts though, the price has really come down these days.

Having had a nightmare with dodgy pattern parts (maf & radiator x2, idle control valve) I'm trying to keep it genuine as I replace things or uprate with decent spec mods. It's not cheap at all but I want the old girl reliable & genuine incase dread the thought I'd have to sell her I could show the receipts for 000's. lol

[Dan H]

The front suspension isn't any different to the FWD apart from the springs are different to make the car higher.

As has been said, the rear suspension is a completely different setup, there is a frame built around the diff which contains the shocks, springs, wishbones, etc. The rear floorpan of the car is different with mountings for the suspension/diff unit.



The petrol tank is also different, it sits like a saddle tank over the front of the diff/viscous coupling. The rear brakes are use 283mm discs and different calipers. The exhaust comes straight off the cat along the propshaft and over the N/S suspension to silencers behind the rear bumper.

HTH

That's what I was looking for! As I was planning on buying normal 2wd Coilovers and seeing if they would fit ok, but by the sound of things the rear spring/shock set up won't fit on my rear subframe so I'll just give it a miss

[danny-R]

Can u not chop the rear springs lol

[Biff]

Can u not chop the rear springs lol

No mate, the nivomats will stay at the same height & it would shag the rebound up. Easiest way is the drop bolts, you get the same suspension travel with a lower ride height & the cost is 2 bolts and a few nuts or a sleeve to slide over the thread. Basically it fools the nivomats.
Nivomats look like they're upside down, this is the mounting from underneath the car.

The 2 bolts are what you need to lengthen & the sleeve or row of nuts needs to sit under the mountings shoulder if you get me?

Excuse the state of that photo, I borrowed it & my photobucket isn't a fan of edited pictures on my phone. Lol

[Dangerous Dave]

Nivomats look like they're upside down, this is the mounting from underneath the car.

Yeah they're sort of easy to fit and not at the same time as you need to get the car high enough to fully extract the shock through the bottom of the suspension arm :/ But otherwise its 3 bolts and the thing drops out

Good idea with the longer bolts/sleeves

[M-R-P]

I was going to do something similar with my P2, using brackets to drop the bottom of the niv by about 65mm but I got lazy and just fitted lowering springs and OE rear shocks giving me about 70 - 75mm drop at the back

[partsforvolvos.com]

Volvo do list standard shocks for AWD 850/v70 models.
other countries , particularly Australia had cars without nivomat where our uk models got it as standard.

the difficult bit is getting the spring code number to order the standard spring that is correct .