Advise on suspension/brake mods

[AshDVS]

i did rate them highly for comfort mate, and even though they are not designed for lowering springs the ride was excellent, and body control was much improved over standard. it was just suggested to me once id fitted the FSDs that Koni Yellow would be more suitable, as they are designed to go with lowering springs.

This is what Andy has on his R.

The XC90 set up has just been completed by Stephen Evans on his fake R diseasel

http://www.vpcuk.org/forums/showthre...ht=xc90+brakes

Its pretty much the same setup as i used to run, now being run by Pete, they have just upgraded the parts.

This is a good, budget conversion. It's well done and will make a nice difference over stock. It just won't work on a P80 850/C70/S70/V70.

Doesn't look like it will fit P1's

Correct.

Nope the xc90 with not fit what so ever it's the v50 t5 320 mm x25mm kit that will fit and ash dvs sells adapters

The 320mm conversion that we offer is visually similar to the calipers in the links above, fitted to the S60.
It uses the rotor and caliper from a S40/V50T5 AWD or LS-LV Ford Focus ST.
It requires zero modification to the vehicle and is a bolt-on solution. It requires minor machine work to the donor hardware. Super simple.

People seem to be split 50:50 Koni yellow's or FSD's.....main differences ?

FSD are a good fit for standard ride height but not great for lowered ride height - they typically get rattley quite quickly and ride a little harsher than they should.
The Koni Sport Adjustable yellows are very good - I'd go for these or a Bilstein B6.

I'd suggest H&R springs too as they're ride just a little better than the Eibach (not much in it, the Eibach will likely be better suited than the H&R for a track day though. It is noticably a little firmer).

http://www.dvs.net.au/320conv.html
These and v50 t5 callipers and disks.

Link doesn't seem to be working atm

Our website has been popular this month, we've exceed our bandwidth limit. It'll be back up on April 1st. Happy to answer any questions via PM if you like.

ATE super blue is what I've used in the past, although it's been discontinued due to eu meddling.

I had success with ebc yellowstuff and ferodo ds2500 but I'm assured the carbotech compounds are far superior.

Ebc redstuff ceramic is singularly the worst braking experience I've ever had.

You could also use Motul RBF600 too.
There are some good pad options from Project Mu and Hawk as well for the 320mm brakes.

[Ettienne]

ATE super blue is what I've used in the past, although it's been discontinued due to eu meddling.

I had success with ebc yellowstuff and ferodo ds2500 but I'm assured the carbotech compounds are far superior.

Ebc redstuff ceramic is singularly the worst braking experience I've ever had.

Still available on eBay, I had ebc yellows not brill (but I do think that was my particular pads).

Gen Volvo pads are pretty good, ferrodo, brembo, ds2500 are pads I've tried plus cheapies.

[Ettienne]

i did rate them highly for comfort mate, and even though they are not designed for lowering springs the ride was excellent, and body control was much improved over standard. it was just suggested to me once id fitted the FSDs that Koni Yellow would be more suitable, as they are designed to go with lowering springs.

This is what Andy has on his R.

The XC90 set up has just been completed by Stephen Evans on his fake R diseasel

http://www.vpcuk.org/forums/showthre...ht=xc90+brakes

Its pretty much the same setup as i used to run, now being run by Pete, they have just upgraded the parts.

These can be fitted, but requires a bracket, not an easy thing to do but Ive got a template I made up, however I wouldn't bother may as well fit the 320s and save the hassle.

[Ettienne]

I stumbled across some brakes off a standard car that with minimal (I do mean minimal) work fit on standard hubs

330mm discs.

Only issue was I was using a 4 pot and offset (caliper width) was too much, but same manufacturer uses single and double pistons as well, which would fit only reason I didn't was I'd already bought calipers etc.

[jamesy12345]

Just to further confuse things on coilovers - Gaz also do a set for P80 cars...Gaz Gold. Available from Don at Kalmar Union (I think they are the same, I've asked him)

http://kalmar-union.com/parts/volvo-...70-suspension/

http://www.gazshocks.com/products/ga...-coilover-kits

larger diameter strut bodies than KW & BC, as far as I can make out. PLus more choice with spring rates

//edit

I just asked KW if they had any advice for spring rates/any feedback from customers for S70's..no....but they do offer different rates if you ask

[Ettienne]

(Raining here) Just mocked up the standard caliper (280) on the 320mm disc. It's about 2-3 off top of disc and if I used a 302 hanger it would be pretty much perfect for a 336mm xc90 disc, that would fit under Volans, using later xc90 pads etc would take up the unswept area.

Food for thought although I'd have to check fitment over the discs for width

[jamesy12345]

(Raining here) Just mocked up the standard caliper (280) on the 320mm disc. It's about 2-3 off top of disc and if I used a 302 hanger it would be pretty much perfect for a 336mm xc90 disc, that would fit under Volans, using later xc90 pads etc would take up the unswept area.

Food for thought although I'd have to check fitment over the discs for width

I thought you said 280/302 calipers were crap....my T5 had 302s on, no problem with brake fade around Harewood Hillclimb although tbf that is a short track

[Ettienne]

If you also read "just for mot" until I fit 350 4 pots, and it's just something i was pointing out for people who are happy with lesser brakes, I also said using xc90 pads 50% bigger than 850 pads.

So eliminating most of the problems with the crappy original brakes. Bigger discs, bigger pad area.

[jamesy12345]

If you also read "just for mot" until I fit 350 4 pots, and it's just something i was pointing out for people who are happy with lesser brakes, I also said using xc90 pads 50% bigger than 850 pads.

So eliminating most of the problems with the crappy original brakes. Bigger discs, bigger pad area.

look at the OP's car ...he doesn't do things just for the MOT

[Ettienne]

look at the OP's car ...he doesn't do things just for the MOT

That's not what you asked me.

I've made my suggestion which is to remove the rubbish calipers on small discs and replace with 320s and bigger piston calipers

[jamesy12345]

That's not what you asked me.

I've made my suggestion which is to remove the rubbish calipers on small discs and replace with 320s and bigger piston calipers

aye that's what pete said in post #8

[S70T5Chris]

I'm happy with 302s on my car, yes you can make them fade, I cooked them in the fog and rain through the Welsh Mountains, Steve you are not alone lol
But when you're not driving like a complete tool they're fine. I've got Brembo discs, genuine pads.

Suspension wise I'm running KW V2s and to be honest they're not that great, the ride is a bit bumpy. I've got iPD anti roll bars too which are maybe too stiff.
I wouldn't recommend the setup I've got! ...but then maybe that's just me.

I'm surprised you say that mate. KW V2's are widely regarded as the number one option for our cars. Perhaps they need setting up properly? Did you buy them new? or are they and old set, maybe past their best?

[jamesy12345]

I'm surprised you say that mate. KW V2's are widely regarded as the number one option for our cars. Perhaps they need setting up properly? Did you buy them new? or are they and old set, maybe past their best?

Chris on your white T5 you fitted BC coilovers? Are the KW2/3 's really worth the extra money..? They seem very expensive

//edit

oops it's an R..! Didn't mean to offend . Open question then, to anyone - are KWs really worth choosing over the BCs/Gaz...seeing as how they are a good few hundred quid more?

[t5 pete]

aye that's what pete said in post #8

James mate the amount of stuff i recommend and then it gets recommend again and again in the same thread it's unreal.

[t5 pete]

Chris on your white T5 you fitted BC coilovers? Are the KW2/3 's really worth the extra money..? They seem very expensive

//edit

oops it's an R..! Didn't mean to offend . Open question then, to anyone - are KWs really worth choosing over the BCs/Gaz...seeing as how they are a good few hundred quid more?

Haha it is really just a white t5 with r bits.
Sorry Chris but now your I the R club you minds well get the stick we all do

[jamesy12345]

Haha it is really just a white t5 with r bits.
Sorry Chris but now your I the R club you minds well get the stick we all do

nice bits though

this thread has got me thinking about coilovers now...! If that group buy reappears I could be up for it

[S70T5Chris]

Right, now I've decided to keep the car I am thinking of upgrading the brakes and suspension and just wanted some advise/recommendations/off topic posts (delete as applicable)

Suspension wise I currently have stock shocks, god knows how old the fronts are (rears are 3 years old), and cheapish 30mm lowering springs, the ride does 'crash around' a bit and I put this down to worn shocks.
I have asked a couple of people who have come up with either bc coilovers or Koni FSD's and some Eibach pro springs, I am put off the coilovers however as I'm lead to believe they need to be rebuilt every couple of years and don't really like winter weather.

As for the brakes I have 280mm disks and standard pads (genuine Volvo) and even I have experienced brake fade after only a few stops from high (70mph officer) speeds.
As replacements I am looking at the AP Racing set up, any comments, or indeed any alternatives I should think about ?

As always, thank you for your time.

So many options! I guess it all depends on what you want from the car?

Here would be my favourite options, depending on what you want from the car:

Suspension:

Koni FSD (not suitable for lowering springs) & new standard Volvo springs (may be R equipment?) - This would be your most comfortable option. If your current setup is a mixture of old and cheap gear, then a factory refresh will make the world of difference. FSD's are a nice alternative to using factory shocks.

Bilstein B6's & H&R lowering springs - A pretty expensive option, especially if you want to replace top mounts as well, this will probably run well over £1k in parts. But will retain most of the comfort as the above option, plus the addition of a more planted sporty feel. H&R springs would be my number 1 choice of lowering springs. The most expensive (approx £275 a set) of the lowering spring options, but performance and comfort from these springs is second to none.

Koni Yellow kit - Excellent value for money, roughly £650. Complete kit with adjustable shocks and matching lowering springs. You could just buy the shocks, and use the H&R springs. The shocks are adjustable rebound damping with the twist of a knob, so you can have a play to set the ride how hard you want. But even on max soft i think they would be harsher than either of the above options. But by no means crashy or back breaking. I remember being in a mates 850 a few years ago with these set quite hard, and the car handled beautifully, but for everyday use the way he had it would soon get son your tits.

BC BR Series Coilovers (not the V1's!) - The absolute best value suspension you could spend your money on. Fully adjustable ride height and damping. The kit includes top mounts, the fronts are camber adjustable too. They're very good quality, and as far as I know no-one has had to have any shocks rebuilt. The ride can be set as soft or hard as you require, but as above the unlikely to the the same level of comfort as FSD/B6's. Obviously you have a fair amount of height adjustment also, but the key to getting them to ride nice is not to go too mad on lowering the car. My 850 is set roughly standard ride height with the shocks set sensibly in the middle somewhere. The ride is firm ish, but not crashy, and copes with bumps in the road well. Yet rag it round a bend, and it feels planted and level (granted I do also have an IPD rear ARB), it's a very nice all round set up IMO.

KW Variant 2 Coilovers - The best of the best! Fully adjustable, superb quality. When set up properly, (and to quote Mr W!) The best way to describe the ride is like driving a modern new car. Comfortable, stable yet firm and capable, they absolutely tick all the boxes. But they come with the price tag too. Once you factor in top mounts, you'll probably be looking at £1500 ish. Again the key to get the ride right, is to not be drawn into the temptation of slamming the car, which is where most people go wrong with coilovers.


Brakes:

It all depends on what you want to achieve. Decent brakes for the road? Decent brakes for the road and track? Just a bit of bling?

302's - 302mm brakes, using genuine Volvo discs and Genuine Volvo pads, with decent new fluid (I use ATE Superblue). That will be plenty good enough for the road. I doubt you'd ever get in enough trouble on the road to have any issue with a good 302 setup. If you do, your driving way to fast for the road! You always have the option to upgrade the pads to DS2500's if you prefer, which will improve them and cut down on the possibility of fade.

Using V50 or XC90 or other retro fitted Volvo brakes as mentioned above - I don't really know anything about. So can't really comment.

Brembo "Big Reds" - As used on the Porsche 993tt. Not to be confused with other, cheaper Brembo calipers. I had these on my S70. They were stunning. Using S60R discs, and Ferodo DS2500 pads, I never had one issue at all, ever, on any track day. And ask anyone who knows my driving style, I batter the brakes! LOL! They're an excellent option, as replacement discs and pads are very sensibly priced. Plus, piece the kit together, and you'll never lose a penny, you'll always be able to sell them for what you bought them for. They are an excellent option. They work as well as anything else and give a huge amount of bling also. Only downside is the wheel clearance. You end up with quite a large spacer if you wanted to use the comets. That's why most of the guys using this or similar set ups use an aftermarket wheel with quite a deep offset. My Pro Race 1.2's were 17x8 ET38. Genuine 17" Pegs do clear these brakes however, just! But they are like rocking horse poo. Having said that, Redbrick just sold a set and I believe will have another set for sale shortly.

AP's - The ultimate, I guess. But most expensive! Over £2k if you buy a kit from someone. But can be pieced together for a lot less, that's what I did with my 850. Calipers aren't hard to find, I got mine from Ebay for £400ish. Discs from Reyland are excellent value @ approx £250 a set, and DS2500 pads are only a little over £100! Bells and brackets are a bit more of a pain to organize, but can be done, as that's what I did. Including a refurb in my choice of colour, my complete kit with all new components came out at about £1300. As above these brakes will do what ever you require from them on the road or track, and add plenty of bling to boot. Not so much clearance issue as the Big Reds, some Volvo 17's will clear without spacers. Although, if you're not going on a track running a small spacer isn't exactly an issue.

Cheaper Brembos - There have been a few kits pieced together using Boxster calipers or Renault calipers or similar. Braking performance isn't going to be as high as the AP kit or the Big Reds kit, but still going to be a good improvement over a standard 302 set up. And fairly cheap too. If I was going to be using the car on a track a lot, I'm not sure I'd run with any of these options. But for the road, ideal, and blingy too.

Hope that helps a bit!

[S70T5Chris]

Chris on your white T5 you fitted BC coilovers? Are the KW2/3 's really worth the extra money..? They seem very expensive

//edit

oops it's an R..! Didn't mean to offend . Open question then, to anyone - are KWs really worth choosing over the BCs/Gaz...seeing as how they are a good few hundred quid more?

No offence taken mate! A white R is so RARE everyone can be forgiven for thinking it's a mediocre T5! LOL!

It's a bloody hard question to answer. They're well over twice the price. Are the better, yes. The do ride better than BC's. but BC's aren't bad at all if set up correctly. I went with BC's, so you know what my choice would be!

Gaz are supposed to be very good also. However I've heard of issues with the shocks meaning they have to be rebuilt. This is done FOC by GAZ, but it's agrovation.

[S70T5Chris]

Haha it is really just a white t5 with r bits.

Faaaarkk Ooooorrrrrrrffffff! LOL!

Tim calls it an Ex-plod. He's just Jel.

[Ettienne]

I had bc's on the 854 t5r very good but still prefer koni yellows