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  1. #1
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    Ph2 V70 T5 - suspension upgrades (damping)

    Guys, I know a lot of this is has been covered in the past, but I'm really struggling to make a decision on which way to go with my T5.

    I need to do more or less a complete overhaul. It is a baggy, rattly mess. I'm going to need to do bottom arms, BJs, shocks, springs, top mount bearings and platforms, ARB bushes and possibly the links too (the existing Meyle HD ones are prob OK). I'll be keeping most of it OE using Lemforder where I can. I can't decide which way to go with shocks and springs though.

    Choices are:
    Bilstein B4 and standard springs
    Bilstein B4 and Eibach springs
    Bilstein B12
    BC Racing coilovers*

    Given that it's just a daily driver/family car, usually driven on our terrible pot holed and speed bumped city roads, and I don't need outright cornering performance, and I'm not rolling in dough, the sensible option is B4s with stock springs. But.....

    ....where I'd like to make a big improvement is in the cars ability to handle crests at speed, which I believe would improved with better rebound. Example: there is a fast flowing B road near me with a crest on a slight right bend. At say 50mph the car will lift (not leave the ground, but the suspension is using all it's travel) as it clears the crest and then due to being on a slight bend as it settles back down it will lean heavily to the left and feels very unsettled. This inspires no confidence. It's a bend which should be possible to take much faster but it would feel dangerous at the moment. I realise that simply doing a full resto to OE spec would probably make this feel massively better, but, if I'm going to all this expense I am wondering if it's worth going for the upgrades in the hope that the car will feel much better controlled. Also, I realise that what I've described above sounds like a really specific scenario - it's just an example. Basically I'm not after stance, I'm not necessarily after sharper turn in (though it would be nice) and I'm not even after improved grip to take corners at higher speed, I'm simply after better composure for the sort of situations that could result in the car becoming badly unsettled at speed - rapid direction change (emergency), undulations, and fast crests. I want to have confidence to be able to 'press on' on an empty flowing B road without ££££ting myself at every slight bend that it's going to end in a "tank slapper"!

    I've fancied going the B12 route for ages, but it's a lot of money and quite probably just not necessary for my needs. I guess I'm looking for someone to knock the sense in to me and convince me that B4s alone and stock springs/Eibachs is all I need to a well composed V70 that isn't going to scare the crap out of me.

    *Only included BC Racing coilovers because they are comparable in price to the B12 kit given I wouldn't need to buy new top mounts bearing and platforms. Also they are supposedly not too harsh on the softest setting and there would be the benefit of getting the ride height exactly where I want it and balanced front/rear.
    2001 V70 T5 (Manual) - The Turnip
    1999 9-5 Aero (Manual) - Sven

  2. #2
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    Given the fact that clearly the suspension is in need of overhaul and that it is obviously tired, saggy and unresponsive....I'd stick with the OE route because you said the car is a daily/family car!

    Once you've replaced all the parts you've listed and fitted New gas shocks (not oil filled) and new stock springs, you'll be shocked at what a huge difference it all makes and the car will handle soooo much better, more precise, react quicker and feel firmer too!

    When I replaced the shocks and springs on my car I was amazed at the difference and that's without all the extra stuff your replacing in one hit!

    One thing I strongly advise you do though, is to use Poly bushes on the Bottom arms and ARB bushes, as these will significantly improve handling over stock, sharpen the steering and tighten up the roll in corners without compromising the ride.

    If you did the above, you'd have a car that's totally freshened up and has that 'New' car feeling you get but at the same time, it would be better than stock due to the poly bushes.

    Unless your tracking the car, Bilsteins are unessesary, costly and could ruin the ride as a daily/family car!
    Last edited by LeeT5; Tuesday 26th June 2018 at 02:46.
    2014 V60 Polestar 6spd Auto :: Polestar map peak boost 17.4psi :: IPD 3" DP + 150cel :: Polestar 2.5" exhaust :: Paddle Shift Geartronic :: Black glass :: Maxton Splitter :: K+N Filter :: IPD Aluminium Top engine mount :: Brembo 6 pots :: 20" Polestar rims :: Brembo 371mm floating discs :: Sensus RTi + DAB + BT + WIFi :: D3S XENARC 6000k Active bending headlights

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    Ric@rdo (Tuesday 26th June 2018)

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    THanks Lee

    I'm happy to go down the Billy B4 route (would prefer to) for two reasons - 1) I've seen very positive feedback for the B4s on Volvos, and 2) short of buying direct from Volvo I'm not sure what other OE equivalent is any good. I've used KYB Excel G in the past and have currently got Meyle HD shocks on the back, but I'm not sure what is actually any good on a Ph2 V70, whereas I feel like the B4s are a safe bet due to their reputation and they shouldn't ruin the ride.

    I've dismissed poly bushing the wishbones as I don't feel it's something I particularly need (somewhat ironic when I've considered Billy B12 and BCR coilovers though!) and due to the extra cost and faff fitting them. Thinking again though, I might actually reconsider as there might be a benefit in lifespan from the poly (I don't know what brand the current wishbones are but I know they are 6 years old and about 20k miles, and the bigger bushes have just started to split in the last year. Not bad when the car spends most of it's life being punished on terrible city roads). I know it can be a bit of an arse ache to fit the poly bushes if you've not done them before - my usual garage are fine with fitting poly bushes but if they've not done a V70 before the extra time/labour could be costly. I shall give it some more thought.
    2001 V70 T5 (Manual) - The Turnip
    1999 9-5 Aero (Manual) - Sven

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    Mate, in retrospect, fitting poly bushes is a piece of pi ss compared to a stock bush.
    Poly will not degrade or fatigue, unlike rubber, so performance will be constant.

    Volvo don’t make shocks but if you buy direct from Volvo you’ll be supplied with a Sachs unit.
    So, buy SACHS shocks and you’ll not look back!
    2014 V60 Polestar 6spd Auto :: Polestar map peak boost 17.4psi :: IPD 3" DP + 150cel :: Polestar 2.5" exhaust :: Paddle Shift Geartronic :: Black glass :: Maxton Splitter :: K+N Filter :: IPD Aluminium Top engine mount :: Brembo 6 pots :: 20" Polestar rims :: Brembo 371mm floating discs :: Sensus RTi + DAB + BT + WIFi :: D3S XENARC 6000k Active bending headlights

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    True, but I wasn't going to replace the rubber bushes, I was going to replace the whole arms. Autodoc can supply Lemforder arms for around £65-75 each (price varies day to day depending on what % promotional discount they have at the time, plus currency variation), plus shipping from Europe. Not much difference in cost if I keep my arms and buy PF bushes, though then there's the labour cost to fit the bushes (I'll happily tackle swapping the arms myself but not the fitting of the bushes), so it ends up more going that way. Other option is the Classicswede poly bush kit (about £70 for all 4 bushes), but no idea if they are any good on the Ph2.

    Interestingly Autodoc currently have the B4s listed at about £10 cheaper each than SACHs dampers! And I'm constantly leaning between trying to do it all down to a price (i.e. mostly OE stuff) or spending that bit extra (e.g. B4/Eibach) for that bit of extra control. Don't mind a small compromise in comfort (certainly can't be any worse than it is now!).
    2001 V70 T5 (Manual) - The Turnip
    1999 9-5 Aero (Manual) - Sven

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    I did exactly what Lee suggested. Fitted poly bushes everywhere, IPD sways, endlinks and inserts, and Sachs shocks. Really happy with the results

    V70 2.4T5 M66 Summum

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    LeeT5 (Thursday 28th June 2018)

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    Well, it's only been 4 days and this topic has now become moot

    This is how indecisive I am - 4 days ago I'd settled on the plan to take the V70 off the road in Sep when the MOT runs out and put the 9-5 back in to duty. I would use the time off the road catch up on the umpteen jobs I've been dragging my heals on for ages and refresh the suspension. Then I started to get all sensible and I drew up a list of everything I would need to do before I would be happy to put it back on the road in a condition that would be good for several years to come with little more money needing to be spent in the future. ~£2.5k, or nearer £3.5k if I wanted to do the clutch and flywheel And even then I wouldn't be truly happy with it.

    I know that's buttons to some people, and in the past I've justified it to myself that I'm happy to keep chucking money at it as it's fundamentally a good solid car, low mileage for it's age, it's part of the family etc. But it's a beater at the end of the day, a worthless beater in a terrible colour. I'm at that cross roads now where economically it makes no sense at all to keep throwing good money after bad at it. Sure, it's got years of life left in it without a doubt, once some parts are replaced, but it becomes hard to justify when you hit the point that all those parts need done at the same time and the bills are bigger. So with head ruling over the heart this time, I've now decided that it's time for the Turnip to walk (drive) the Green Mile.

    I shall be sticking it on Gumtree as a Spares Or Repair in Sep in the hope that someone can see the potential in it and be willing to chuck a bit of money at it to keep it going for a few more years. Scrapping it will be the last resort.

    I've got a few useful spares, parts I've bought and not fitted yet or stuff that's only been on the car a few months, so will be advertising bits on here in the near future.
    2001 V70 T5 (Manual) - The Turnip
    1999 9-5 Aero (Manual) - Sven

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    Hello
    I have had the B12 kit on a 2001 V70 and i would not recommend this kit for a V70. It consists of the Eibach Pro-kit lowering springs and the Bilstein B8 dampers which are a shorter version of the B6 dampers. The Eibach springs should lower a standard V70 25-30mm but due to the shorter body of the B8 dampers (the front ones) and during assembly there becomes more preload on the springs and all comfort is gone.
    I sold the B12 kit and put on a set of H&R springs with Koni FSD and the car now has a good balance between height and comfort.


 

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