How low is your 440/460/480?

[Bruce_T]

I dont think they sell the 90mm springs anymore

[B20F]

I can't believe that it would be drivable with 90mm(!) lower springs. You almost can't take a speedbump with 40mm, let alone with 90mm. And what about the camber and toe in settings? The standard settings would make it almost undrivable I reckon.

[ovlov25]

Originally Posted by jlgrosvenor

It's a shame it's so difficult to get aftermarket suspension that doesn't lower the car. Not everyone want to burn round Sainsbury's carparks after hours with the bass thumping.

Aftermarket suspension is all designed to provide (supposedly) better handling and a more aggressive look.

If you want non lowered aftermarket suspension then unfortunately the only option is new original equipment. No market for stiffer springs at standard ride heights etc.

[Daniel M]

Originally Posted by jlgrosvenor

Snap and snap.

It's a shame it's so difficult to get aftermarket suspension that doesn't lower the car. Not everyone want to burn round Sainsbury's carparks after hours with the bass thumping.

Thats a very 'stereotyped' comment. I had my 440 and my 480 lowered. I don't however recall going for a burn round any supermarkets. I do recall doing it becuase the suspension was old, and the 440 with aftermarket wheels sat very high, and the 480 (mine especially) looked like a 4x4...

Hate being stereotyped because you enjoy something the minority has given a bad name.

With regards to lowering. The 480 had just standard shocks (they were almost new upon receipt though, so still very tight)-just lowered 40mm (became 45mm!), and the same with the 440. I'll dig some pics out later with more info...

:: Edit::

The 440 suspension was well worn, so it was Bilstein Shocks and Avo springs (Bilstein Street Kit was only 30mm drop at time of purchase). The ride was still a bit rolly rolly though lol. Once it was bedded in, again, it was more like 45mm as with the 480. I'll pop the pics below for comparisons. The 440 on it's 1st day, then lowered and bedded in, the 480 pre lowering, and again after it had bedded in.

with regards to a 90mm lowering kit for the 440, in my 8 years of 400 series ownership i've never seen a kit that low...

440:





The 480: (1st pic is very small, but check out the arch gaps!)





I think a 40 mm drop on the standard 15's will make it look low-rider low once it's bedded in. If i had to lower either car again, i'd opt for a 30mm to allow for bedding in. The 480 became a little impractical (but held the road like it was on rails), and the 440 was ok on 17's, only minor scrubbing on full lock and a tiny bit of scrubbing after i had trimmed the rear arches, but on smaller wheels i think it would scrape exhausts etc.

What are you trying to achieve? I'm guessing your sig. pic is a Photoshop as it looks lowered? I think a 30mm drop on a set of springs would be fine, but i'd avoid Bilstein shocks-they tend to be a bit noisy (not always fitting the holes on the body correctly). KYB do an 'Excellence' range i think, and although oil filled, they are a good compromise between handling and comfort-i'd use these with lowering springs if i had to do a 400 again.

Hope thats a little help!

P.s. I may be able to dig out a pic of the 440 the day before it was lowered and the day after, so you can see the difference properly on the original wheels...but i'm off to the gym so it'll be a bit later!

[Bruce_T]

My suspension on my 440 is very tidied and rolly polly.

Shocks are "loose" not leaking, but too soft. Springs.. well they have probably seen better says. The car is nearly 11 years old and covered 110k.

I want it lower. 30-40mm and stiffer to reduce the roll.

I WAS looking at the blistein kit of PFV the shocks and springs for £260 or something but you said they are noisy?

I just want something better then what this is.

Standard shocks with maybe 30mm-40mm springs I think would be good. I dont think id need uprated shocks, just new ones.

[tomfoolery]

well 90mm they were and yes speed humps were a bit harsh and yes the tyres wore out un evenly as they were angled but look at one of my pics judge for ya self i liked the low look and the new owner i still speak to and he put new arches on her and it still sits low and is now bloody fast with it look out people in worcester as the black beast is coming lol

[tomfoolery]

oh and this was my other 440 turbo with 60 mm lowering springs with gas shocks on.....not quite as low ....oh and my mate had 2 red 440 turb,s and a 480 all lowered 60 mm all i can say is drive slowly over big humps lol ..

[Daniel M]

Originally Posted by Bruce_T

Standard shocks with maybe 30mm-40mm springs I think would be good. I dont think id need uprated shocks, just new ones.

I think that sounds like the best option-i think uprated shocks always seem to make rides very harsh. Koni do Red shocks which are available for the 400 series, but they are still quite hard.

With regards to rattlling-it's usually because the holes that the bolts go through and fix to the chassis with are a little larger than the bolt so slight movement cause it to knock because it's not a perfect fit. I think that standard would be a good compromise between comfort and handling. It's just long term (over 7/8 years+?) they won't maintain the 'stifness', but i doubt you'll have to worry about that then!

@ 'tomfoolery'. How did these 440's & 480's sit that low then? I'm interested to find out as over the years there have been loads of posts about people trying to achieve lower than 40mm setups on springs and shocks, and in all honesty, as before, i've never seen a kit lower than 40mm for the 400 series. I'm guessing as quite a few of your friends have had them they were quite readily available? And wern't you once posting as 'thehoff'? I recognise the car...

Dan

[B20F]

I have my 480 for 3 months now and it still has the standard hight, looks like a SUV! I loweded my summer transport, the P1800ES, by 30mm. Had to remove the front silencer because of the speedbumbs which by the way, are a national disaster here in Holland! I know I had to put Koni or Bilsteins on it as other brands couldn't cope with the lowering. They wear out real fast, some (KYB) even within 5Kmls. Also I adjusted the camber and caster, which is not possible with the 400's. If you're telling that the tyres wear out uneven this means it has to have effect on the roadholding. I love the look of the lowered 480, but don't wanna loose too much comfort and certainly wanna maintain the roadhandling, which is excellent at the mo. Now I saw a camber adjustment bolt which replaces the original not adjustable setup. Anybody have expierence with this thingy? Maybe this will sort out the uneven thread wear.

[tomfoolery]

easy one to solve poly bush kit and yes there is a bolt which adjusts the camber readily available for most cars .... me personally id go for 40mm springs with volvo gas shocks ... what ever you do never go for coil overs my god you can go lower than 90mm let alone 40mm !!!!!!!!!!!!! but boy you better have a good spine lol (((yes the hoff shhhhhhhhhhh))) heres my secret for getting 90 mm and dont tell every one .. i used honda civic rear springs and cavi front spring but volvo gas shocks .. i modified the part which the spring sitc in and it all past a mot no probs ... i learned with volvo unless you have a big bank balance ..you have to trial and error ..oh my last 440 handled like a cart and ive heard at castle coomb it out cornered a cool nova with very expensive suspension set up... in finnishing you need to find a set up that you feel comfatable with that you feel is a safe compramise between looking cool and the practability of our ****e rds .. my 2 volvo's were shattering themselves to bits on our local streets so i suppose i got it wrong .. but my they looked good !!!!!!!!!!!!!!oh green volvo in the pic on bruce t profile looks very nice just needs that turbo lump in lol..