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Tightening up an old volvo?

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Old Feb 15th, 2018, 16:29   #1
willvg95
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Default Tightening up an old volvo?

Afternoon chaps, ive taken a bit of time driving a car that isnt an old volvo recently. And now im driving the tank again. I cant help but notice how saggy and unresponsive my 300k mile 940 is. Obviously they were setup well on the comfort side of handling. And things like polybushes and better dampers/ stiffer springs would help considerably. But im more referring to the gearchange and steering response, i.e to not ruin that lovely magic carpet feel.

Any suggestions?
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Old Feb 15th, 2018, 19:50   #2
jpliddy
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Default 940 tdi auto 1995

hi will
i totally agree freind of mine has a 2017 range rover which i have driven but i wound rather be driving my 940 tdi every day of the week . have you seen where the national v,o,c, rally is this year hope you can be there
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Old Feb 15th, 2018, 19:51   #3
rogerthechorister
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Default Which box?

Personally, I love the clunky feel of an M46, and the Laycock-de-Normanville overdrive, but an M90 ought to be quite crisp and slick. Check the rubbery bits in the remote. It may be time for a rebuilt box.

Turn in is dramatically improved by polybushes but there will be more harshness. Check all the rubber bushes, the inner and outer track rod ends, the wheelbearings, and the rack - and of course the shocks.

The back end can also introduce lack of control. Again, all the rubber bits and the shocks.

Braking - a set of chinabay drilled and grooved discs all round will amaze you.
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Old Feb 15th, 2018, 20:42   #4
Skyedriver
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176K Miles, 940 Estate

At 140K miles I fitted:
960 front ARB
Doubled up rear ARB
polybush spaceships
Chassis brace and strut brace
The car handled like a car 10 years newer. Better than the X Type Jag I hada and hated.

But at 176K miles and carrying a lot of heavy loads and a bit of enthusiastic driving it really felt quite soggy.

Just (had) fitted new rear Bilsteins and HD rear springs. The springs were tired and the shocks (non Nivo) knackered.

Only done about half a mile but it seems a lot more chuckable and controlled again.

Have a set of polybush front ARB bushes to fit to replace tired old ones.
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Old Feb 15th, 2018, 22:06   #5
aardvarkash10
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^ All this.

Slowly working my way through suspension in a 945. Did sway bar bushes and end links last weekend. That reintroduced some body-roll control.

The rear is often overlooked and its obvious in Moomin that a lot of the wallow-y feel is down to the southern end attmpting to move around the northern end when cornering - the rear kind of "falls" into a corner as the front loads up and you go from understeer (because all the front bushings are due replacement) to oversteer (because all the rear bushings are due replacement).

Short answer - replace all the bushes. Rubber is fine - it will last 10 years easily. Go poly if you like blue and feel up for the 50% additional cost.
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Old Feb 15th, 2018, 22:32   #6
Laird Scooby
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Skyedriver View Post
176K Miles, 940 Estate

At 140K miles I fitted:
960 front ARB
Doubled up rear ARB
polybush spaceships
Chassis brace and strut brace
The car handled like a car 10 years newer. Better than the X Type Jag I hada and hated.

But at 176K miles and carrying a lot of heavy loads and a bit of enthusiastic driving it really felt quite soggy.

Just (had) fitted new rear Bilsteins and HD rear springs. The springs were tired and the shocks (non Nivo) knackered.

Only done about half a mile but it seems a lot more chuckable and controlled again.

Have a set of polybush front ARB bushes to fit to replace tired old ones.
I like the idea of a 960 ARB and also adding a rear ARB - any idea what thickness the front ARB is and also the back one? Fairly sure there is no rear ARB on mine (originally had Nivos, i converted it to standard springs/shocks) but would like to tighten the handling up a little.

I know from experience on other cars i own thicker ARBs improve body roll through cornering without compromising ride quality and also reduce front-wheel-scrabble on FWD cars so any information on the ARB options would be handy!
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Old Feb 15th, 2018, 23:56   #7
aardvarkash10
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Hey guys (Dave included)

Moomin (95 945 with FT engine) has a 23mm front roll bar. Not sure on the rear - I understand they were all the same diameter regardless of model.

Separately, I just light the blue touchpaper on a fleabay deal for a complete set of shocks - KYB Excel - G series. Around 240NZD landed at my door - new old stock.

Video of swearing and strut removal to follow in the next few weeks.
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Old Feb 16th, 2018, 00:53   #8
Laird Scooby
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Default

I'll have to get the "very near gauge" out Ash and measure my front one, it looks to be around the 23-26mm area.

As for the rear one - don't recall ever seeing one on it.

When i first got mine, the Nivos were leaky so needed changing, it also rode like a rowing boat, mid-Atlantic during a Force 10 storm!

Got a set of NOS KYB shocks (same as yours, was surprised when they landed as was expecting any old brand!), NOS front and rear springs (Suplex rings a bell - Suplex is a subsidiary of one of the big spring makers but can't remember which) for just under £125 so no real excuse to not do all 4 springs and shocks.

That improved the ride/handling considerably along with new spaceship bushes, drop links on the front ARB, sorting the tracking and a set of new, matching tyres.

Now i just want to control the body roll
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Old Feb 16th, 2018, 04:22   #9
aardvarkash10
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I think 23mm was the largest Volvo front bar. IPD do a 25mm one. The rear Volvo was 19mm (as I understand - haven't measured it)
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Old Feb 17th, 2018, 00:10   #10
Skyedriver
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Now this is all from recollection but IIRC:
the standard 940 front bar was about 19 or 20mm, there were two different ones fitted to the 960 a 22 & a 24mm.
The 22mm is the more common and what I have, would be more than happy to go up a size though. The IPD one is expensive the 960 ones can be had S/H for around a tenner.
And if you are fitting a new ARB then polybush it. No point in fitted something that will reduce roll but the old rubber bushes just flex instead.

Don't underestimate the benefits of a strut brace and under chassis brace. The old Volvo shell looks as solid as a brick but these two additions stiffen it up noticeably.

The original rear ARB is a single item. A great guy (Martin) on here was making brackets to fit a second identical ARB in parallel. He's not making them any more but sets of brackets come up for sale occasionally, keep a look out or ask in "Wanted".

And I've now had a chance to try the latest set up. When I did the other mods the car had been reasonably well looked after and the upgrades still made great improvements however I'm afraid the last 35K miles have been a little hard for her and she started to feel rather loose at the rear. The old dampers were knackered and the springs sagging. The new Bilsteins and HD springs are immediately noticeable. The car feels taut again, the front no longer having to cope with a sloppy rear. It sits about an inch higher at the rear now (probably back to standard ride height). I was worried that running empty the HD springs would be harsh but no, just feel "planted".

Happy bunny, back in love with the 940.
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