940 Estate ride comfort differences

[omc 47]

Hi all,
l thought l'd start the new month with a question on ride comfort and your experiences.
I am fortunate in owning a 94 2.0 ltre Wentworth & a 95 2.3...... both estates, yesterday just to prove my curiosity l drove them both in turn and the 95 2.3 is a harder ride.
In the past l've owned 2 other Wentworths and they all felt softer and less rigid on rough roads but this 2.3 is definately a harder ride.
Does anyone have any thoughts or experiences on the differences........
l do have in my "spares box" a pair of Wentworth front struts and wonder if an experiment is due.

Many thanks and best wishes in these trying times.

[360beast]

Is there much difference in the mileage?

[Forrest]

From late 1994 Volvo made some changes to the 940 to “improve” handling. Presumably this involved changes to the suspension. I don’t know what exactly. All I know is that one of the contemporary reviews I read when I bought my first 940 in the late 1990s reckoned handling was “stodgy” prior to this.

[omc 47]

Originally Posted by 360beast

Is there much difference in the mileage?

Luke,
Wentworth 204,000...............2.3 164,000 but before we get the idea that mileage is the issue the other Wentworths were 180,000 and the ride was softer.

[omc 47]

Originally Posted by Forrest

From late 1994 Volvo made some changes to the 940 to “improve” handling. Presumably this involved changes to the suspension. I don’t know what exactly. All I know is that one of the contemporary reviews I read when I bought my first 940 in the late 1990s reckoned handling was “stodgy” prior to this.

Yes mmnnn thanks for that Forrest,l must admit l've tried to find production changes to no avail but in that case as l don't tend to throw the old girls around that much l prefer the stodgy !

[TonyS9]

Originally Posted by omc 47

Luke,
Wentworth 204,000...............2.3 164,000 but before we get the idea that mileage is the issue the other Wentworths were 180,000 and the ride was softer.

After that sort of milage the shocks should have been changed at least once. It may depend on what the replacement was. Usually Nivomats are changed for non-weight compensating shocks.

[omc 47]

Originally Posted by TonyS9

After that sort of milage the shocks should have been changed at least once. It may depend on what the replacement was. Usually Nivomats are changed for non-weight compensating shocks.

The rear shocks and springs on the 2.3 were changed last year,my issue is with the front's as when you hit a good old british pot hole all the Wentworth l've had deal with it much better.
My experience with Volvo's goes back to the late 70's from Amazons through to the 940 series so l'm aware of certain charactaristics.......but not all.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by omc 47

The rear shocks and springs on the 2.3 were changed last year,my issue is with the front's as when you hit a good old british pot hole all the Wentworth l've had deal with it much better.
My experience with Volvo's goes back to the late 70's from Amazons through to the 940 series so l'm aware of certain charactaristics.......but not all.

Are you saying the front end is the problem on the one with the harsher ride Andy? If so i would the following in this order :

1. Ball joints.

2. Drop link bushes

3. Space-ship bushes

4. Dampers

5. Drivers seat cushions

I had trouble with my old ball joints, the wear on them was barely perceptible but it was enough that if i hit a bump/pothole, it would cause a hell of a crash on the front end.

Likewise with worn drop link bushes - they become very noisy and can, under the right circumstances (like catching a pot hole with one wheel) cause a harsh engagement of the Anti Roll Bars action - again this transmits as a hefty thud.

3. Similar story with the space-ship bushes to the above really, not to mention throwing your wheel alignment out!

4. Dampers - a pair of weak dampers (or even just one but should be renewd in pairs) can cause crashy operation of the front suspension.

5. Bet you didn't see that one coming! Seat cushions, if the one with the poor ride has harder suspension but the cushions on the drivers seat are soft and/or saggy with age, this will leave your backside with less support so you'll feel the lumps and bumps more.
This would also tally with my experience of 1995 on not being such good quality materials to start with. Also you don't know if a previous owner was Giant Haystacks and punished the seat mercilessly in 30k miles from new and then sold the car on, perhaps to Shirley Crabtree who would have punished the seat more.

Instead of swapping front strut inserts and/or legs, might be easier to swap the front seats as a test.

[omc 47]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Are you saying the front end is the problem on the one with the harsher ride Andy? If so i would the following in this order :

1. Ball joints.

2. Drop link bushes

3. Space-ship bushes

4. Dampers

5. Drivers seat cushions

I had trouble with my old ball joints, the wear on them was barely perceptible but it was enough that if i hit a bump/pothole, it would cause a hell of a crash on the front end.

Likewise with worn drop link bushes - they become very noisy and can, under the right circumstances (like catching a pot hole with one wheel) cause a harsh engagement of the Anti Roll Bars action - again this transmits as a hefty thud.

3. Similar story with the space-ship bushes to the above really, not to mention throwing your wheel alignment out!

4. Dampers - a pair of weak dampers (or even just one but should be renewd in pairs) can cause crashy operation of the front suspension.

5. Bet you didn't see that one coming! Seat cushions, if the one with the poor ride has harder suspension but the cushions on the drivers seat are soft and/or saggy with age, this will leave your backside with less support so you'll feel the lumps and bumps more.
This would also tally with my experience of 1995 on not being such good quality materials to start with. Also you don't know if a previous owner was Giant Haystacks and punished the seat mercilessly in 30k miles from new and then sold the car on, perhaps to Shirley Crabtree who would have punished the seat more.

Instead of swapping front strut inserts and/or legs, might be easier to swap the front seats as a test.

Dave thankyou,

l knew you would'nt be far away!.....so the seats, well l've changed em' all from cloth to leather, had them "in stock" from a previous Wentworth and Dave good call on the Giant Haystacks theory as the seat lumber support was broken plus the car had spent quite some months touring Europe also the passenger front was tired too.
Spaceship bushes, l have a spare set and drop links indeed they too have crossed my mind but Antiroll Bar didn't so thanks for that.
Best l get the old Brabury jack out and do some serious grime work, l'll leave the struts till last but will crow bar the bottom ball joints just for good measure.
Good to hear from you, keep up the detective work for the Volvo community and steer well clear of the idiots out there convinced that lockdown is a fantasy!!

[MiniNinjaRob]

A few months before I bought my 940 I drove a really nice late 740 and I distinctly remember how wallowly the 740 was, it really did feel very old fashioned and not in a good way. I didn’t think the 940 was as bad although not to modern standards and it turned out the 940 shocks were shot anyway.
I have 40mm springs and B4 dampers and it feels comfy and plush especially on the motorways but the turn in and generally body handling is miles better.