Making a 940 handle without lowering

[Eyebrows123]

Id like to start upping the boost and turbo in my 1996 940 2.3 lpt but before I do I really need to sort out the suspension otherwise it'll just become a death trap. However I will be using the car for towing and will still often load the boot up hence why I am reluctant to lower it. I quite like the available height for rougher roads and bumps etc. If it's recommended I go a little lower I'm sure I could work something if really necessary.

What should I look towards? Stiffer front springs? Different rear springs (I currently have HD rears)? What thickness ARBs? Polybush some or all the car (the space ships are currently polybushed)? What shocks? Should I go Coilovers or is that unnecessary? Larger wheels (I have 15" with 195/65 tyres)?

Sorry for all the questions, I've done a fair amount of reading around the topic but most of it includes lowering the car and I seem to get mixed reviews of all the different products.

[MiniNinjaRob]

Lowering the car 40mm doesn't really make much difference to its capabilities and does have its benefits - lowering the whole centre of gravity of the car is always going to help. You could fit adjustable gas shocks in the back which you could pump up when towing - my dad used to fit them in the 1990's to his Granada as I always remember going to the petrol station to pump them up before we went on holiday!

If that still isn't an option you can do a few other things. First make sure all the bushes and such as renewed and the standard suspension is in good condition. My 940 had a couple of really poor shocks which were probably what was making it handle really badly (bouncy especially) - one provided no damping at all. So replacing with new standard stuff might make a big difference if yours are bad now. You could fit some Bilstein B4's on as they are top quality and can be fitted to standard and 40mm lowered cars.

Next try the "camber mod" - its basically altering the camber of the front wheels by drilling a new hole in the top mount/shock tower and rotating the top mount in. Give the car more camber and helps with a sharper turn in. Before anyone cries that this isn't a good idea to mess with geometry - it was a Volvo fix done by dealers as the 940 was set up as standard to understeer quite a bit so outside edges of tyres were getting worn prematurely. The mod stops this happening and sharpens the steering up a bit.

Next you can add stiffness - extra/thicker ARBs and strut braces to stiffen up the chassis.

Maybe think about bigger wheels and lower profile tyres - keep the current rolling radius. I fitted 17" 7J wheels and 50 profile tyres - same rolling radius as standard but less sidewall flex - made a decent difference from the 15" and looked better too. 50 section tyres aren't really low profile compared to modern cars but compared to the balloons fitted to the 15" wheels they are a huge improvement.

Maybe decent tyres - if you have cheapy ones now. Always underestimated how much a tyre can affect handling and ride quality. Some cheap tyres feel like wooden wagon wheels they are so heavy and stiff.

[Rversteeg]

I have Michelin Energysaver tyres. Strictly speaking T speed rating would be sufficient, but my garage advised me to go for the higher H speed rating type. According to him the handling of a 940 on a softer side wall T rated tyre would be rubbish. Compared to my winter tyres the Michelins are much more pleasant to drive.

[Eyebrows123]

Thanks for the replies and advice.

I'd rather not lower the car, I quite enjoy being comfortable with speed bumps & driveways etc. I've also heard of people struggling with these cars 40mm lowered so if possible I'd really rather not. 25mm maybe, but 40mm might be a bit much (unless more people recommend it as absolutely fine and can convince me otherwise?).

I think I will have to uprate my shocks...the question will be what to, I hear mixed reviews of the Bilsteins (and other shocks) so I'm just a bit hestitant.

Camber mod...yes I've been meaning to do this for a while, I should probably get round to it. Or maybe install camber plates? Not sure which would be the better method, especially if I do end up lowering a little, the plates would allow the extra adjustability I would assume?

ARBs are something I think I really do need along with new shocks. Again, not sure what thickness to go really. Very difficult to get the IPD ones here!

I have just changed my cheapy tyres to Michelin Energysavers H rated. I have to say it's made a big difference, especially through standing water and braking distances. I should have done it much earlier £240 for all 4 tyres fitted is really not a lot for the increase of safety and £60 a tyre is no more expensive than fitting a cheapo. I know these aren't performance tyres, but I'm happy with them while I have my 15" wheels. However, when braking, there is so much suspension dive that the front tyres still get overloaded a bit too quickly. I don't know if there's anything that can be done about the anti-dive properties of the suspension?

[MiniNinjaRob]

Thanks for the replies and advice.

I'd rather not lower the car, I quite enjoy being comfortable with speed bumps & driveways etc. I've also heard of people struggling with these cars 40mm lowered so if possible I'd really rather not. 25mm maybe, but 40mm might be a bit much (unless more people recommend it as absolutely fine and can convince me otherwise?).

Its only laird Scooby who says its too low. Putting it simply, the 940 is very high as standard, all 40mm does is bring it down to a more modern height. We have endless speed bumps and dodgy roads in Huddersfield and I've never had a single problem driving wherever I want. On the road I live is those bumps you can straddle and the 940 has no problems at all. We have lots of steep roads here coming off flat roads and the only time I've scrpaed something was one extreme example where a 1 in 3 hill meets a flat road, and that was only the front valance as the front end does have a big overhang as the car is so square.

I think I will have to uprate my shocks...the question will be what to, I hear mixed reviews of the Bilsteins (and other shocks) so I'm just a bit hestitant.

Well Bilstein shocks are widely used in motorsport and fast road applications and have been at the top of their game for OEM and aftermarkets goodies for years, so much that Subarus use Spec-B (as in specification Bilstein) in their top end performance models. If you read stuff online all you get is people moaning about stuff. B4's are a standard upgrade for 940's, or B6's if you want a fast road upgrade (bit too stiff for general use though.

Camber mod...yes I've been meaning to do this for a while, I should probably get round to it. Or maybe install camber plates? Not sure which would be the better method, especially if I do end up lowering a little, the plates would allow the extra adjustability I would assume?

Don't do it if you lower it as lowering the car has the same effect of changing the camber. I did both and did get some scrubbing at low speed. Yes you can get adjustable top plates but they are very expensive and the camber mod is free and is what Volvo dealers did to the cars so its fine. Took me 30 mins and that includes jacking up the car!

ARBs are something I think I really do need along with new shocks. Again, not sure what thickness to go really. Very difficult to get the IPD ones here!

Yes it would be nice to get IPD ones over here easily (and cheaply). There was a guy making under chassis braces and double ARB brackets but he doesn't do them any more which is a real shame as they were excellent. I got some of the double rear ARB brackets but never used them.

I have just changed my cheapy tyres to Michelin Energysavers H rated. I have to say it's made a big difference, especially through standing water and braking distances. I should have done it much earlier £240 for all 4 tyres fitted is really not a lot for the increase of safety and £60 a tyre is no more expensive than fitting a cheapo. I know these aren't performance tyres, but I'm happy with them while I have my 15" wheels. However, when braking, there is so much suspension dive that the front tyres still get overloaded a bit too quickly. I don't know if there's anything that can be done about the anti-dive properties of the suspension?

I wonder if your front suspension is a bit tired? Mine doesn't seem to dive much. Remember the springs are probably the ones on it from new and even on my late model were 21 years old when I replaced them. If the shocks are a bit tired then the compression damping on them might not be great which won't be helping.

Remember that the 940 was designed as a soft luxury vehicle, not a sports car, so there's only so far you can go before you ruin the characteristics of the car itself. People who race/drift the 940's have to do huge mods to them to make them handle the way they want to and it makes them pretty cack for normal roads. But you can make them better as I have found, most of the time by renewing things that are a bit tired after a quarter of a century!

Good luck with it all anyway!

[Laird Scooby]

Lots of advice up there, if you really don't want to lower it, the double-up on ARBs is your best bet, even if you have to have the clamps made for you to clamp an extra front bar to the original, on the back you can almost certainly fabricate some simple plates to add an extra ARB.

First though, from everything you've said and Rob picked up on this, your original suspension is tired. Even fitting standard springs and shocks all round will give you a vast improvement in handling and ride quality. Most aftermarket springs tend to be a little stiffer than the equivalent Volvo spring, likewise with the dampers/shock absorbers.
Even a standard set-up with double ARBs will give much flatter handling and a good ride. I'm not sure you can get the Monroe Ride-leveler (think that's what they're called) anymore to pump up the rear end when towing/carrying a heavy load.

However, there are companies around that specialise in air suspension and you could fit assister springs to use with an on-board compressor. The assister springs could for example fit inside your existing rear springs, there is a sort of rubber sock spring that's designed to roll insisde itself as it is compressed, that might be the option to go for.

You could add assister springs for your towing/load-lugging whether you lower it or not.

Also as i think Rob already mentioned, sort your bushes first. Things like the spaceship bushes (lower control arm to tie rod) are a favourite for causing problems.

For the record, the reason i don't like going lower is when i first had my current 760, the exhaust was ripped off by a speed bump. It was on standard suspension but tired so was riding about 40-45mm lower than standard. I just don't want to recommend to someone they should lower their car then find they've ripped their exhaust off, simples!

[360beast]

Polybushes, I've done the whole front end and love surprising Mr German bloat box when they can't keep up through twisty roads.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by 360beast

Polybushes, I've done the whole front end and love surprising Mr German bloat box when they can't keep up through twisty roads.

Even on good standard bushes they get surprised at times!

Almost as much fun as kicking it down into 2nd at 65mph when said German bloat-box has just cut in front on the dual carriageway because they think it's a "granddad spec" so i pull outand hoof it and leave them with their ears ringing from the 90 degree V6 howl!

[360beast]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Even on good standard bushes they get surprised at times!

Almost as much fun as kicking it down into 2nd at 65mph when said German bloat-box has just cut in front on the dual carriageway because they think it's a "granddad spec" so i pull outand hoof it and leave them with their ears ringing from the 90 degree V6 howl!

That made me laugh, I can just imagine it now.

I'm amazed how long 2nd gear is on these! 85mph in 2nd haha.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by 360beast

That made me laugh, I can just imagine it now.

I'm amazed how long 2nd gear is on these! 85mph in 2nd haha.

It was quite funny but i don't think the Bloat-wagen pilot realised that since pulling onto the dual carriageway i'd already matched his speed going uphill and he just pulled in without looking - that was when i pulled out and gave it the beans!

The tall gearing is pretty useful and confuses a lot of people during normal overtaking if they get the hump and give theirs some welly and you do the same and drop 2 gears and leave them standing!