Rear Shocks

[hylton1806]

Morning,I currently run a Munroe self leveller system on the rear of my 1987 745.I have been advised the are coming to the end of the usefull life and should be looking to replace(you manually pump them up and let the air out).I don't tow a caravan or carry large loads,but do pull atrailer at times (500kgs at most).What standard item would you advise to replace them.
Many thks Hylton.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by hylton1806

Morning,I currently run a Munroe self leveller system on the rear of my 1987 745.I have been advised the are coming to the end of the usefull life and should be looking to replace(you manually pump them up and let the air out).I don't tow a caravan or carry large loads,but do pull atrailer at times (500kgs at most).What standard item would you advise to replace them.
Many thks Hylton.

Any standard rear shock should be up to the job as long as you change the rear springs for standard items.
The Monroe Load Leveler system was designed to work with the softer, longer Nivo type springs as a replacement/upgrade and standard rear shocks will be killed in short order on those springs.

[Ian21401]

When I acquired my 1992 940 estate back in 2005 one of the rear shocks was seized. I knew very little about Volvos at that time and even less about self levelling rear shocks. I was advised that it was fitted with nivomats and one replacement would cost £400. I couldn’t afford that at the time, thinking both shocks would need to be replaced, so I investigated Monroe Load Levellers as I had had them fitted to my Morris Marina for towing. (they worked very well). I was unable to source any to fit my car so fitted a pair of standard Monroes. They did the job and passed MOT but the rear sat down a bit. I then learned that cars fitted with Nivomats had softer rear springs, (as Dave states) so I would require replacement springs or replacement Nivomats. Fortunately I managed to locate some almost new Boges in a breaker’s yard and fitted them so rear suspension was good again.

[Laird Scooby]

I've woken up a bit now so here's a suggestion for the rear springs and shocks :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOLVO-740...w/332228527336

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rear-Shoc...m/312577590705

First link is to a rear spring made by Kilen (a subsidiary of Lesjofors who i believe were OE suppliers to Volvo) and the second is to a normal shock absorber by KYB, a premium Japanese brand - i have these on my own 765 and they are good units. My rear springs are Suplex who i think are another subsidiary of Lesjofors but i'm not 100% sure on that. Either way, the ride/handling/comfort is so much better with this set up than the previous Boge Nivomats that IMHO aren't fit for purpose even when new.

You may well find after renewing the rear suspension, the front then feels soft, soggy and imprecise and rides badly - i did and then renewed the front end as well.

A job well worth doing, people who have traveled in mine often refuse to believe it's 31 years old because "it rides like a new car" - direct quote from one of them.

Purely out of curiosity, yours isn't Blue-Green metallic is it? I had an 87 745GLE in that colour with the Monroe Load Leveler - tan interior and the "auxiliary seats" aka 7-seater, seem to recall it had a towbar as well.

[hylton1806]

Hi Dave, just out of interest which options did you go for on the front set up out of interest.My 745 is silver/green with plush green interior,no 7 seat option but does have a towbar and a very thirsty engine

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by hylton1806

Hi Dave, just out of interest which options did you go for on the front set up out of interest.My 745 is silver/green with plush green interior,no 7 seat option but does have a towbar and a very thirsty engine

On the fronts, i used the same suppliers as i'd got my other bits from (end of line so i got it all a bit cheaper than those prices) and again got KYB shocks and Suplex springs.

If yours is Silver-Green, it puts it at 1989/90 i think, if memory serves Silver-Green was a new colour originally introduced on the 760 facelift about 1988, the 740 range got it some time soon after - likewise with one or two other colours i think.

I should point out there were previous incarnations of Silver-Green, mine is code 403 with black leather and dark grey (almost black) carpets and headliner (i've changed the headliner to a grey one from a 960 though) and when i say "new for the 760 facelift" i'm fairly sure it was the 403 code Silver-Green that was new for 1988.

What engine is in yours Hylton?

[hylton1806]

Morning Dave,1987 745 B230E ZF HP22 Auto . 167,000 mls 4 prev owners.One of the owners for 22 yrs and plenty history and a good story behind it.Its not in bad nick but needs tlc.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by hylton1806

Morning Dave,1987 745 B230E ZF HP22 Auto . 167,000 mls 4 prev owners.One of the owners for 22 yrs and plenty history and a good story behind it.Its not in bad nick but needs tlc.

That's the same spec as all of my 745GLEs that i had before my current 760GLE. I used to get between 25-35mpg out of them depending how/where i drove although in fairness my last one (pictured in my avatar) struggled until i'd been through it with a fine-toothed comb!

It sounds as if yours should be a GLE but with the optional cloth interior?