240 self levelling suspension

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David Balfour

The suspension in my 1992 240 SE (UK spec) is due for a renovation soon -
the back is saggy and the front shocks are on their way out.

I have the self-levelling type of rear shocks, but I'm considering putting
standard ones on due to the price of the self-levelling units. Do I just
need to change the shocks, or are there other things that need changing?

As I'm looking at replacing a lot of suspension parts, I was cautiously
thinking of perhaps trying to make the car less 'wallowy' in the corners.
Google turned up nothing, so does anyone know if there is a site around that
describes any options. I don't want to do anything silly, just make it
slightly less of a pudding in the corners.

Any help most gratefully received.

David
 
David Balfour said:
The suspension in my 1992 240 SE (UK spec) is due for a renovation soon -
the back is saggy and the front shocks are on their way out.

I have the self-levelling type of rear shocks, but I'm considering putting
standard ones on due to the price of the self-levelling units. Do I just
need to change the shocks, or are there other things that need changing?

As I'm looking at replacing a lot of suspension parts, I was cautiously
thinking of perhaps trying to make the car less 'wallowy' in the corners.
Google turned up nothing, so does anyone know if there is a site around that
describes any options. I don't want to do anything silly, just make it
slightly less of a pudding in the corners.

Any help most gratefully received.

David
Click to expand...

Self leveling suspension on a 240? I thought that was only offered on 760s?

I have IPD swaybars on my 240 and they work wonders. You're probably due for
new bushings too.
 
James Sweet said:
Self leveling suspension on a 240? I thought that was only offered on 760s?

I have IPD swaybars on my 240 and they work wonders. You're probably due for
new bushings too.
Click to expand...

I have the nivomats on teh 960. If a car is so equipped, I believe
that if you retrofit standard shocks the springs also have to be
changed to match.



__ __
Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
\__/olvos
'90 245 Estate - '93 965 Estate
"Shelby" & "Kate"
 
David Balfour said:
The suspension in my 1992 240 SE (UK spec) is due for a renovation soon -
the back is saggy and the front shocks are on their way out.

I have the self-levelling type of rear shocks, but I'm considering putting
standard ones on due to the price of the self-levelling units. Do I just
need to change the shocks, or are there other things that need changing?

As I'm looking at replacing a lot of suspension parts, I was cautiously
thinking of perhaps trying to make the car less 'wallowy' in the corners.
Google turned up nothing, so does anyone know if there is a site around
that describes any options. I don't want to do anything silly, just make
it slightly less of a pudding in the corners.

Any help most gratefully received.

David
Click to expand...
That happened to our 765, too. I went with standard (Boge?) shocks and
overload springs from IPD. Yes, the springs have to be changed out, but the
price was still attractive compared to even the aftermarket price of the
Nivomats. It was also way easier than I thought - once the shock was out
there was only a single bolt holding the spring.

The ride is firmer than the original shocks were (the best I can remember
before the originals went bad) but I am happy. I've carried 800 lbs of block
in the back without trouble.

Mike
 
James said:
Self leveling suspension on a 240? I thought that was only offered on 760s?

I have IPD swaybars on my 240 and they work wonders. You're probably due for
new bushings too.
Click to expand...

In North America, Nivomats were standard in the 260 wagon from 1979. To
swap them out, it's the same story as on the 700 series, you need to use
different (stiffer) springs. You could probably find some cheap springs
from a scapyard from a 240 wagon, they'll fit sedans with no problem.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
 
Self leveling suspension on a 240? I thought that was only offered on
760s?
Click to expand...
Interesting that, as far as all my sources go they weren't available on
240's either. The previous owner (my dad) replaced the originals at ~70k
because they were knackered and was told they were self-levelling types. So
that's what was fitted.

The springs are saggy anyway (six years of horse trailering) so I'll get new
ones. Bushes seem a good idea (Polyurethane?), not sure I'll be able to find
anybody in the UK that supplies uprated sway bars though. I wonder if IPD
will ship to the UK economically.

A Google site seemed to suggest the GLT's had stiffer suspension than the
rest, anybody know if this is true?

David
 
A Google site seemed to suggest the GLT's had stiffer suspension than the
rest, anybody know if this is true?

David
Click to expand...
The early GLT's had a slightly heavier sway bar front and rear, RSport
gas shocks, and the same or slightly softer springs than the DL, GL
models.

Bob
 
User said:
The early GLT's had a slightly heavier sway bar front and rear, RSport
gas shocks, and the same or slightly softer springs than the DL, GL
models.
Click to expand...

Weren't the GLTs identical to the Turbo models but with the standard engine?
 
Weren't the GLTs identical to the Turbo models but with the standard engine?
Click to expand...
The US version was the standard B21F, Halloween interior, Silver paint
with black and orange trim, alloy wheels, top mount strut supports,
subdued "chrome" trim. I think they ran 79-80 or 81. The last year
didn't have the garish exterior striping.

Bob
 
User said:
The US version was the standard B21F, Halloween interior, Silver paint
with black and orange trim, alloy wheels, top mount strut supports,
subdued "chrome" trim. I think they ran 79-80 or 81. The last year
didn't have the garish exterior striping.

Bob
Click to expand...


That's not the GLT, that's the GT you're describing, quite a different beast
and only available in a 2 door sedan.
 
The US version was the standard B21F, Halloween interior, Silver paint
That's not the GLT, that's the GT you're describing, quite a different
beast
and only available in a 2 door sedan.
Click to expand...

I was under the impression (though I have nothing to back this up at all,
and I've never even driven one) that the UK GLT's all were turbos (hence my
comment).

I have a book somewhere that will have the answers, I'll report back in due
course!
 
I did this job with a 740, wouldn't think the 240 is any different. You may
be able to pick up a pair of nivomats from a breakers. Failing that, with
the 740 it was a matter of changing the shocks and the rear springs. Stiffer
ones are neccessary (found that out by trial and error. To beef up the
suspension, perhaps adjustable shocks or there are ways of assisting the
springs as in for caravan towing, though if you go for this option, you will
be stuck with a stiffer ride all the time.

Regards,

Roy
 
David Balfour said:
I was under the impression (though I have nothing to back this up at all,
and I've never even driven one) that the UK GLT's all were turbos (hence my
comment).

I have a book somewhere that will have the answers, I'll report back in due
course!
Click to expand...

Quite the opposite- we never got any 240 Turbos in the UK.

The biggest 4 cyl engine in the 240 we had was the 2.3 B230F in the GLT with
136bhp.

Tim..
 
David Balfour said:
I was under the impression (though I have nothing to back this up at all,
and I've never even driven one) that the UK GLT's all were turbos (hence my
comment).

I have a book somewhere that will have the answers, I'll report back in due
course!
Click to expand...

I don't know about UK GLTs, but the US they sold a few GLTs, and in canada
sold them for several more years that were at least asthetically a 240 Turbo
with a standard B21 or B23 engine. Of course to confuse things more, a lot
of people refer to the GL trim 240 Turbos as GLTs, even though on the back
they say "Turbo" while the GLTs say "GLT".
 
Tim.. said:
Quite the opposite- we never got any 240 Turbos in the UK.

The biggest 4 cyl engine in the 240 we had was the 2.3 B230F in the GLT with
136bhp.

Tim..
Click to expand...

I believe that was the B230E, the F version is 114 HP.
 
Quite the opposite- we never got any 240 Turbos in the UK.
The biggest 4 cyl engine in the 240 we had was the 2.3 B230F in the GLT
with
136bhp.

Tim..
Click to expand...
This is true, I've checked with my history book. I've been living a
misguided life all these years! All those 240's with the five spoke alloys
aren't turbos! I just assumed the T in GLT stood for Turbo, but no. I'm
devastated!!!

Oh well.

David
 
Tim.. said:
Alas not!

Had Volvo actually stiffed the suspension and anti roll bars for the
production versions of the GLT as they did with the Police spec ones they
trialed in the UK (and were sold abroad) and dropped in the turbo engine, we
would have had a much more worthy 240 !

Tim..
Click to expand...

I've heard of people dropping turbo motors into RHD 240's, but apparently
it's a real tight fit with the turbo, brake booster and steering shaft all
on the same side and requires some fancy exhaust work and other fiddling to
make it all fit.
 
James Sweet said:
engine,

I've heard of people dropping turbo motors into RHD 240's, but apparently
it's a real tight fit with the turbo, brake booster and steering shaft all
on the same side and requires some fancy exhaust work and other fiddling to
make it all fit.
Click to expand...

On the 240 there is a fair bit of room and the B230FT fits lovely. On the
360, the same is possible, but you do need a custom exhaust down pipe from
the turbo, and if you have PAS (advisable) custom hoses are also required-
in heat wrap. The holes in the front panel for the intercooler pipes are
even present, and a stock 700series i/c just bolts right in!

Tim..
 
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