940 Estate Bilstein Shocks

[Tony Stanley]

I've just splashed out and bought rear Bilstein Sport Shocks for my 95 940 SE Turbo Estate (standard live axle). At about £90 each fro Euro Car Parts they weren't cheap. Also the guy seemed a bit confused when trying to select them and wasn't sure if they would be the correct ones.

Anyway I've just fitted them and the ride height has changed, lowered by about 1 inch. The shocks I removed say 'Boge High pressure', and are obviously springy. They are not Nivomats and I don't have the adjustable height suspension.

I wouldn't be so worried only some twat fitted the exhaust upside down to get round an incorrect tow bar and the spring hits the exhaust bracket when going hard, its now twice as worse with the lowered suspension, never mind the fact that the nose points in the air now. I've removed the tow bar but was waiting for the exhaust to need replacing before fixing it.

Any one had this experience before, what it the correct way to go- New springs? I notice the Koni web site mentions something about replacing Nivomats needs new springs also.
Different shock?

Are the fronts likely to be high pressure? I would like to replace them later too.

 

[Grizly Adams]

There are lots of companies that do springs and shocks for the 940's, UK based try http://www.kalmar-union.com hes got full front/rear shocks and springs for the 940's

Griz

 

[Mike F]

I've just splashed out and bought rear Bilstein Sport Shocks for my 95 940 SE Turbo Estate (standard live axle). At about £90 each fro Euro Car Parts they weren't cheap. Also the guy seemed a bit confused when trying to select them and wasn't sure if they would be the correct ones.

Anyway I've just fitted them and the ride height has changed, lowered by about 1 inch. The shocks I removed say 'Boge High pressure', and are obviously springy. They are not Nivomats and I don't have the adjustable height suspension.

I wouldn't be so worried only some twat fitted the exhaust upside down to get round an incorrect tow bar and the spring hits the exhaust bracket when going hard, its now twice as worse with the lowered suspension, never mind the fact that the nose points in the air now. I've removed the tow bar but was waiting for the exhaust to need replacing before fixing it.

Any one had this experience before, what it the correct way to go- New springs? I notice the Koni web site mentions something about replacing Nivomats needs new springs also.
Different shock?

Are the fronts likely to be high pressure? I would like to replace them later too.

I don't think that regular Boge gas shocks have the pressure warning sticker, so it sounds like you had Nivomats. People often don't think that Nivomats are anything special, because they just look like normal shocks, seeing how the whole mechanism is totally self contained. Nivomats are quite a bit heavier than normal shocks, and the chromed rod comes out the bottom of the shock body, instead of the top as is normal. For this reason they're often called "upside down" shocks.

The fact that your car sank about 1 inch confirms it. You just need regular wagon springs to go with your new shocks. And you may be able to sell your old Nivomats, since it seems that they were working fine.

 

[Tony Stanley]

I don't think that regular Boge gas shocks have the pressure warning sticker, so it sounds like you had Nivomats. People often don't think that Nivomats are anything special, because they just look like normal shocks, seeing how the whole mechanism is totally self contained. Nivomats are quite a bit heavier than normal shocks, and the chromed rod comes out the bottom of the shock body, instead of the top as is normal. For this reason they're often called "upside down" shocks.

The fact that your car sank about 1 inch confirms it. You just need regular wagon springs to go with your new shocks. And you may be able to sell your old Nivomats, since it seems that they were working fine.

Ah so they don't say Nivomats and are made by Boge. The guy who sold me the car didn't mention it and I didn't think they were standard. I didn't know any better, thanks for setting that straight.

They are as you describe, and very hard to compress, but rebound is quite quick compared with a normal shock, I suppose thats because of the high pressure gas. Definately quite bouncy compared with the Bilsteins, I thought they were past their best (110K miles).

I guess I'd sell them as a kit with the springs, but they did look quite shabby with rubbers split at the bottom, or maybe I'll keep them and refit as a sales option if the Bilsteins are a bit hard with the new springs (I've just ordered heavy duty Ventras).