Hi, I've been looking into various suspension set up and decided the best dampers to go for are Bilstein B4's for which I can for under £200. I'm stuck on what springs to go for with the shocks, I've seen Apex and Kilen. But I do not want to over spring the dampers as they are not uprated. Any advise please? Max
I thought B4's were to go with standard springs, fella? What are you wanting to do - lower the ride height/track days/just a refresh? If the latter I would put the B4's on with standard springs
They are for stock height, but I am only going for a 30MM drop which I'm sure will not be a major issue. I thought the R's had same shocks but shorter springs anyway? I am looking for a refresh really, slight drop and the odd track day. I know the B6's are the ultimate as you have but I just cannot afford them! :(
Also, plan to get a stiffer ARB, rear brace and Poly rear shock bushes. ALong with the front brace and sub-frame inserts it should be a nice fast road car that will cope with bumps it Volvo comfort. Being an R I really want to keep it largely stock and not go far from what I love about Volvo's :)
I'm sure 30 mm will be no problem but careful the spring rate is not too high for the dampers. Mine are Eibach springs but I wouldn't like any less damping than I have now as the car is a daily & gets used on all sorts of ££££ty roads - farm tracks etc or even worse the run off road from York Raceway I just put 205 width tyres back on the car, it has a stiffer rear ARB and rear brace too, handling including turn in is really good
I use b4's and eibach pro springs and i really rate the setup for road use.
We'd have twins cars but mine with the poor man suspension. Mine get's kept away unless it's the weekend and nice and dry :P That was my main questioning in this thread really, which lowering springs are best matched for stock-ish dampers. People often say that the original suspension is poo....well yeah course it is when it's nearly 20 years old, the oil get's worn out and leaks etc.
Cheers Martin. How are they over bumps?
I didn't like b4's I preferred the koni str.ts. But the Gul is on b6's and lesjford spring and the olive is on koni yellow (adjustables) and eibachs, both are good but the b6's are more comfy everyday
What was wrong with the B4's? Too soft?
[QUOTE=MaxTS;787833]What was wrong with the B4's? Too soft?[/QUOTE] Yes and poor damping, there not designed to work with lowered springs. I think it's out of there movement range.
What springs?
Fine over bumps. Personally i wouldn't fit koni's to a bicycle let alone a car, but we all have different tastes and opinions. I don't think there is any right or wrong in suspension set ups (apart from the obvious cheap ebay stuff), and a lot of it is down to personal preference and how the car feels to you also what you plan to do with it. If its just for everyday use with a bit of quick stuff here and there then I would go b4's. If you drive more aggressive and plan on doing some track work then b6's. If you have a good budget then coilovers are the obvious choice with a lot of members on here highly rating BC Racing, but again others dislike these and prefer KW coilovers. There is always going to differing opinions on what is best as we all think we have the best setup, and we do,for us.
[QUOTE=martin_r_smith;787840]...Personally i wouldn't fit koni's to a bicycle let alone a car....[/QUOTE] :lol: I took Koni FSD's off mine & replaced with Bilsteins
[QUOTE=jamesy12345;787841]:lol: I took Koni FSD's off mine & replaced with Bilsteins[/QUOTE] Yup, they're still sat in my shed. After hearing nothing but bad things about them, I can't bring myself to waste two days of my life to fit them, then instantly remove them!
Surprised to hear of the Koni opinions, I too was looking at the STR.T's as a decent price suspension refresh. Max - Where are you getting the full set of B4's for £200? Are you doing top mounts as well? Interested to follow this as I was thinking B4's + Lesjofars (-30 to 40mm on T5) for an economical but worthwhile refresh.
Well said Martin. I'm sticking with the B4's I think, anything is better than the current ebay coilovers at the moment (not my choice). I know I ultimately want B6's but they are out of my price range.
I can get them for £167 plus springs and top mounts. Totaling £310 for a full set up is not bad! Spoke to a guy from ECP who turns out to be a member on here and gave me a good deal, perhaps we could do a group buy as they are special order.... I did speak to Don at Kalmar Union and he recommended the best fast road set up is the B4's, springs and rear ARB but he did not get back to me on a price.
[QUOTE=MaxTS;787846]I can get them for £167 plus springs and top mounts. Totaling £310 for a full set up is not bad! Spoke to a guy from ECP who turns out to be a member on here and gave me a good deal, perhaps we could do a group buy as they are special order.... I did speak to Don at Kalmar Union and he recommended the best fast road set up is the B4's, springs and rear ARB but he did not get back to me on a price.[/QUOTE] Max - Def interested at that price, does it include delivery? Where will you get top mounts?
[QUOTE=Doingitsideways;787842]Yup, they're still sat in my shed. After hearing nothing but bad things about them, I can't bring myself to waste two days of my life to fit them, then instantly remove them![/QUOTE] well you helped me fit mine, gis a shout when you want your time wasting!! They [the Koni's] weren't that bad tbh just not new items
I already have the bushes but the bearing come in at £11 or so each! I will be picking them up locally as he is down the road but I guess they could send them to a local ECP for you? Let me drop him an email and see if he will do this for others.
All I can say is it my opinion driving on a daily basis bilstein and koni back to back on the same vehicle. B6's I like koni I like, bilstein b4's on lowering springs I found under damped. I've had koni str.t, koni yellow's, bilstein b4's, bilstein b6's, BC coilovers and pro sport coilovers, p2r with active suspension. All my cars run, hd drop links, ball joints, front strutbraces, (some rear strutbraces and adjustable drop links) All I can do is just report what I find.
It is all dependent on what springs you had on them. Hence me original reasoning for this post, I was looking for some lowering springs that were not too firm. What suspension did the R models have? Did they not have the same shocks and slightly lower springs?
[QUOTE=MaxTS;787851]It is all dependent on what springs you had on them. Hence me original reasoning for this post, I was looking for some lowering springs that were not too firm. What suspension did the R models have? Did they not have the same shocks and slightly lower springs?[/QUOTE] It's written in my sig, but just buy the oem (std) equivalent b4's not designed to work on lowering springs, I'm sure you'll be fine.
I did look but wasn't sure which car as none of the 850's show that setup.
I was outling set ups I've had, but sig is what I currently drive I've had 17 R's with all different set ups over the years
I have ran b4s and kilen lowering springs on the 940 and that thing is solid .i also run b4s with h&r springs on the v40 and that is a nice drive .thats dropped by 30mm 940 by 40mm .but the 940 is fully polybushed and has 25mm ipd sway bars on it
Eibach pro feel pretty normal/ stock until you lean on them then they are far superior to the stock spring.
I might look into some for the 740 as they are very soggy!