240 Coilovers: The Kyote Way

[kyote]

A Coilover suspension with decent dampers is an excellent addition to any Volvo 240. This guide will teach you to put together a serious suspension on a shoestring budget, in the true spirit of TurboBricks.

-Estimated cost:
~$300 without a strut upgrade (the ultra-broke ass budget option), add $240 for Boge Turbo Gas (the ghetto alternative, from fcpgroton.com), add $379 for Bilsteins from shox.com (A better approach), add $537.60 for Konis from shox.com (RMO (Rich Man's Option)). If your vehicle doesn't already have upgraded swaybars, it would be a good idea to upgrade them while it is apart, using either IPD Safety Swaybars or Dual Sways if you're on the Turbobricks budget (http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=9587).

-Materials:
2x 7" Coil Over Kit (2.08" ID) http://www.colemanracing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1528
2x 2.5"x10" Coil Springs in the rate of your choice (in my case 275lb Suspension Spring Specialists springs)
http://www.colemanracing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=4097
2x 5"x11" Coil Springs in the rate of your choice (in my case 250lb Hypercoils springs)
http://www.colemanracing.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=6207
4x Shocks/Struts of your choice (in my case Bilstein HD's from shox.com)
2x Volvo 240 Upper Rear Spring perches ($4 each from the local Pick-n-Pull, save the bolts)

-It should be noted that a little welding and grinding and drilling may be required; If you were a VolvoSpeeder you might pay someone to do the work necessary for this project, but that is not the turbobricks way. The only tool necessary other than Sockets and Spanners is an angle grinder (a $20 Harbor freight unit will suffice), and a welder (a local welder/exhaust shop is a cheaper approach).

-We begin by removing the strut assembly from the vehicle.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/kyote/Picture092.jpg

-Remove the brake caliper and disk, the coil spring and strut mount (you can borrow a spring compressor from the local autozone or torch the spring until it relaxes), and the strut insert. At this point you should have this in front of you:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/kyote/Picture087.jpg

-Using your angle grinder, carefully grind out the welds on the factory spring perches, apply BFH if necessary, leaving you with this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/kyote/Picture088.jpg

-At this point you can either have the strut tubes milled down a few hundreths (RMO), or use your Angle grinder to shave the strut tube down enough to allow the threaded sleeves to fit over them (The TurboBricks way, and my choice; However, this job used up almost a whole brand new grinding wheel.). Leaving you with this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/kyote/Picture089.jpg

-Now you can either weld on stop rings or have a shop do it for you (I had my little brother do it in his Welding class).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/kyote/Picture111.jpg

-Next, drill out the holes in the upper spring seat to fit the slightly larger volvo strut.

-Reassemble strut as shown:
(more, better photos coming soon)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/kyote/Picture090.jpg

-Reinstall front strut assemblies.
(photos coming soon)

-Moving on to the rear, jack up the car using jackstands on the jacking points, remove wheels, and then lift from the pumpkin again until the tension comes off of the lower shock bolt, then remove it. Release jack and allow rear suspension to droop. Unbolt stock springs, keep the nuts. Now, remember those bolts that you saved at the junkyard? Using them and the nuts you just removed, bolt the stock 240 upper spring perches where the spring retainers were previously located. Insert your new shiny springs, lift up rear end and replace lower shock bolts, reinstall wheels, take the car off the stands and thats that.
Upper Spring Seat
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/kyote/Picture116.jpg
Lower Spring Seat
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/kyote/Picture117.jpg

Well, that should be a pretty good guide to coilover suspension on a budget, and I will be adding more photos soon. If you have any edits/suggestions, just post that schizzz below
-<3 kyote

[towerymt]

In the turbobricks way, you should have put a cut off wheel on your angle grinder and carefully cut through the tabs on the strut that support the brake lines. Bend tab out of the way to release the brake line and hang the caliper. No need to open the brake lines that way. Reinstall is reverse of removal.

You could also knock the welder out of the list of requirements by leaving a little bit of the stock spring perch for the lower stop. Just buy 5" sleeves. This also guarantees that you don't have any wheel/tire fit issue up front since you wouldn't be adding anything below the stock seat. Mount longer sleeves lower, and you've slightly reduced space to the inside where the tire may rub the strut tube (rare situations, but I've rubbed the stock strut tube before my coilovers when I used really wide tires).

15x7 ET12 MSW wheels with a normal 225 width street tire or narrower should clear the spring seat if you did lower it all the way down next to the tire. My 225/50 Bridgestones JUST touch the spring seat, but they're extremely wide for a 225. 205/55 is a safe bet on those wheels. With a 205 on a Virgo, I can't run the spring seat next to the tire. But I also can't drive the car when mine is adjusted that low, so it doesn't matter. You'd probably need 14" springs to put the lower mount that far down anyway.

Otherwise, looks good. I used a belt sander for the "precision strut tube adjustment", but I'm sure the grinder works well too. A 24grit flap wheel on my angle grinder (<$20 @Harbor Freight) works great on metal too and maybe it would be easier to control than the grinder wheel. Install the fronts yet?

[coldfusion21]

go with the flap wheel, i used a 36 grit, that will let you take the extra seat material away and take off the paint (which is mostly all thats needed)

[VolvoPunch]

I need to try this out. It's the only way i could afford coil overs on my car. Anyways how do to like them? Are the holding up well? Can you post more pictures?

[Vee_Que]

Makes me want to keep my 264 just for experimental suspension work....

[kyote]

I need to try this out. It's the only way i could afford coil overs on my car. Anyways how do to like them? Are the holding up well? Can you post more pictures?

I love them. Bouncy roads suck ass though. Holding up like a champ!

[GreatDaneShane]

hey, i welded those!

[kyote]

hay...

[MrSteve]

I used evil genius (Ground Control) sleeves, etc. They are a loose fit over the strut tube, about 2mm loosey so I returned to Home Depot for some of those metal plates used in deck framing, bent them roundy to fit the tube and got a nice tight fit with the sleeves. I also filled the strut tube with ATF per the instructions from evil genius for heat transfer from the Koni. One PITA with doing that is you have to make sure the ball joint seals good against the bottom of the strut tube. My left one has a slow ATF leak :grrr:

I paid a shop $40 to weld on stop rings. The guy knew what he was doing, did it nice, slow, and staggered to avoid the tube tweaking out of straight from the heat.

+1 on Towery's suggestion to slot the brake line tabs on the struts so you don't have to disconnec the lines. I did that.

[Josepilove]

what kind of height does this allow for? highest? lowest? what height is the rear at with those springs? can i see a picture of how the car sits? thanks, i am really considering this!

[740ATL]

any updates? How does the car feel?

[benflynn]

same thing for 700?

[blkaplan]

same thing for 700?

this approach really only works with the 700 series if you get a camber plate style upper mount.

thats not a bad thing though.

[towerymt]

I also filled the strut tube with ATF per the instructions from evil genius for heat transfer from the Koni. One PITA with doing that is you have to make sure the ball joint seals good against the bottom of the strut tube. My left one has a slow ATF leak :grrr:
When my Bilstein HD struts started to leak fluid, I noticed it because the ball joint holder was wet. I don't think I'd have dumped fluid in there on purpose because of that.

I paid a shop $40 to weld on stop rings. The guy knew what he was doing, did it nice, slow, and staggered to avoid the tube tweaking out of straight from the heat.
Right on par with the $30 I paid for slow welding. He cooled the weld with a wet rag. But it's really more effort than it's worth. I don't think it needs a full bead all the way around. When I replaced a tube, Rob and I did the swap and I had him tack a few welds onto the tube to hold the collar and it's been fine.

[blkaplan]

When my Bilstein HD struts started to leak fluid, I noticed it because the ball joint holder was wet. I don't think I'd have dumped fluid in there on purpose because of that.

It wouldn't make sense to fill a strut tube using a bilstein with ATF.

[Mueller]

what kind of height does this allow for? highest? lowest? what height is the rear at with those springs? can i see a picture of how the car sits? thanks, i am really considering this!

it really depends on the insert used and it's travel (as well as picking the correct spring length)

for super low, a shorter insert allows you to get more travel without worring about bottoming out the insert...for my car, I am using Koni inserts which are 3" shorter, so I cut my struts 3"...this is not really needed for most applications and is slightly overkill for me as well :roll:

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/Mueller_Family/cutstruts.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/Mueller_Family/cutstruts01.jpg

[rclark]

probably a stupid question, but i want to make sure i'm going to buy the right thing if/when i do this: it says in the bottom section of the sleeve part to specify the type of shock:
"NOTE: Specify type of shock (above kits with perm, mold tops)"

Do I want the permanent molded tops or w/e they are saying? is the link to the sleeves the exact ones you used?

[MrSteve]

When my Bilstein HD struts started to leak fluid, I noticed it because the ball joint holder was wet. I don't think I'd have dumped fluid in there on purpose because of that.


I'm using Koni's but your point still applies. Who knows what color the shock fluid is. Hopefully not red like atf.

[towerymt]

My only point was that fluid leaked out of both of mine, so I would not expect ATF or shock oil to be held back.

[blkaplan]

My only point was that fluid leaked out of both of mine, so I would not expect ATF or shock oil to be held back.
if you are planning to add a fluid, i would think you might add some RTV or some other sealant to prevent embarrassing leakage.

[qwkswede]

This article might be better with an adjustable height rear setup. Any tips on doing that? Then you can really balance the height and corner weights on the car.

[m4ff3w]

this approach really only works with the 700 series if you get a camber plate style upper mount.

thats not a bad thing though.

That is exactly what I did.

And I love the Camber plates as well.

I have 300#/in springs up front and 275#/in in the rear, IPD 25mm bar up front and no bar on the rear.

I likey very much.

[MrSteve]

if you are planning to add a fluid, i would think you might add some RTV or some other sealant to prevent embarrassing leakage.

I did clean/deburr the mating surfaces of the strut bottoms and the BJ's and used supposedly oil resistant RTV on both. Only the left decided to leak.

[lunar240z]

this approach really only works with the 700 series if you get a camber plate style upper mount.

thats not a bad thing though.

Why is that? The upper spring seat not fitting with the new spring well?

For diy coilovers for s30 Zcars, [which i have done on mine 240z, but used camber plates.] people weld in a 2.5" ring into the top hat, to center the spring. think that would work? i haven't looked in there to extensively yet.

[Jordan]

it really depends on the insert used and it's travel (as well as picking the correct spring length)

for super low, a shorter insert allows you to get more travel without worring about bottoming out the insert...for my car, I am using Koni inserts which are 3" shorter, so I cut my struts 3"...this is not really needed for most applications and is slightly overkill for me as well :roll:

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/Mueller_Family/cutstruts.jpg
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/Mueller_Family/cutstruts01.jpg

Where did you pick up those Koni's?

[DaButcher]

I guess the konis are saab 9-3 98-02 turbo :-)

[Mueller]

I guess the konis are saab 9-3 98-02 turbo :-)


nope....Koni Race inserts, 8610's

I'm sure the Saabs would have been cheaper :)

[yellow95]

nope....Koni Race inserts, 8610's

I'm sure the Saabs would have been cheaper :)

Anyone have a part number for the saab tubes?

Gary

[wingnutty]

struts and coilovers ok but I really like the lime green by cycle in garage floor kickin old school forks keep up the good work:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[t5 pete]

Is there any updates on the 240 coilovers of any more pictures also as been said before does any one know where you can get the adjustable tops for the rear springs?
Thankyou pete

[streetknight]

i just did mines using 5" coilover kit. i have to cut the springs (got the 10") and theres no real adj. compared to the lowering springs i had(dont know the name) but am going to cut them atleast 1.5" to get some adj. ill take pics of it tomorrow when i get a chance whole process took about 3hrs to do from start to finsh. i just cut the spring perch but will cut the springs tomorrow afternoon.

[Jerd]

Your links are broken :(

[scottyd]

So any thoughts on how to make an adjustable rear?

[parkhurst nutter]

for standard diameter rear springs just take the short coilover conversion tubes...4" long as an example.
unbolt the standard rear upper spring perch from the chassis.
where the bolt normally goes through you cut a nice big round hole so the coilover tube just fits through it.
(simple: if you use a kit for 2.5" springs you make the hole 2.5")
take the coilover conversion tube and weld a plate on top of it.
drill a hole in the middle of the plate for the mounting bolt and bolt the coilover conversion tube to the location where the springperch was.
thread the locking ring and coilover spring perch onto the tube.
slide the stock spring perch over the tube and put the spring in.

done...thats how it did it on my car. it took about an hour and cost me 26 GBP for the coilover conversion kit

[Karlos_UK]

any pics at all?

also, did you do the front. if so, where did you buy the bits?

[badvlvo]

So any thoughts on how to make an adjustable rear?

Yes. And we will be doing this as soon as you get your ass up here and help me with the Lemons car.

[scottyd]

:-P You're doing coilovers on it now?

[parkhurst nutter]

any pics at all?

also, did you do the front. if so, where did you buy the bits?

aint got pics atm.

bought the stuff from compbrake. http://www.compbrake.co.uk

its under suspension hardware, spring conversion kits.

i used 2.5" kit for the front and 2.25" kit for the rear.

its a good company for affordable suspension/brake stuff. havent seen anyone cheaper and they usually ship fast.

[badvlvo]

:-P You're doing coilovers on it now?

No. But the rears will be adjustable height. It's simple, I just want to make it easier and get some mileage on it to test it's strength.

[Jerd]

where is a good place to buy in the US?

[Mueller]

where is a good place to buy in the US?

would it kill you to actually begin reading at the beginning of this thread??? :-P

[Jerd]

Lol the links dont work and i looked on that site for what hes talking about and i couldn't seem to find the exact parts. I found the threaded sleeves and what not though. :)

[cuaz64]

Lol the links dont work and i looked on that site for what hes talking about and i couldn't seem to find the exact parts. I found the threaded sleeves and what not though. :)

the search button...makes magic...http://www.colemanracing.com/store/shopexd.asp?id=6421
Also, the compbrake kit looks good (and cheaper).

[Nils]

not sure what the coleman sleeves are made of (aluminium?), the compbrake kit has steel sleeves.

[Mueller]

not sure what the coleman sleeves are made of (aluminium?), the compbrake kit has steel sleeves.

yep, aluminium sleeves with aluminium threaded perch

[cuaz64]

not sure what the coleman sleeves are made of (aluminium?), the compbrake kit has steel sleeves.

apart of weight(and material) Which differences the sleeves have?

[Mueller]

apart of weight(and material) Which differences the sleeves have?

only real advantage I see of the steel sleeve is that you could weld it directly to the strut housing...

perhaps the aluminum sleeve could get damaged more easily from flying rocks and debris, but cheap and easy to replace if that happened...

[cuaz64]

only real advantage I see of the steel sleeve is that you could weld it directly to the strut housing...

perhaps the aluminum sleeve could get damaged more easily from flying rocks and debris, but cheap and easy to replace if that happened...

The compbrake stuff worth $23.63 (at today exchange):http://compbrake.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?cPath=9&products_id=299

[Mueller]

The compbrake stuff worth $23.63 (at today exchange):http://compbrake.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?cPath=9&products_id=299

depends on your location :)

not worth the extra money one would have to pay for shipping in my opinion :-P

[crandandall]

Here's what I did for the rear, using 10" 2.5" diameter springs and some Ground Control adjusters that I got from somewhere.

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/9862/1212081321afc7.jpg
http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/9730/1221081526go0.jpg
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/5688/0311091506.jpg

Just made upper spring mounts/seats from a piece of tube welded to a plate. Used a long bolt and washer to hold the adjuster to the trailing arm. The adjusting sleeves are 4" IIRC. They work well with the 10" long springs.

[cuaz64]

depends on your location :)

not worth the extra money one would have to pay for shipping in my opinion :-P

You are right $85 from Coleman, $118 From compbrake, both shipped to my aunt house in Virgina:-(. I need make the car run first.

[FunkyStankyChicken]

I am trying to benchrace some coilovers for my 245+t aucrosser.
My question is how do i match spring rates with inserts. I have a set of new HDs in the standard length and was wondering what would be a ballpark figure spring rate to shoot for.

[Jerd]

I have heard that 300# goes really well with HD's

[FunkyStankyChicken]

Really? On the Dave Bartoon site it seemed like 150# was the max you would want with stock HDs. Any onput is appreciated.

[towerymt]

250-300lb is pushing it on off-the-shelf HDs in a 240. I know someone who used 250x10" on HDs and I have used 250x12 on HDs for a while now on my daily driver. As long as you don't put the front really low, it should be OK. It's going to be underdamped, but it doesn't feel like a total mismatch.

Stiff springs on the rear with off the shelf HDs doesn't work very well. There isn't enough rebound damping and the rear wants to move around a lot. It will bounce up a lot after a dip in the road. The stiff variety of the Volvo R-sport rear shocks, or Koni Special red, or Koni Sport Yellow work well on the rear in my experience. I use revalved HDs and that has worked great for me since '04. My rear HDs were valved the same as Dave Barton's for his wagon. However, I specified 325lb springs and corner weights much lower than Dave's wagon, so maybe that valving is just what they use for a "sport" type of application. I spec'd 475lb front springs and they made the compression and rebound slightly stiffer than Dave's specs. Mine are 250/110 Nm front and 300/120 Nm rear.

I use the stiff R-Sport rear shocks on my daily driver with stock springs. It makes the rear of the car pretty stiff even though the spring rate is probably only about 80lb/in. The rear of the car settles out quickly after dips and bumps. It's almost jarring sometimes, and it's kind of like a pickup truck in that it will ride better with some weight in the trunk (like the complete B230FT I had back there recently). The softer valving of the HDs gives a more gentle ride in comparison.

[towerymt]

I used Coleman 7" sleeves, 2.08" diameter I believe. Aluminum sleeve and aluminum perch. The set screw on the lower perch presses against a small piece of rubber, so it's not metal-to-metal that would damage the threads.

The springs always seem to rub along the top of the threaded section, so having aluminum there was not a bad thing. It wore away the threads near the top of the threaded section, but it was about 4-5" away from where I had the lower perch, so it was a section I would have never used.

I'm going to try these Torrington bearings on the lower perch when I get around to buying short struts and new coilover tubes/hardware. Assuming they work as designed, it will allow the spring to rotate so that it doesn't bind when compressiong or turning.



http://www.pbase.com/towerymt/image/107582330.jpg

[Captain Bondo]

I'm going to try these Torrington bearings on the lower perch when I get around to buying short struts and new coilover tubes/hardware. Assuming they work as designed, it will allow the spring to rotate so that it doesn't bind when compressiong or turning.



I don't follow... both perches and the spring should all rotate with the strut, nothing should bind. The upper perch should be able to turn on the strut mount bearing like stock.

My upper perch sits right against the bottom of the strut mount spherical bearing and rotates on it.

If the spring is in some way fixed up top and the upper perch is not free, meaning the spring and upper perch want to remain stationary when the strut is turned, something is wrong up top IMO.

Not a great design for a few reasons, to be relying on a bearing on the lower perch that continuously collects all kinds of crud....

[towerymt]

The spring can rotate, but it's certainly not a free and easy rotation. There's a lot of friction between the upper perch and the spherical bearing. I tried small torrington bearings in the upper spring perch between the perch and the camber plate. Hypercoil hydraulic spring perches are really expensive, so I thought I'd give the larger bearings a try. They were ~$25/pr, so no big loss if they don't work out.

[Captain Bondo]

There's a lot of friction between the upper perch and the spherical bearing.

It should be touching the inner "race" of the spherical only, and they rotate together- there shouldn't be any friction, since they are turning together. The only load-bearing surfaces that slide against each other should be those of the strut mount bearing. That's the purpose of the strut mount bearing.

All I am saying is it sounds like you might be trying to bandaid an upper perch that does not interface to the strut mount correctly, and given that, personally I would more be tempted to fix the problem rather than the symptom. There is a perfectly good bearing in the strut mount that is supposed to carry the suspension load and allow the strut assembly to rotate.

[FunkyStankyChicken]

Well now onto my next question, If i was to go with revalving my HDs whats a good middle of the road spring rate front and rear for a 245 used for mostly autocross?

[Jerd]

Well now onto my next question, If i was to go with revalving my HDs whats a good middle of the road spring rate front and rear for a 245 used for mostly autocross?

depends on allot... Any weight reduction? Is it a DD? How often do you plan on autcrossing and how important is comfort to you?

I drive a stripped and gutted wagon and because im not worried about the ride i plan on going with around a 450# front spring and around a 300# rear.

Do some research and possibly go to some turbobricks meets to see if anyone has a coilover set up you can go for a ride in.

I made my decision based off of crandandals 245 and noahs 242.

[FunkyStankyChicken]

No t brickers in my reigions scca. The car is not a DD but is street driven a fair amount. As far as weight reduction i lost the AC and have crank windows.

The importance of comfort on a one to ten is about a four is that means anything.

I Autocross as much as my wallet and car allow.

[manbeard]

i know this is for a 240, but the same steps can be taken to make DIY coilovers for a 740, right?

[RS1]

Does anyone have the Coleman part numbers for the front kit and the rear 5 inch sleeve and adjuster nut? The new Coleman page is a nightmare to browse.

How long springs are recommended at the front and rear?Not want a extremely low car, but a pretty low one for tarmac.

[crandandall]

The part numbers for the 5" coilover kits are 420-501 and 450-501. I assume the difference is 2.04" ID versus 2.08" ID, but the catalog doesn't tell what the difference is.

I use 8" springs up front with 5" sleeves and 10" springs in the rear with 4" sleeves.

This is how it sits. Could go down an inch in the front and two inches in the rear.

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/6480/0821090838a.jpg

[qwkswede]

The part numbers for the 5" coilover kits are 420-501 and 450-501. I assume the difference is 2.04" ID versus 2.08" ID, but the catalog doesn't tell what the difference is.

I use 8" springs up front with 5" sleeves and 10" springs in the rear with 4" sleeves.


So is the 450-501 the larger diameter? Does this size fit without doing as much grinding on the strut tube?

[RS1]

I guess it's the length of the sleeve. Does anybody know the part numbers for 5 inch springs rear? Sleeve and nut.

[RS1]

http://www.colemanracing.com/store/shopdisplayproducts.asp?Search=Yes&sppp=10

I can't seem to find a sleeve for the 5 inch nut.

[RS1]

Coleman sent me a scan with the coilover and springs stuff from their catalogue.

http://www.easy-share.com/1908150239/coleman.pdf

[spruill745]

If it's done for anything but racing or auto x it's ricer

[FunkyStankyChicken]

says you

[qwkswede]

I sure would like to raise my car in the winter for better snow clearance. The low summer height isn't all that great when motoring in blizzards.

[yellow95]

The spring can rotate, but it's certainly not a free and easy rotation. There's a lot of friction between the upper perch and the spherical bearing. I tried small torrington bearings in the upper spring perch between the perch and the camber plate. Hypercoil hydraulic spring perches are really expensive, so I thought I'd give the larger bearings a try. They were ~$25/pr, so no big loss if they don't work out.

They definitely work. I had severe binding on the DIY coilovers on my V70. It was so bad that on right hand turns the steering wheel wouldnt return to center by itself. The bearings cured this and did away with the binding metallic noise that coilovers are known for.

Gary