Genuine Volvo stiffer springs!

Ettore Bugatti · Post by **Ettore Bugatti** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 6:44 pm

brown=dirty yellow?

I have had a look in the service manual, but not all colours were available on the 480.

After some maths I conclude that the softest front springs would give the lowest ride (at the front)

I think Volvo used different springs to cope with the weight differences due to options like turbo, airco.

rpruen · Post by **rpruen** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 7:44 pm

Ettore Bugatti wrote:brown=dirty yellow?

I have had a look in the service manual, but not all colours were available on the 480.

After some maths I conclude that the softest front springs would give the lowest ride (at the front)

I think Volvo used different springs to cope with the weight differences due to options like turbo, airco.

I think maybe the blue springs are for the volvo lowering kit if you have the larger fuel tank, and yelow without? As you say optional extras that add wieght to the car (autobox etc.) may have diferent springs again.

Richard

Ettore Bugatti · Post by **Ettore Bugatti** » Thu Feb 08, 2007 1:49 pm

The parts list only lists black, blue, green and yellow for the front springs on a 480. So the grey and red front springs never were intented for the 480.
For the rear the partsbook only lists black and yellow. So the rear green and red ones are never intented for the 480.

Mine theory is that Turbo's used the yellow springs at front and changed to blue if A/C and/ or automatic was choosen and if a tow bar was put on the changed the rear springs from yellow to black.

The ES, S started with green springs at the front and changed to black if A/C and/or automatic was bought and as the turbo the rear springs changed from yellow to black when a tow bar was attached to the car.

So RPruen change your front springs from blue to yellow and you will lower the car by approx 10mm. Change to green front springs and your car will become a lowrider.
BTW What is your colourmarking on the rear springs?

edit change the rear spring theory

rpruen · Post by **rpruen** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:15 pm

Ettore Bugatti wrote:So RPruen change your front springs from blue to yellow and you will lower the car by approx 10mm. Change to green front springs and your car will become a lowrider.
BTW What is your colourmarking on the rear springs?

Hm...

I don't want the front any lower because I have a pipe under the car that is close to getting hit by speedbumps as it is

Not sure about the springs on the rear.. I'll have a look.

I don't doubt what you say at all. However my car is slightly lower than standard. When compared to several other 480s before adding any extra bits. I wonder what is different about the front struts, the spring holders may be different.... I guess I need to measure / compare to standard parts. Unfortunatly I didn't fit the kit,so I didn't get a chance to comapare all the parts side by side

Richard

Ettore Bugatti · Post by **Ettore Bugatti** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 3:14 pm

I dont have the data by hand but if I remember correctly the dimensions of the springs were the same except for height and wire thickness. The number of windings and overall diametre were the same.
Volvo also stated in the service manual the lengths of the springs at a given weight.
All the 4 front springs for the 480 have the same height for various loads.
The data also was given for the rear springs, but strangely when I added this values(weights for the given spring height) I ended with weight wich are are about 10% then the weight of a 480...

Website · Post by **coyote1980** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:56 pm

I just had a new front-lef tspring fitted two weeks ago, that was a blue one! (1995 Turbo)

Ettore Bugatti · Post by **Ettore Bugatti** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 5:59 pm

coyote1980 wrote:I just had a new front-left spring fitted two weeks ago, that was a blue one! (1995 Turbo)

Hhhmm, so far the theory seems to be correct.

Anyone with an S/ES?

pol · Post by **pol** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 9:26 pm

Ok.. My front springs are marked with a yellow blob. What does this mean then spring dudes? I wouldn't have thought they gave much of a choice on springs at the dealer.

Perhaps a standard es, turbo, towing and sports?

Cheers,

pol

aibast · Post by **aibast** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 7:08 am

my turbo had blue ones. But with LesjÃ¶fors loveringsprings the car looks like a lowrider - coool

98kellrs · Post by **98kellrs** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 4:34 pm

Mine are green on the front, but i want more stiffness!!!

guitarcarfanatic · Post by **guitarcarfanatic** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 8:42 am

Just to add...on a 1991 turbo, smaller fuel tank with air con, I have Blue springs. Noticed yesterday when changing my coolant. Look good nick too- doubt they are though!!!

Ettore Bugatti · Post by **Ettore Bugatti** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 2:57 pm

According to early Volvo documents in 1986.
The 480ES had black or green front springs and yellow rear springs.

LauBen · Post by **LauBen** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 5:48 pm

Ok I have read through the posts and am now completely confused

I need to sort the handling which means I need stiffer springs all round, for the record I have a 1990 480ES.

Now after reading the posts here I just want to check I have understood this fully.

To get a stiffer ride and better handling I would need:-

Front - Red Springs
Rear - Red Springs

Is this correct? If so where is the best place to get these springs from, can I get them off the net or do I need to take a second mortgage out and go talk to my local Volvo dealer

Thanks in advanced.

Ettore Bugatti · Post by **Ettore Bugatti** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:19 pm

Yes, but your ride height wouldn't be correct any more.

What colour marking do you have currently under your ES?

LauBen · Post by **LauBen** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:20 pm

Not 100% sure but I think they are black as I can't seem to see any other colour marking, and yes before you ask I have cleaned the mud off the springs

I was looking at the Jamex or the system 2 from proven-products, as I have heard both of these are much stiffer springs.

SMOOTH 480 · Post by **SMOOTH 480** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 4:52 pm

changing just the springs will lower the suspension and stiffen it a little but if you want it to be stiff and not change the ride height then sports shocks would be a better bet koni yellows would do the trick or try to find monroe gas shocks
if youre after going low as well as stiff i would change the springs and the shocks as lowering with springs and o/e shocks will only wear the o/e shocks out quicker pi springs are the lowest stiffest springs out there pi stands for physical injury there that harsh

Hope this helps......

Adam

LauBen · Post by **LauBen** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 6:37 pm

Thanks Adam, I was looking at changing the shocks too. Had not seen which ones to go with yet, was looking at Koni adjustable but like most things I am having a tough time finding the right ones for the 480

LauBen · Post by **LauBen** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:26 pm

Guys any one running Bilstein Streetline kit?

I have been told about them by a racing buddy, who said they were a bit too hard for normal every day use, but would be fine for the track. The kit I was looking at was from Parts For Volvos Online. Sorry but I can't post the address as I'm too new

I would love to know if anyone was using these? If so what are they like?

Thanks in advanced.

SMOOTH 480 · Post by **SMOOTH 480** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:49 pm

Bilstiens are a good make if not a tad too harsh also the rears seem to suffer with over sized bushes so bang quite alot with bumps other than that a good siff shocker that will have youre teeth rattled out in no time

koni red adjustables are the same if you run them on fully hard but with these you have the option of softening them up for the road use but there uber hard to find and then theres the koni yellows that are just good all round fast road shocks

Ettore Bugatti · Post by **Ettore Bugatti** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:12 pm

An on-line shop offers Bilstein kit (springs+dampers) for the 480.

Rumour says that Fintec springs + Koni yellows reproduce the Volvo sports suspension.