Volvo RWD 900 Forum

INDEX FOR 10/2025(CURRENT) INDEX FOR 1/2006 900 INDEX

[<<]  [>>]


THREADED THREADED EXPANDED FLAT PRINT ALL
MESSAGES IN THIS THREAD




  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

sagging rear end 900 1993

posted by  SLong on  Sun Sep 30 14:06 CST 2012
Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
last visit: Thu Oct 23 19:52 CST 2014
[RELATED]

Hello. 1993 945T with 145K miles. The rear of the car is sagging on one side (driver's) such that it is about 1" lower on that side than on the other. I took a look and the spring does not appear to be broken on either side (but I'm not sure what it would look like if it were.) The driver's side bumper (the one that prevents too much travel of the suspension) is broken from what looks like too much compression. I suspect that I need new springs? I plan to replace the rubber parts on either end of the spring as well. For long trips, the car is really loaded and overload springs might be good. But other times it is loaded only with our family (2 adults, three children). I replaced the shocks about 50K ago with KYB ones. I was considering the monroe air adjust shocks (to control the ride height when loaded or not) with stock (Volvo) springs. But I could also do overload springs (IPD) with existing shock (or possibly something else). What would you suggest? Am I correct that the sagging problem is that I need new springs? The car isn't rusted and the metal parts that the springs seat onto look good.
Thanks
Steve







  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    sagging rear end 900 1993

    posted by  Steve on  Sat Oct 6 20:44 CST 2012
    Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
    last visit: Fri Oct 24 07:16 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    Sagging springs are endemic on 740/940 cars, worse on the driver's side. The easy fix is new springs. Aftermarket springs are fine; don't do the heavy duty ones unless you are truly going to haul big loads regularly. See the FAQ for replacement tips.
    --
    See the 700/900 "FAQ" at the menu bar top screen left side.








  •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

    sagging rear end 900 1993

    posted by  Gus123 on  Sun Sep 30 14:50 CST 2012
    Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
    last visit: Fri Oct 24 12:54 CST 2014
    [RELATED]

    Steve,

    Only one time in my life did I see a car with a failed coil spring and you can’t see anything wrong with it, the car just sags.
    I wouldn’t put heavy duty springs unless you are planning on carrying something beyond the weight that the car was meant to carry. I have loaded the entire cabin and a huge roof rack with my daughter’s school stuff and the car did not sag or handle any differently than normal. In addition if you don’t like the stiffer suspension, you are stuck with what bought.







    •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

      sagging rear end 900 1993

      posted by  SLong on  Mon Oct 1 11:39 CST 2012
      Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
      last visit: Thu Oct 23 19:52 CST 2014
      [RELATED]

      Thanks.

      Could the sagging be due to something else? Could it be due to one bad shock absorber since the KYB ones have a gas charge? But the crushed bumper stop suggests to me that the spring on that side is bad.

      I measured the unloaded ride height to be about 25.75" on the driver's side and 26.75" on the passenger side (from ground to the top center of the wheel well). What should the ride height be?

      I think that I will go with new Volvo springs, if anything.

      Steve







      •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

        sagging rear end 900 1993

        posted by  Gus123 on  Mon Oct 1 20:08 CST 2012
        Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
        last visit: Fri Oct 24 12:54 CST 2014
        [RELATED]

        Steve,

        Shocks only dampen the movement of the car. The springs should bring the car back to its normal height, unless something in the suspension system is bent.








        •   REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

          sagging rear end 900 1993

          posted by  rjk2 on  Sat Oct 6 16:57 CST 2012
          Author: [PROFILE] [EVERY POST] [THREADS] [BEST POSTS] RSS Feed     [IGNORE ALL POSTS]
          last visit: Sat Jun 21 05:30 CST 2014
          [RELATED]

          Are the original owner?
          If not, there is one possibility, the P.O. put in lowering springs but did not replace the panhard bar on the rear end. If that were the case, the car will look like it is sagging on the drivers side but what is really happening is the passenger side is being pushed up about an inch because of the geometry between the rear end, panhard bar & chassis. IPD makes an adjustable bar for just this reason.

          If you are not the P.O, you might want to detach the panhard bar just to see if the car levels out. Otherwise, your thought of a spring replacement is probably correct.
          --
          1999 E320 1994 F150 (awaiting a new engine) 1989 560 SL 1994 945T (daughter's) 1986 242Ti (awaiting a B230FT transplant) 1968 GT500KR (under slow restoration) 2007 HD Nightster (son's ride)







<< < > >>



©Jarrod Stenberg 1997-2022. All material except where indicated.


All participants agree to these terms.

Brickboard.com is not affiliated with nor sponsored by AB Volvo, Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. Brickboard.com is a Volvo owner/enthusiast site, similar to a club, and does not intend to pose as an official Volvo site. The official Volvo site can be found here.