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Hi Paul NW Indiana,
You can begin by looking at what information the 700-900-90 FAQ, hosted here on your brickboard.
Front Suspension:
https://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/FrontSuspension.htm
Rear:
https://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/RearSuspension.htm
As for Sachs by Boge, what is Made in Mexico Sachs for North America:
Sachs Touring (Soft. What some vendors may label as Boge Automatics)
Sachs Advantage (Not as soft. What some vendors may label Boge Turbo Gas)
When you replace them front struts, keep the gland nuts that retain the strut dampener cartridge (shock absorber) in the front strut if you are pulling out Boges (what should have come with your 700-series from the factory). I had to go to the junkyard and pull several sets for the gland nut. I enjoy rigorous strength workouts like that, I guess, in the burning hot sun.
I and others have encountered poorly machined, or mal-sized gland nuts that ship with the Made in Mexico Sachs that do not take up torque. So,
Advantage is no no way stiff or harsh. It is a plush, compliant ride. Unlike KYB and worse, I have to reluctantly say the Sachs Advatage do have mass. They are too soft too me in the weighty front end of my 1990 240 DL wagon, but wholly better than the OEM factory installed Boge dampeners from 1989. (I also performed a full suspension rebuild with new strut mounts, ball joints, bushings, inner & outer tie steering rods and lubed the gear shaft in the steering rack, and repacked front wheel bearings. As I have solid quality rubber bushings, I did not apply full toque to the bushing securing hardware except the strut mount. I then drove to the wheel alignment mechanic, put on his rack, and with the car level, on the rack, properly inflated tires, we loosed and tightened all solid bushing hardware just before we aligned the suspension. Yes, for some of you, I do feel I repeat myself, yet this brickboard member may not know.
I only mention this as the suspension is a system, so I urge you to inspect, diagnose, and replace other suspension wear items, if not already. Yet you may have all in fine fettle, in such case, ignore my concerns.
That 700-900-90 strut rod between the strut tower bottom and the auto body, like a lower A-arm. The bushes fail as you may know. A more durable solution is urethane bushes, lubed by silicon grease. Whiteline and SuperPro are two urethane brands.)
Bilstein:
Heavy Duty HD - Smooth and stiff. Like some weird physics. Yes, dampening is much higher, or stiffer, yet the HD is some what variable. Gentle on the little stuff with some plushness, yet push them and they are firm. You want to go slowly over speed bumps in any event, yes? The HD contains a very high gas charge and quality dampening fluids. The nitrogen gas does not mix with the oil, until they need a rebuild at 100k or more. On 240, the rear HDs feels as if they compress a little too easily versus the front on a set of the TME lowering springs on my 1991 240 sedan.
Touring - Stiff like some ride in a healthy and sprightly BMW 5 or 6 series. Bilstein Touring has a defect where the rear shock anchors to the upper and lower studs. The inside diameter (ID) of the steel shock anchors on the shock are larger than the outside diameter (OD) of the studs. This problem exists for other makes of automobile. Some may shim the space between the on-shock anchor carbon steel tube ID and the stud OD with thin aluminum or softer stainless steel sheet metal. If you are logged into brickboard.com, you can click on my kittysgreyvolvo account, and in a post .. ah, wait ... please see:
https://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=1615220&show_all=1
I have Touring in the front of my 1992 240 GL with the factory installed from springs. I did the same to this 1992 Volvo 240 GL as the aforementioned 1990 2490 DL wagon wholesale suspension wear items replacement and alignment. I want Touring on the rear for the balance. I current have actual made in Germany Boge Automatics (with the gasseous click-click on speed bumps, but these are about failed, also.
All Bilstein is Made in Germany. the Bilstein Touring is about the same as the Sachs Advantage in price.
KYB
You want soft and fails every 20-30k miles like those Gabriel Shocks you get at Midas?
Gas-A-Just is the KYB monotube high pressure so unlike like Bilstein HD.
GR-2 is worse.
More like squishy.
Gas-A-Just used to be of beefy quality for rear 240. Too bad they never made a matching front. I had Koni Sports atth front on my 1979 242 GT cranked all the way up (some Konis are adjustable) and the KYBs Gas-A-Just in 1990 were at the rear of this 242 GT. Well balanced with the stock R-Sport suspension. This GT was from Holland and built in Torslanda, not Halifax. It was different with a very high compression engine.
You'd not want Koni, then.
Does firm = less comfortable?
For some, as their sensitivities allow, yes and no.
The best way is to find other Volvo 700-series with these shocks in them, and experience the ride.
Here is FCP Groton's page listing of shocks for 700-series:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/Volvo-parts/740/Shock-and-Struts/?pt[]=307172014
By the by, Volvo OEM is Made in Germany Boge for shocks.
FCP Groton is closer to you, so shipping by UPS ground or other service may be cheaper than iPd USA in Portland, OR. Or the difference is negligible.
Here is iPd USAs page listing of shocks for 700-series:
http://www.ipdusa.com/prodtype.asp?CAT_ID=1093&numRecordPosition=0&categorycrumbs=987
Yet you may want to research the various web and brick store vendors for options, price, & availability.
Questions?
Hope that helps.
Thanks.
Sure Happy It's Thursday!
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