I have a 95 960 wagon with 160,000 miles on it. Car rides great with my wife and my self in it BUT with my son a friend (They all play football) and some stuff in the back it bottoms out. I also carry about 300lb of tools all the time. Car sits level with just the tools. What should I do? I am not sour what type of suspension I have either. Looks like I have a shock but no springs (Leaf or coil). When I look in FCP not sour what to order.
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84,245 275,000/89,740 295,000// Now 240,850,960 All Great

Your car has volvo's Multi-link II rear suspension system which arrived for the 960 in '95. For the wagon there are three components that get changed to go from a "standard" to a "self leveling" configuration. (Allmost all were deliverd with the "standard".)

The spring is a transverse composite leaf that is weaker with the "self Leveling"

The sway bar is thicker/stiffer with the "self leveling"

The "self leveling" is part of the Nivomat shock absorber.

You might find that just adding the Mivomat would make your wagon acceptable since you always load it up with 300 lbs of tools anyway. If not, when empty, you probably would find the rear end sitting too high. Try to get them at one of the Volvo dealers that give discounts. (I've never seen them at any aftermarket or specialty source.) The Multi-link II uses a shock with a really large lower bushing so it is unique to the "II".

I put special ordered Koni shocks on my "standard" wagon with good results but I never have loaded it as heavy as you for any distance.
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'96 965 with 16' wheels at 101K. Had '85 745 Turbo Diesel for 200K.

Are you sure that the car will ride higher with Nivomats? Don't Nivomat shocks adjust themselves as you drive to maintain the proper level of the car? There is an added spring force with the shock so the ride would be stiffer, but it should not ride higher. It is also possible that the spring on his car has weakened with age.

One last note. I thought the sedan got multilink rear suspension in 95 but the wagon did not get it until 96.

You guys are all giving me some great info but is there some tell tall way I can be sour what suspension I really have. By the way how about those SYRACUSE ORANGEMEN. (I am from Syracuse NY)
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84,245 275,000/89,740 295,000// Now 240,850,960 All Great

I was mistaken in the previous post. The 95 wagon has the multilink too. See the review (http://www.nctd.com/review-walk.cfm?ReviewID=213)

Anyway, the other way to tell is by looking at the rear axle of the car. Cars with independent rear suspension have CV joints immediately on each side of the differential and next to the wheels. The CV joints are covered with rubber, accordian like boots.

I believe, and hope, that FCP Groton carries the Nivomats for multilink II Volvos. There website lists a few options, but have different part designations based on the car..at least that what they said. The task is to figure out what shock goes with what car....
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John Shatzer, '97 V90 @ 94K

All 960s from '95 on and all S90-V90s have the same suspension system design! If a shock is listed as fiting any of the series it will "fit" all, ('95 to '98) of them. (I STRONGLY recommend keeping the bar, spring & shock system together as a system. If changing to or from the self-leveling system change all the parts to keep the car's handling stable, slightly understeering, and safe.)

Also, the Nivomat does supply some support even at nominal height so the spring must be different for the Novomat system to have an unloaded car sit at the right height.

(Long ago, I put Koni shocks in my, now x, wife's '85 760 which had Nivomat OEMs and then had to install "air-lifts" to get the ride height correct.)
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'96 965 with 16' wheels at 101K. Had '85 745 Turbo Diesel for 200K.

Thanks Jim. I will follow your advice..Ijust need to know what that package is...part number wise. NOt a high priority right now, but I will research it thoroughly and get back to you and the BB about what I found.
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John Shatzer, '97 V90 @ 94K

One thing I'm sure of is that you should replace all shocks. I think you're being very optimistic to presume that OEM shocks will last that long! I believe the 95 has the multilink IRS with a leaf spring, similar to the later models, mine included.

You might consider installing Nivomats (self-leveling) shocks for the rear. And check to see whether it has swaybars. All these will improve the ride considerably. Get Nivos from FCP Groton online...expensive, but very good shocks...probably will outlast the car.
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John Shatzer, '97 V90 @ 94K