I want my brick to ride like a Cadillac hearse on a marble floor.

We have lots of hills and twisty roads here in Northern VA, but there are more potholes and ruts. On a curvy, bumpy road, I swear it feels like the wheels are coming off the road for a nanosecond. (I'm not saying I want massive body roll, but I'm OK with the amount it currently has with stock everything.)

I've been thinking about Bilstein TCs, but I read on here that the Boge Autos are soft. I do want whatever I buy to last for at least another 100K, because in my technical uselessness, I have to pay someone to install them, and I only want to do that once.

Anyone care to venture an opinion?

Thanks as always.
--
John--'88 244DL, M47, 102K, white/blue, IPD sport exhaust--'Hilda'

I hated the feel of the Bilstein Touring Class I had installed on my '85 244. Not only were they very harsh, but also VERY NOISY.
--
Michelle (HELP I CAN'T STOP BUYING VOLVOS) -'89 244 GL auto 188K / '85 244 DL auto 136K / '86 240 auto 148K / '85 244 DL manual

Actually, the best thing you can do is nothing at all.

My '75 245 still stis on the *original* shocks, struts and springs.

Handles like ass, but you never feel the road!
--
'73 142, '75 242, '75 245, '80 245, '83 244, '86 244, '87 745T, 92 244 (for sale)

Hmmmm. Peugeot's strategy for a cushy but still "European" ride is soft shocks plus substantial sway bars.

Before you strap on some hard shocks, maybe you should consider upgrading to Turbo sway bars + new soft shocks like Boge Auto. Others on the board may have ttried this combination. Also buy tires that are tops for ride.

But if the roads are that bad, you have more problems than comfort. You're beating up your front end--keep an eye on ball joints, strut top mounts, wheel bearings, tie rod ends, a-frame bushings. Bad roads will kill them all, and a front end failure on a mountain road could be, shall we say, awkward.

I once popped out a ball joint on a 122, so I know it can happen.

Good luck.

Doug Harvey

Thanks, Doug.

Not all the roads are that bad here. They are in DC itself, but not in VA. But where I work (in MD), there's one bumpy spot I hit every day at about 30mph.

This has been informative. I never knew the Boges were as well-regarded as they are. I'm sort of vacillating between the Autos and the TurboGas ones. I'm sure the HDs are great shocks, but if the Boges will last 100K and cost $200 less, then I'll go with them.

Someone in some post here once said that adding swaybars limits the amount each wheel can respond individually to bumps. Anyone know if that's true?
--
John--'88 244DL, M47, 103K, white/blue, IPD sport exhaust--'Hilda'

The best combo would be Volvo hydraulic shocks and new Volvo springs. The OEM suspension is as squishy as they get and will last 100k. Most of the aftermarket shocks are firmer because most people hate the mushy OEM feel.
As far as potholes, you would be surprised how a set of Bilstein HD's will be like with the IPD street coils. This combo makes the ride slightly firmer, not noticably harsh, but over potholes is as smooth as any other ride except the 960 I once had. I actually would consider the Bil HD/IPD ride a bit mushy, but adds a better control to the way the car feels. If you add a set of good highway tires of the right size like 205/65-15 Michelin's that absorb road shock the car can actually be a smoother ride than you think, and better than OEM for potholes.
As noted it will never ride like a Caddy. That is what a 960 is made for, even better!
--
'89 245 Sportwagon, '04 V70 2.5T Sportwagon

Indeed Bilsteins will be quite firm. But not intolerable at all. A 240 equipped with HDs will feel quite truck like.. until you drive a truck (say a supersized Ford E-350 van).

--
alex

John,
I hate to tell you this but I don't think you will get what you want out of anything you put on it. Nothing is going to make a 240 ride like an american luxury car and anything that would come close probably won't last very long. You sure as heck don't want the TCs, they are stiffer than the HDs and the quality is not that great. Boge Autos probably would be your best choice.
Good luck.
--
Dave Shannon
Spring Valley, California
'88-240 190K+
'65 1800S ????K
'73 1800ES 117K
'92 745Ti 160K
Jeep Wrangler Sahara 10K
my pages

Dave,

I'm confused: I thought the HDs were the stiffer of the two Bilsteins, and I assumed that the TCs, being Bilsteins, were of excellent quality. What's your recommendation for those of us who don't want a Cadillac ride in a 240 but also don't want to have to wear a kidney belt?

HDs are a "smarter" shock, they are fairly soft for the first bit of travel then stiffen up under sudden or heavy loads. Bilstein claims they will damp movements as small as 2mm and I believe it. I can't really describe it but overall they feel much better than the HD equipped 240s I've had. The HDs are stiff through their whole range, also they are made in a small ex soviet block country (Romaina?) and quality control is poor at best. Check the archives for numerous knock complaints with TCs and even a few with the HDs. I run HDs on all my cars, it's the first thing I do when I get a new brick. The last set of TCs I had I tossed in the trash after 10,000 miles of trying to get them stop rattling and clunking.

As with all things and even more with shocks/struts your tastes may vary, I like a firm sporty ride with control taking a small priority over comfort, my wife however does value comfort over sporty feel and she likes the HDs.
--
Dave Shannon
Spring Valley, California
'88-240 190K+
'65 1800S ????K
'73 1800ES 117K
'92 745Ti 160K
Jeep Wrangler Sahara 19K
my pages

Thanks, Dave and Pete, for your advice.

Maybe I was exaggerating a bit about the Caddy thing. I just don't wanna feel the potholes. I mean, they jar the car so much I wonder if it's doing damage. But I do want precise steering and cornering on the twisty exit ramps here. Maybe I'll spring for the HDs.

But if I'm gonna spend that much dough, should I just bite the bullet and go for the Konis?

--
John--'88 244DL, M47, 102K, white/blue, IPD sport exhaust--'Hilda'

For a good stock Volvo ride the Boge Turbos are a great choice, I really liked them before I went with the full suspension/brace package on the '88.

I haven't used Konis since a bad experience back in my off road 2 wheel days, that was over 30 years ago so I'm sure things have changed probably for the better but I can't offer any insight on them.
--
Dave Shannon
Spring Valley, California
'88-240 190K+
'65 1800S ????K
'73 1800ES 117K
'92 745Ti 160K
Jeep Wrangler Sahara 10K
my pages

Boge Turbos seem to be a popular choice.
--
Jim 90 244DL 245K

Boge turbos don't last very long. Been there, done that. You'll be lucky to get 40k miles out of them.
The ride comfort with the Bil HD is a world better.
Also, if you have larger stablizer bars, it will take a lot of emphasis off the shock/spring on large potholes, so I would recommend you get the IPD bars, too.
--
'89 245 Sportwagon, '04 V70 2.5T Sportwagon