Why aren't we lifting our xc70's???

[07xc70newyork]

I've been searching for a means to lift my 2007 XC70 for weeks now … Nothing crazy, just 2", just for more ground clearance on the beach.

Ideas.

GO!

[Antherzoll]

Because Bad Swede isn't making lift kits anymore. :(

[Swagger XC]

And they look awesome lowered! It's like it already has a built on body kit.

[IVIUSTANG]

I have a 2" lift on mine, and I love it! Check my profile for pictures.

[billr99]

And they look awesome lowered! It's like it already has a built on body kit.

Exactly. And I still have enough ground clearance to get back some pretty ugly forest tracks after pulling over an inch out of the ride height.

Cheers,

Bill

[JRL]

Also because the damn things may tip over!
They handle poorly as it is, you want to make it worse!

[neokhz]

I want mine lifted also...

[StuntmanMike]

I'd like to lift mine too. I think it definitely adds to the look as well as adding function (assuming the car will venture off pavement). Personally I think the idea of lowering these is ridiculous. They already make a lowered XC - its called the V70.

The XC handles better that any regular SUV, and prob better than most CUV's. Them tipping over when lifted is a huge exaggeration.

I would love to add another inch of height, I think it would look great. The 2" Badswede looks great, but I wonder about increased drive line angles. I'm thinking spacers between the strut mounts and body might be the way to go. Jeeps are often lifted a few inches using poly spacers, the principle should work here too.

The other thing I'm wondering about is if maybe there are coils from other cars that will fit the XC and give some lift. This is common in the offroad world. Maybe XC90 springs? They would need to be the same dimensions but have a higher spring rate, or be a little taller.

Here's a link to a lifted XC with some good ideas.
http://www.ipdusa.com/blogs/286/team-ken

[Astro14]

If you need that much clearance, you need low range too, so buy a truck. Not some poseur CUV, but a truck: body on frame, low range, 4WD.

The XC does great on "soft" roads as is while still maintaining a reasonable ride and handling.

[MacNoob]

Personally I think the idea of lowering these is ridiculous. They already make a lowered XC - its called the V70.

There are 10 times as many XC70s than V70s out there. Plus you already have the flared-fender body kit and AWD. Lots easier to lower a known-good XC that you already own than to track down a scarce V70AWD and hope you get a well maintained good one.

[Antherzoll]

http://www.coilsprings.com/request_quote.aspx

Just a thought

[billr99]

If you need that much clearance, you need low range too, so buy a truck. Not some poseur CUV, but a truck: body on frame, low range, 4WD.

The XC does great on "soft" roads as is while still maintaining a reasonable ride and handling.

Absolutely! My vote is for a real Land Rover Defender. My old one would go thru anything. But it did have a mil-spec interior which took a bit of getting used to.

Cheers,

Bill

[StuntmanMike]

If you need that much clearance, you need low range too, so buy a truck. Not some poseur CUV, but a truck: body on frame, low range, 4WD.

The XC does great on "soft" roads as is while still maintaining a reasonable ride and handling.

Yes and no. Low range isn't always needed, it depends on the terrain. Unless you are tackling very steep ascents or descents or rock crawling, most times low range is not necessary. I used to have a '73 Chevy p/u on 35's. Very rarely did I have a use for low range in that truck, I mainly used it in the mud and snowon relatively flat terrain. On the other hand, once I got my Jeep and discovered the joys of rock crawling, I rarely used high range.

So whether one of these is suitable for the dirt really depends on what kind of offroading one expects to do with the XC. I'm more inclined to call it "off pavement" than "off road". Obviously I wouldn't take one of these rock crawling, but for dirt or sand roads they should do well. Maybe these roads are smooth other than having some whoop de doos that would cause a stock XC to drag it's belly. In that case an extra 2" could make all the difference.

Plus it just looks cool.

Look at that link I posted and tell me that car doesn't look mean.

And speaking of that car, I really like the cutting board plastic spacer idea. I think most actual cutting boards are going to be .5" thick, but a quick search brought up a company that sells sheets of it cut to your specs up to 1" thick. Obviously you would need to run longer bolts on the strut mounts, but I think this is easily doable. I think a 1" lift would look nice w/out screwing anything else up.

[Swagger XC]

I think we can come to the consensus that the stock xc ride height is ridiculous, but none of us can agree on going up or down!

[Antherzoll]

I think we can come to the consensus that the stock xc ride height is ridiculous, but none of us can agree on going up or down!

I'm actually fine with my stock height. Gets me to the cabin and through backroads for canoe trips, but the great majority of my driving is city/highway.

[JRL]

XC70s are fine the way they are.
They were not designed as an offroad vehicle, they are meant to have a bit more ground clearance to go over 5-6" of snow ... if necessary!
Stock they handle like crap.
Lowered they can be made to handle fairly decently
Raised...all I can think of that they will handle quite unsafely!

[Antherzoll]

I like what the guy says at the end of this video. Although he is knocking the overall design of the two, what he says is pretty true to an extent. The design of the XC serves me well, it was just laking in power for my taste.

http://youtu.be/e_lgJECfo9Q

[JRL]

http://youtu.be/e_lgJECfo9Q

Well said

[Swagger XC]

I have driven in the snow with mine on stock height and the awd and few extra inches of height was nice to have but not all that necessary. I still feel as if it will perform well in the snow with my lowered ride height in addition to make it up the mountain a lot quicker and safer as well. Therefore enabling you to hit the slopes faster :)

[johnny71]

I too like the cutting board idea. I picked up some 1/2" thick board used in dump trailers as a liner. I'm going to double them up and get longer bolts from Fasnal.

[07xc70newyork]

http://www.coilsprings.com/request_quote.aspx

Just a thought

Very nice link, check it out, let's see what they say!

[surfercalavera]

I am with 09xcnewyork, I would also like about 1-2 inches more for my surf scapes trips, but I think the XC was precisely made for its niche. The Trooper will do.

[07xc70newyork]

http://www.coilsprings.com/request_quote.aspx

Just a thought


Checked this out and they gave a me a quote in less than 24 hours!!!

[Steve F]

I like what the guy says at the end of this video.

http://youtu.be/e_lgJECfo9Q
How annoying is that woman's voice???

[StuntmanMike]

I too like the cutting board idea. I picked up some 1/2" thick board used in dump trailers as a liner. I'm going to double them up and get longer bolts from Fasnal.

I was just looking at my strut mounts and spring seats, I don't think there's enough room there to add an ince without some fab work. The studs on the strut mounts will be too short to accommodate an extra inch space, so you'll have to remove them and weld in longer ones. Judging by the amount of threads showing on the stock mounts as they sit o nthe car now, it looks like it may be able to accommodate 1/2" of spacer. And possible 1/4" of spacer between the rubber spring seat and strut mount.

In the rear it would prob work fine, as you can just use longer bolts.

As far as stacking the 2 x .5" spacers to make a 1", I think if it were me I'd feel more comfortable just buying a 1" piece. Maybe just epoxy them together or something before you cut it to keep them together.

Keep us posted if/when you do this. I'm going to be doing my shocks/struts in the next few weeks, and am debating on doing this.

The subframe spacers look like an easy way to gain another .5" too.


I have driven in the snow with mine on stock height and the awd and few extra inches of height was nice to have but not all that necessary. I still feel as if it will perform well in the snow with my lowered ride height in addition to make it up the mountain a lot quicker and safer as well. Therefore enabling you to hit the slopes faster :)

I agree, these cars are terrific in the snow, and lowering probably wouldn't hurt that very much. However, there are many more reasons to lift them other than snow clearance. That's probably the least important reason. Lifting improves the approach, departure, and break over angles, meaning a car can ascend or descend a steeper hill without dragging it's bumpers, and is able to cross a larger rise in the road without high centering, such as a whoop on a dirt road.


XC70s are fine the way they are.
They were not designed as an offroad vehicle, they are meant to have a bit more ground clearance to go over 5-6" of snow ... if necessary!
Stock they handle like crap.
Lowered they can be made to handle fairly decently
Raised...all I can think of that they will handle quite unsafely!

I think mine handles okay actually. It's not a sportscar of course, and I've never driven an R to cpamre it to, but as far as AWD wagons go, I think it's fine. I take on and offramps with it at much higher than the posted speed. Granted there is a large amount of body roll, but it's not like it slides off the road if you go a few mph over the speed limit.

And I have a 2nd car that handles great, no matter what I do to the XC it won't handle as well as my Firebird with huge swaybars, Koni's, and 275/40/17's.

I might try the cutting board myself, at least in the rear. Mine appears to sit a tad nose-high, I'm thinking .5" in the rear will level it out, if not add a slight rake to it. I could also get probably .25 or .5" in the front, but I'm not sure it's worth it.

Anyone use the spring spacers for leveling that IPD sells? Are those any good? And it's be great if someone made a front spring seat that was an inch taller. That'd be a real easy way to gain some lift.

[johnny71]

I'm actually going to space the sub-frame and body. Bolts are on order. Grade 10.9. I looked at those IPD spacers also. Might be worth the $40 to see how they work. Check out ipd. They have a customer who won a build off. Team Ken. The guys name is Tim. Complete details and pictures of what was done. That's my plan...

[mightyjak]

BAD Swede is coming back! I'm taking over the site and operations from Rod. I'll be placing an spring order soon and hope to have something ready to ship in 2 months or so. Email me at info AT xc70liftkit.com. Once the badswede website is back up, I'll consolidate the two.

[johnny71]

sweet!! I'm in for a set.

[912R]

Great to hear mightyjak! I'm not 100% convinced I'd raise my XC70 more than 1", but having options is a good thing. With 160k km on my car, I'm sure I will be buying new springs of some variety sooner than later.

[Mpittman]

A lifted xc would be very unique here in the backwoods of South Carolina

[jaip]

i looked ito this, and found out the following information, but i am in the uk :)


Subject: Re: Coil springs

I have tested OE spring from an XC70 1 set +2" higher than standard ride height, will cost £250+vat. Delivered -mainland uk.20/25 working days from receipt of payment-cheque or bank transfer. Discount of 5 sets = 15%, 10 sets= 20%

[mightyjak]

We're up and running at www.XC70liftkit.com! I ordered ten spring sets and they are due on or around August 15th. They're available at the site for pre-order and we have 6 sets left. These are the same Bad Swede 2" lift spring sets for P2s. If you have any questions, please PM or email [email protected]