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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Posts
    4

    Default 2014 XC70 D5 - Upgrade to self leveling Nivomat shocks

    G'day from Sydney Australia.

    I currently have standard rear shocks fitted to my XC70 (Volvo part: 31262151) and looking to upgrade to (Volvo part: 31302603) self leveling shocks for towing and hopefully improved handling. Quite a bit costly but they look to be the most simple effective solution.

    I'm assuming the Nivomats are a straightforward bolt off, bolt on direct replacement from my standard shocks but concerned there may be some modifications or additional items required to complete the work? So far, getting a straight answer to this has been impossible.

    Hoping you guys can help here. Anyone done this? Good idea / bad idea? Any better options out there?
    Sydney, Australia
    2014 XC70 D5
    2013 V40 D4

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    GA
    Posts
    1,420

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Marine.Boy View Post
    I'm assuming the Nivomats are a straightforward bolt off, bolt on direct replacement from my standard shocks but concerned there may be some modifications or additional items required to complete the work?
    They are a bolt on replacement but probably match with lighter springs. I used to do the opposite for customers with 960 Volvos w/ bad nivomats. When the nivs failed the rear of the car would sag. It was cheaper to put 940 shocks on, but if you didn't use 940 springs the ride height was too low. So for that car used springs and new shocks was still less expensive than new Nivomats.

    Although with your stiffer springs the car might sit even higher with Nivomats installed - just adjust the headlights up! Note the choices in rear springs from the parts catalog

    Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	9308
    Last edited by hoonk; 07-03-2020 at 05:55 AM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    GA
    Posts
    1,420

    Default

    Here's the Nivomat section of the parts catalog
    Click image for larger version. 

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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hoonk View Post
    They are a bolt on replacement but probably match with lighter springs. I used to do the opposite for customers with 960 Volvos w/ bad nivomats. When the nivs failed the rear of the car would sag. It was cheaper to put 940 shocks on, but if you didn't use 940 springs the ride height was too low. So for that car used springs and new shocks was still less expensive than new Nivomats.

    Although with your stiffer springs the car might sit even higher with Nivomats installed - just adjust the headlights up! Note the choices in rear springs from the parts catalog

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	14 rear spring.jpg 
Views:	6 
Size:	65.5 KB 
ID:	9308

    Thanks for the reply , all sounding good apart from the price of these things.

    A tiny bit of lift and firmer ride would actually be beneficial. Could you guess as to roughly how much lift I could expect at the rear?

    The car has only 42000klms (~25000 miles) so all the shocks are still in pretty good condition. Any idea if I would need to beef up the front end shocks to match?
    Sydney, Australia
    2014 XC70 D5
    2013 V40 D4

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