P80 Nivomat diffrences question

[xnRS]

So, hey everyone.

My car came with nivomat shock from the facotry(FWD Purple lable ones to be exact). So, someone before have put stock shocks and green label springs with polyurethane spacers. I wanted to get nivomats backs, so few years ago I've found 2 nivomats in my region. One was looking sad, but it was in good working order. About the second one, i didn't check at a time, but turned out it - I could compress it with my weight.

So, right now i'm searching for nivomat shock again. So far I've found only one variant - V70XC 8626026 nivomat shock. Rod length is exactly the same as on FWD purple label nivomat. I could change lower bushing with FWD one.

My question is - what is exact diffrence between FWD, AWD(except for bushing style), lowered, stock and XC Nivomats?

[scot850]

To be honest I don't know. Never had a FWD with Nivomats. The AWD (non-XC) P80's have green? label and the V70XC had yellow label shocks. The XC may have a different valving as the car sits slightly higher at the rear than the regular AWD variants.

Finding good used ones is getting much harder these days. I do replace the boots on them with 240 boots. I have detailed this somewhere on MVS.

Neil.

[xnRS]

Green ones are lowered AWD, if I'm not mistaken. Boot will be replaced, but original volvo boots are too $$$ for me, so I've found a polyurethane boot from, I guess Kia Sorento which had same Nivomat shocks. The boot is exactly the same, except for one diameter, which is like 2mm smaller, but it still fits! And it costs around 12$ lol

[Clemens]

DO NOT GET USED NIVOMATS! If they are more than 10 (15 at best) years old, they are not worth it. I had brand new ones built by Sachs according to R specs like 5 years ago, paid over a grand and they work nicely.
Still, a good coilover suspension like KW V3 will be alot better.
Old nivomats sag while standing still, and the color Label is worthless if the shock is used because no matter what the label's color says, age and wear will have changed them to whatever color label's specs.

I bought old barely used R Nivos that were on a shelf for over a decade but had very few miles on them. And while they were significantly better than the old ones, they are still alot worse than the new ones.

Save your money, save your time. While 10 years ago swapping in used Nivos made sense, by now this is useless ...

[scot850]

I agree. For the effort needed to swap them over, if the funds allow go new.

Neil

[hausmeister]

I'd also say it is not worth the effort and money. Agree on not getting used ones.
Normal shocks are absolutely fine, and for sure better than old&used nivomats.

No idea on the differences, mine were blue (also FWD) but no markings on them. Threw them away, were heavily rusted and beyond saving.

[xnRS]

Well if it was easy to get lowering springs in my region, and not pay 300$ for them(Eibachs are around 180euro in Europe, but cost of transport and 3rd person is around 100+usd)... Than i would surely get ones lol.