Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2010 6:12 PM

Subject: Re: Progressive springs do not fit!

 

John,

Springs came Wednesday.  Rears are installed.  Fronts are 1/4" too big in diameter!  They do not fit in the lower A-frame.  Original spring is 4 11/16" the new ones are 4 15/16".

Please tell me what we you can do.  The owner of this car is PISSED!

 

Sam Lahey

 

Answer:

 

 

Sam,

Yes, the springs are slightly larger in diameter than stock, though the difference is closer to .10" than the .25" you have stated. And they do fit unless your car is different from the 200 +  other Volvos that they have been installed in. It sometimes takes a little weight on them, or bounce the suspension, for them to fully seat in the pocket in the lower control arm.

Most have a slight bevel on one end - as weight is applied they will slide into the pocket, the bottom coil actually compressing in diameter.

 

 Stock spring specs for a P 1800 are 4.76 " to 4.82"

For an 1800 ES the spec is 4.77 to 4.87"

For a 140 the spec is 4.96"

When Volvo offered sport progressive springs, whether for the 122, 1800, or 140 there was one diameter to fit all models and it was the larger of the above diameters. Ours are the same size and, as with the factory springs, can be interchanged among the models.

 

We do recommend removing the steel cup in the upper rubber spring cup, or slitting it so it can expand slightly to fit the spring. The factory springs required this same modification.

 

Just install them, they will be fine.

 

Regards,

John

Vintage Performance Developments