Volvo 480 Club Europe

heya, i was reading in the steering and suspension thread how lowering the 480 creates alsorts of problems...

well, i have 15s on mine... i originally was thinkin of gettin it lowered to 40mm, then 30mm... but now, i think it looks fine on the rear, its just the front wheels looked a lil bit spaced out, as the overall diameter of the 15'' wolfrace street octanes are slightly smaller than standard volvo 14'' with rubber rings...

is there any way i can make the front sit comfortably in the arches without compromising too much on everything else getting screwed up/in need of readjusting/spending millions on new suspension paarts...?

many thanks ^_^

Lowering the 480 won't cause any problems if you have the right set-up. I have standard shocks on and the lowering springs. The biggest problems come when putting bigger wheels on, but i've no experience there...

My current wheel size is 15"x6", and the tyres are 195/55/15. I don't get any problems on the front at full lock, i don't get any problems scrubbing on the rears-as before, the only trouble i get is on some speedbumps and some carparks with the old exhaust. Just for ref, here's a pic of mine before and after:





The car looks awful in the first shot, but the second looks much better imo. I think there are quite a few people on here dropped 30mm-don't know if any other 40mm drops get scraped exhausts-may have something to do with the fact i have a couple of layers of MDF in the boot for the stereo.

The suspension on the 480 lowers pretty well-spending loads on the setup isn't really necessary, unless it handles really badly now? There have been a few people in the not too distant past who have overhauled the suspension-roll bars, bushes, drop links etc-they'd be better advised than me. I don't think there's a way to lower it up front other than changing springs...unless you have space for a couple of sacks of potato's in the front

well, with all of whats in the engine bay, and yet how big it is, id say theres neough room

second shot looks sweet, just the height id like mine to go. cant remember my tire size but im positive i wont have any rubbing issues... what springs do you have on yours? are you able to link me to the site or place...?

ooo, also, something weird.... before i put the alloys on, my car went in a straight line... yet after, it slightly veers to the left, even when on the right hand side of the road... theres nothing visibly wrong with the alloys, ive got it tracked multiple times and they always say its tracked perfect.. i dont know what it could be...?


ps dammit i cant get my sig pic working >.<

I'd just put a massive reply, then Safari just quit for no reason!

You say the car has been tracked, but have the wheels been balanced? I know some places balance and track the wheels, where as some only literally track them. If there are no weights on one side i'd say this could probably do this...

My springs are KYB, wjho make springs for (amongst others) Subaru, but they were an end of line bargain (£35 delivered ) about 2 years back. 'Pi' pop up from time to time, but i believe are quite hard. Lesjofors (or something like that) seem to be quite popular. I think it's just going to be a case of searching the www or the forum. Ross (piper1st) also has KYB shocks and i had a brief ride in it at Cumbria and it was very 'bobbly' but i liked the ride. But be careful (again, research required), some shocks rattle like buggery on a lowered 480. But thats only if you want shocks. Mine are just standard shocks on lowered springs, and they retain some of the comfort.

I think to have an image in the Sig you have to copy/paste the [img] code...

I did put some more info in but can't bloody remember it now...

hi there just my 2p's worth im running 16" wheels with 205/45-16 rubber on my 480
its been lowered 45mm
the speed bumps are a major NO NO as are rough roads
there are no major problems with rubbing on full lock and the rears miss the arches with only a few mm to spare i was thinking of lowering it 5mm more but looking on the under-side and how close the CAT is i decided against it
its been lowered on springs and my shocks were re-gased at work

car hasnt settled in this pic will get a better one soon