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122 Suspension and wheels

spock345

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 3, 2016
Location
Livermore, CA
My newly acquired 122 needs some suspension work and tires. Everything is in good shape but old enough that I want to replace the rubber for peace of mind. So might as wheel get mods out of the way while I have it apart.

I like the stock look. Is there a good set of wheels that will fit the 122 in a 15x6 size that fit the stock hubcaps or should I just get the stock wheels widened? The 165 width tires are frighteningly skinny.

How are the IPD sway bars and sport springs for this car? The roads here in Santa Cruz are rough. As a result I would be hesitant to go for a very stiff suspension and will probably be sticking with 15 inch wheels for more sidewall. For reference I was rather happy with '79 GT springs and bilstein touring struts on the roads here. How would I get similar stiffness to that?

I also ran poly bushings and avoided them for the rear trailing arm mount on my 240 because they bound and caused wheel hop when I was running them. Are there any key locations where I wouldn't want poly bushings on a 122?
 
Lots of Ford wheels and the 15x6 Mopar B body cop wheels fit 122s.

Good luck with the hubcaps unless you have the centers professionally installed on some new barrels.
 
The 165 tyres will work fine for normal and fun driving but if you really go hard then 185 is a good choice. 185s will fit on your rims. You can get new 5.5inch rims.

Rough roads I wouldn’t upgrade the ARB, that is a upgrade for smooth roads. Standard or slightly uprated springs, gas shocks (Bilsteins, KYB or Gaz are pretty much your choice) and poly bushes.

New steering ball joints
Idler arm bush wears out quickly, this is a good upgrade: https://www.skandix.de/en/spare-par...-idler-arm-bronze-with-grease-nipple/1060063/


Alignment:
Toe in 0 to 2mm
Camber -.5deg
Caster check the green book
Tyre pressure correct maybe slightly less in the front.

Then see how you like it with a good reconditioned, slightly uprated and correctly setup suspension and steering before changing anything else.
 
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195 -65-15 tyres work great
With very rough roads I would go with rally springs myself and even consider 25mm lift gravel springs. If you do want to go lower 25-40 lowering will work but you are taking away from ride the lower you go.
Top wishbone bushes are a must in poly - the rest is ok in rubber
Steering make sure all teh ball joints are good and free and teh same with teh steering links. Early cars use a bearing in the idler arm as later cars use a rubber bush. The new bushes fall aprt very quickly these days but you can upgrade with https://www.classicswede.co.uk/Steering_arm_bush/p1733344_15830341.aspx

For comfort and ride I would not fit thicker anti roll bars
Dampers Protech's are very good for ride, Bilsteins tend to be very harsh as are KYB's
 
195 -65-15 tyres work great
With very rough roads I would go with rally springs myself and even consider 25mm lift gravel springs. If you do want to go lower 25-40 lowering will work but you are taking away from ride the lower you go.
Top wishbone bushes are a must in poly - the rest is ok in rubber
Steering make sure all teh ball joints are good and free and teh same with teh steering links. Early cars use a bearing in the idler arm as later cars use a rubber bush. The new bushes fall aprt very quickly these days but you can upgrade with https://www.classicswede.co.uk/Steering_arm_bush/p1733344_15830341.aspx

For comfort and ride I would not fit thicker anti roll bars
Dampers Protech's are very good for ride, Bilsteins tend to be very harsh as are KYB's

I am probably not going to lower the car. Luckily the previous owner had replaced the steering links within the last year. I've got ball joints and bushings ordered. Still have yet to make a decision on shocks. The existing ones are still good but I feel that in a few years they will be worn out.

Probably going to try widening the stock wheels so I can fit comfortably 185 or 195 width tire.
 
I am probably not going to lower the car. Luckily the previous owner had replaced the steering links within the last year. I've got ball joints and bushings ordered. Still have yet to make a decision on shocks. The existing ones are still good but I feel that in a few years they will be worn out.

Probably going to try widening the stock wheels so I can fit comfortably 185 or 195 width tire.

Easy to say hard to do without screwing up the offset.

Might be easier to have 700 steel barrels welded onto your stock centers by a qualified wheel shop.
 
I have poly bushings all around and will go back to rubber for the trailing arm big end. I don't like the harshness and wheel hop. maybe that will help. Right now I am running the VP autoparts lowering springs and they might be a little too low. there is not hardly any clearance on the bump stops. Maybe add a spacer, I don't know.
 
good point. I imagine cutting it too far would defeat it's purpose. What would be a good amount to cut off.
 
I usually cut them in half with the IPD springs that lower the car ~1". You may need to cut more or use a short poly bump stop if you're lower than that.
 
1800E/ESS hubs/brakes (4-piston calipers & rotors) & rear axle / prop valves with OE 684001 1800/164 5.5" wheels, though you'd be converting to a more obscure bolt pattern in that case and embarking on quite the mix-the-OE-Junk-Pile mission...
...basically making the 122 functionally an 1800 suspension-brake-wheel-wise.
 
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1800ES hubs/brakes (4-piston calipers & rotors) & rear axle / prop valves with OE 684001 1800/164 5.5" wheels, though you'd be converting to a more obscure bolt pattern in that case and embarking on quite the mix-the-OE-Junk-Pile mission...
...basically making the 122 functionally an 1800 suspension-brake-wheel-wise.

This is the correct way ... but money.
 
Thirsty?

Same story with the engine really for path of least resistance bolt-in: iron dual-port-downpipe conjoined manifold, dual SUs; later 1800-spec B18B, of factory B18 crab choices.

Crush all 1800, use parts 4 Amazon?
Profit & profit again?

Optional ATS wheels might look better than the 684001s on a 122...
...of the period correct factory kool-aid parts-bin recombining.
001s cheaper/more durable, ATS more money, but pretty.
1800ES trimmed 001s on Amazon probably ok looking to the right eye.

It's only money, at least you've got an Amazon on the bright side;
about the only classic/vintage volvo you actually can resto-mod on a budget in decent quality predictably/have it come out nice 'easily' enough (relative statement) if you're trying to limit the scope/custom work/dollars and want decent stuff that works. :e-shrug:
Photochop wheels onto Amazon, add 1800E/ES mechanicals?
Mild resto-mod?
jOB2DFy.jpg

volvo_1800e(4).ashx
 
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I love my car with 30mm lowering springs and Bilsteins which are all readily available. I had 60mm lowering springs previously and though it looked good the ride was terribly. The IPD front bar is a must, I've added the rear recently which does keep the car even more flat but it does cause wheel spin to occur sooner, best paired with a limited slip rear end. Bushing wise poly is fine for the rear as the design is different from the later cars. Poly is OK upfront in the upper arms, the stock rubber are best for the bottom arms. Definitely make sure all your ball joints and steering arms are in good shape before upgrading the rest.

Amazons have an extremely common 5x4.5 bolt pattern that many American cars use. For the price of new steelies you can source a set of used Ford Ranger/Mazda B2000 steel wheels for half that cost! Also, my American Racing Torque Thrusts were only a tick over $100 each if you want to go the alloy route. Lots of options. 195/65s seem to be optimal, I run 205/60s but I certainly wouldn't go bigger then that.
 
I love my car with 30mm lowering springs and Bilsteins which are all readily available. I had 60mm lowering springs previously and though it looked good the ride was terribly. The IPD front bar is a must, I've added the rear recently which does keep the car even more flat but it does cause wheel spin to occur sooner, best paired with a limited slip rear end. Bushing wise poly is fine for the rear as the design is different from the later cars. Poly is OK upfront in the upper arms, the stock rubber are best for the bottom arms. Definitely make sure all your ball joints and steering arms are in good shape before upgrading the rest.

Amazons have an extremely common 5x4.5 bolt pattern that many American cars use. For the price of new steelies you can source a set of used Ford Ranger/Mazda B2000 steel wheels for half that cost! Also, my American Racing Torque Thrusts were only a tick over $100 each if you want to go the alloy route. Lots of options. 195/65s seem to be optimal, I run 205/60s but I certainly wouldn't go bigger then that.

Well, I bought all poly bushings for the rear and all poly in the front except for the lower arms. I'll probably put stock tires on it for now until I can get a set of steel wheels locally. Drive it around and see what direction I want to go in after the new bushings and ball joints are installed. Are the 30mm springs the sort that IPD sells?
 
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