V50 General : V50 Dampers

[Marmoset]

Hi all,

It feels like my dampers are giving up on my V50 (along with a wheel bearing I think) It certainly starting to handle a bit unpredictably around the corners. The cars on 117k miles and they probably are due for replacement.

Anyone got any recommendations? Bearing in mind that genuine parts are about £480 for the set are there any aftermarket dampers that will improve the ride quality (which has always been spiked by the larger holes etc in my opinion) and give some better handling. I'm considering some Koni FSD's if I can find a good deal, any other suggestiosn welcome.

Cheers

Rich

[Guru]

Hi,

Koni's are a bit expensive IMO.

I have KYB Excel G dampers on my car and they are fantastic, and not as expensive as Koni or Sachs.

KYB shocks

What ever brand you decide on, be sure to get gas dampers, not hydraulic oil ones.

If "handling unpredictably around corners" is the only symptom, then check the front stabilizer end links, and the rear stabilizer including camber arms first before investing in new dampers.

[Marmoset]

Thanks Guru - will get under the car this weekend and check the links out. It does feel bouncy though.....

[glypto]

Hi Guru,
one thing I'm not very happy with my car is the road noise. I know tyres play a big role in this by I wonder if good dampers can help as well.
And what about road surface bumps - S40/V50 are known for a bit harsh ride, can new dampers help here as well ?
By the way, why did you change the dampers, were they wrong or did you just want to improve the handling ?
Regards
g.

[Guru]

Hi glypto

yes, road noise seems to be an issue with these car, the alloys and the front axle act as a perfect medium, transmitting noise to the cabin. Good Tyres play a key role in dampening the noise but only when they're new; as the tread drops the noise increases...
The steel rims I put on the car during winter were much quieter than the Castalia alloys I have for summer, so were the soft winter tyres in comparison to the summer ones. Although my very noisy P6000's still have around 5-6mm of tread left, I'm throwing them away and have just ordered a new set of summer Hankook ventus V12's to replace them, I'm eager to find out how they perform, dB wise.

Whether new dampers will increase ride comfort depends on the type of dampers you choose to mount, I put a pair of KYB shocks on the front and they perform exactly like the original pair, so i do have a firm ride, and feel the bumps, but it's nothing to complain about, road noise annoys me much more than bumps do.

The reason behind the KYB's was that after hitting a genuine eastern european pothole (read landslide), the left damper started leaking, the alloy was dent, and the steering link rod was bent and you always have to replace dampers in pairs /both fronts or both rear/.