B6 for 244 bluey

maxthedog

Just had it confirmed that I’ll be taking Bluey the 244 on the Cancer Council Rally in August next year. My goal has always been to find a way to support the cancer council (I’m aiming to raise $8k this time around) and get a little more mechanical know how on the 240. So far the second part is going slowly!

There will be a few things to fix up on the car, but one will be suspension replacement. A few thousand km off road in March killed the rear shocks.

I’m thinking the B6 will be the best option, a little sturdier. I’m running light truck tyres thanks to a pro tip from a fellow Volvo nut.

So here comes the asks

1 - Any alternate thoughts or suggestions on suspension setup?
2 - if anyone happens to have a line on some lightly used or discounted/unwanted B6 please let me know. You’ll be supporting the fundraising and happy to put your name or brand on the car etc.

dmc

I would not have thought a B6 would suit off road work. Try your local ARB or off road shop for suggestions on good shocks that will take an off-road beating.
Have a look at iPd, they do/did an xc off road special. Might be some ideas there. https://www.ipdusa.com/Articles/316/What-Is-Overlanding-Going-Off-The-Grid-With-Your-Volvo

Spac

B6s are the default budget gravel rally shock. The monotube + separated high pressure gas design is the basis for every rally shock.

They will survive, but the 240 ones come with insufficient rebound dampening, so they feel half worn out from new. The good part is that they won’t get worse until they are actually worn out.

Any 4WD shock that fits will have the opposite problem - they all have way too much dampening in both directions, and will make the car skitter over washboard roads and be uncomfortable most of the time.

If you are prepared to spend the money, buying the B6s revalved for gravel use is probably the best way to go.

maxthedog

Yes that’s the thinking, the rally spirit is that the cars are budget/low value, so I’m not looking for WRC performance but I’m thinking there’s a step up from just fitting some decade old shocks from a parts car / scrap.

dmc

Interesting, so a B6 works on gravel/off road as well as bitumen? I would have thought the travel would be wildly different.

Spac

dmc

B6 is standard length and travel (or so close that it doesn’t matter).
B8 is shorter length, shorter travel to help keep lowered springs captive.

My BMW rally car originally had revalved B6s in it. I was quite happy with them, but we had the money to upgrade to the shit-hot MCA Golds so we did.

I’d say that 80% of the time on a special stage , the two are very similar in performance. The extra money for the MCAs is felt on the big hits and the small, choppy stuff (like when you have rocks embedded in the road surface).
The MCAs are also very durable and can take an absolute beating.

That’s a long winded way of saying that the B6 is quite a good shock for gravel use.

Major Ledfoot

~~Is Quadrant Suspension in MEL still the go-to for Bilstein re-valving?~~
EDIT - skip that - appears they're no longer in business. 🙁
EDIT 2 - Sydney Shock Absorbers say they do re-valving.
https://www.bilstein.com.au/services

Ex850R

Major Ledfoot
@AshDVS Does all that too.

VolvoHordz

Major Ledfoot
I used Sydney Shock Absorbers about 5 years ago, from memory was about $500 to rebuild and revalve second hand struts

Spac

VolvoHordz cheaper if you buy new shocks from them and request them to be revalved from new.

maxthedog

Thanks for all the input, always helpful!

Major Ledfoot

Dave's Barton's (invaluable) website has info about 240 R-Sport race and rally shock valving for bump and rebound.
https://www.240turbo.com/specsheet245.html#rsportshocks