What is a Nivomat self leveling shock?
The Nivomat self-leveling shock has a lightweight coil spring and gradually, over a mile or two, self-adjusts to normal ride height when heavily loaded. You may even notice with Nivomats that your parked car settles a little bit after a couple days.
What is a Nivomat?
Here are the answers to some of your frequently asked questions. Nivomats are self-leveling monotube shock absorbers designed by Sachs, which utilize the movement of the vehicle between the chassis and the body to create mechanical energy.
What vehicles use Nivomat suspension?
Nivomat suspension units have been used for more than 30 years on a variety of domestic and foreign vehicles, including Volvo, Ford, Opel, Saab, GM, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Rover, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Kia and others.
Are Nivomat shocks just repackaged Sachs shocks with a markup?
I believe Sachs has the patent for Nivomat shocks, so are the Mopar "OEM" parts just repackaged Sachs shocks with a markup?? Geezuz I hate getting swindled!! Click to expand... The answer is yes. Heres a pic of the factory shock label.
How do I know if I have Nivomat suspension?
If you are wondering if you have Nivomats, check your manual, or try to get a look at them. They will only be in the rear. Nivomats have a thinner end toward the eyelet (although Monroe Nivomats and some others have a built-in accordion boot cover).
What cars use Nivomat shocks?
Nivomat shocks are used by Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Jaguar, Kia, Mitsubishi, Saab, Volvo and other OEMs. The system is also available on the GM Suburban and Tahoe as part of ZW7 Premium Smooth Ride Suspension.
How does Volvo Nivomat work?
The Nivomat self-leveling system that Volvo uses is designed and manufactured by Sachs/Boge. The heart of the system is the Nivomat self-leveling shock which works in conjunction with a lightweight coil spring. In simple terms, the Nivomat shock pumps itself up to normal ride height when loaded.
Can you replace Nivomat shocks with regular shocks?
Yes, you can! If your car came with a Nivomat suspension, installing a different kind of suspension is not only possible, it's very simple. That is if you choose shocks and struts from the right manufacturer.
How do I know if I have self leveling suspension?
You can look under the car from the rear, if you see large plastic ribbed plastic on the shocks, you likely have Nivomat's. You can also measure the car before you drive, drive at least a mile and measure again. If you raise at least 1 inch, you likely have them.
What does self leveling suspension do?
Self-levelling suspension lifts the rear end of the vehicle up to spread out the weight more evenly. This puts the weight back onto the front end of the vehicle, which lets the brakes do their job more effectively.
Does XC90 have Nivomat?
Registered. Search the XC90 forum using the term "nivomat code", see what you get back. If you're a 26 or 48, you have nivomat. If you're a 25, 58 or 65 you do not have nivomat.
What is GM premium ride suspension?
Premium Smooth Ride: indicated by the RPO code ZW7. This suspension uses a conventional suspension in the front, but the rear uses a self-contained, self-leveling Nivomat shock in the rear.
How does load leveling suspension work?
Load-leveler suspensions maintain an optimum ride height when heavy cargo is loaded into the rear of a vehicle or when towing and hauling a trailer. In either case, the additional weight causes sagging suspension: the rear end sags and the front raises up … causing problems with handling, braking, and stability.
What are load leveling shocks?
Load-leveling rear shock absorbers or struts are used with an electronic height control system. Load-leveling shock absorbers use air pressure supplied to the shock absorbers to maintain rear suspension height. Load-leveling shock absorbers may be called air shocks.
What is Nivomat shock?
The Nivomat Shock Absorber is a self-leveling monotube shock absorber developed by Sachs. Nivomat is a contraction of two French words, niveau and automatique. When translated to English, it would be level automatic or automatic level. Nivomat shocks are used by Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Jaguar, Kia, Mitsubishi, Saab, Volvo and other OEMs.
What is the advantage of Nivomat?
This maintains the ride quality whether the vehicle is operated with a driver only or to compensate for passengers and luggage. The big advantage to the Nivomat is the shock absorber requires no plumbing, compressor and height sensing device to level the vehicle.
What brands use Nivomat shocks?
Nivomat shocks are used by Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Jaguar, Kia, Mitsubishi, Saab, Volvo and other OEMs. The system is also available on the GM Suburban and Tahoe as part of ZW7 Premium Smooth Ride Suspension. Replacement units are available from Monroe, ZF Sachs and OES suppliers. Advertisement. By.
What is the difference between a Nivomat shaft and a piston?
The Nivomat shaft and piston provide the same damping as a normal monotube shock. The difference is that the shaft is hollow and contains the pump mechanism. The pump is operated by the displacement of oil caused by the movement of the shaft in and out of the shock.
Ongoing Sagging Problem?
If your car seems to sag all the time, it’s possible that the Nivomat shocks are worn out or were mistakenly replaced with ordinary shocks. Since the Nivomat shocks actually play a part in holding the car up (conventional shocks don’t), when they’re removed the car will be about 2 inches lower in the rear, even if new shocks have been fitted.
Is It Self-Leveling?
To check the operation of the self-leveling function, park on a flat surface, measure from the center of the fender lip to the lowest part of the wheel lip (See figure 1), and record your measurement (A) of both driver’s and passenger’s side rear. Now load the trunk or cargo area with about 300 lbs. The car will sag a little.
Failed Nivomats? What next?
If you determine that your Nivomats have failed, you have a couple options for replacement. New replacements can be very expensive.
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What is Nivomat shock?
The Nivomat Shock Absorber is a self-leveling monotube shock absorber developed by Sachs. Nivomat is a contraction of two French words, niveau and automatique. When translated to English, it would be level automatic or automatic level. Nivomat shocks are used by Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Jaguar, Kia, Mitsubishi, Saab, Volvo and other OEMs.
What does Nivomat do?
The Nivomat system does more than just level the vehicle under load. As the load increases, the pressure inside the shock increases as oil is displaced from the reservoir to the inside of the unit, compressing the gas volume.
What is the advantage of Nivomat?
This maintains the ride quality whether the vehicle is operated with a driver only or to compensate for passengers and luggage. The big advantage to the Nivomat is the shock absorber requires no plumbing, compressor and height sensing device to level the vehicle.
What is the normal application for a shock absorber?
The normal application for this shock absorber is for the rear suspension of a passenger car or SUV. What gives the shock its leveling capability is a pump mechanism and oil reservoir that can increase the accumulator pressure, which increases the shocks lifting capability.
What happens if you unlevel a car?
An unlevel vehicle can create many problems. Extra weight on the rear axle shifts the center of gravity, which has a major impact on the ride characteristics . In critical situations, the vehicle can be very difficult to control.
What Are Nivomat Shocks, Exactly?
The Nivomat shock absorber is a monotube, self-leveling mechanical shock absorber. It was first developed by the German engineering company ZF Sachs. These shocks utilize your vehicle’s mechanical energy to keep it stable and level. Many manufacturers have chosen to use Nivomat shocks these days.
How Do Nivomat Shocks Work?
Air suspensions auto-level your vehicle with complex systems that include a suspension control module, electronic ride height sensors, inflatable air springs, an air compressor and many other components. Nivomat shocks get the job done without any of that. But that doesn’t mean they’re not complex systems in their own right.
Can I replace my Nivomats with standard shock absorbers?
Yes, you can! If your car came with a Nivomat suspension, installing a different kind of suspension is not only possible, it’s very simple. That is if you choose shocks and struts from the right manufacturer. If you try to replace your car’s Nivomat shocks with ill-fitting or poorly-made traditional ones, you will likely notice two issues.
What Are The Benefits of Switching to Standard Shocks?
Nivomat shocks have a lot to offer drivers. But so do standard shocks. In fact, you might even prefer them. Here are some of the things standard suspensions can offer you.
Where can I buy a high-quality kit to replace my Nivomat shocks?
Here at Strutmasters, we’ve been helping people outfit their cars with high-quality, affordable suspension replacement kits for over 20 years. It’s what we do. We’ve spent years developing and testing our kits to make sure they’re as good or better than anything on the market.
