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Anyone try the STS Machining Lift Kit?

wagonfan00 said:
Anyone have any input on the STS kit? I'm debating pulling the trigger. Car will be used on gravel roads and driven across the country this summer. Didn't seem we came to a conclusion of the kit being good or bad on here....on paper it seems good but I don't want a headache in the middle of Nebraska 2000 miles from home
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I bought one to run on my rallycross car. Its all there, reasonably simple to install, and worked fine for me. I just hated it while racing. I did not increase my tire size because my car is gutless. So I did not increase my ground clearance. The ride was noticeably softer , but the body roll was too much for me and it was a net negative for what I was doing.

I think I had to buy bolts for the rear spring spacers, otherwise the kit was complete.
 
wagonfan00 said:
Anyone have any input on the STS kit? I'm debating pulling the trigger. Car will be used on gravel roads and driven across the country this summer. Didn't seem we came to a conclusion of the kit being good or bad on here....on paper it seems good but I don't want a headache in the middle of Nebraska 2000 miles from home
Click to expand...
I think it’ may be fine with the stock strut mounts, but it didn’t feel like a good match with the BNE strut mounts.
 
283SD said:
All that for a 1&1/2"lift?
The front suspension looks wonkey, camber way off, What about the rear susp?.
What did it cost?
Click to expand...
Anything higher and the complexity of everything goes way up.

This is a good kit, made in USA by Volvo guys. As with all suspension modifications you’ll need to make other things work

it’s not a Costco hot dog price

1-1.5 inches is fine for her needs ok… (its enough room to fit larger tires)


You want to go sky high and add LEDs to your wheels get a CheBY
 
Lesjofors V6/d24 front springs are $85 each

Edit: didn't realize this was posted by the d24 fella who probably already has these
 
283SD said:
All that for a 1&1/2"lift?
The front suspension looks wonkey, camber way off, What about the rear susp?.
What did it cost?
Click to expand...

You probably missed the part of it being installed incorrectly. This kit retains stock alignment angles. The kit comes with spacers for the rear springs.
 
I built suspensions for.
SCCA race cars.
VSCCA race cars.
SVRA race cars.
Dirt track race cars.
AND The every day drivers.
 
283SD said:
I built suspensions for.
SCCA race cars.
VSCCA race cars.
SVRA race cars.
Dirt track race cars.
AND The every day drivers.
Click to expand...

giphy.gif
 
283SD said:
Does not look like a well designed kit, for a 1&1/2" lift kit.
Click to expand...
283SD said:
P/S, we built our Overlander (3") lift back when BDW was selling them. The kit was amazingly well made, 30,000 miles on it now.
Click to expand...
283SD said:
All that for a 1&1/2"lift?
The front suspension looks wonkey, camber way off, What about the rear susp?.
What did it cost?
Click to expand...
283SD said:
Still not impressed for the 1&1/2" lift.
Click to expand...
283SD said:
I built suspensions for.
SCCA race cars.
VSCCA race cars.
SVRA race cars.
Dirt track race cars.
AND The every day drivers.
Click to expand...

That’s quite the hot take :lol:

I would argue that the STS kit is one of the best, if not the best, bolt on lift kits for a Volvo 240. The top mounts are designed in such a way to address the camber gain caused by the spacer, the rear shocks and springs were carefully selected for their spring rate and valving profile. These are not parts that are just slapped together and put into a kit.

Well, you may think that a 1 inch or inch and a half suspension lift is not worthwhile, there are a lot of other people that do want something in that range. When you start doing a lift that is greater than about 2 inches you run into all sorts of issues that need to be addressed regarding the ball joint and tie rod ends, as well as the suspension geometry gets very wonky.

Edited to remove the voice to text fails.
 
Last edited:
culberro said:
That’s quite the hot take :lol:

I would argue that the kit is one of the best, if not the best, bolt on lift kits for a Volvo 240. The top mounts are designed in such a way to address the camper gain caused by the spacer, the rear shocks and springs were carefully selected for their spring rate and valving profile. These are not parts that are just slapped together and put into a kit.

Well, you may think that a 1 inch or inch and a half suspension lift is not worthwhile, there are a lot of other people that do want something in that range. When you start doing a lift that is greater than about 2 inches you run into all sorts of issues that need to be addressed regarding the ball joint and tie rod ends, as well as the suspension geometry gets very wonky.
Click to expand...
The BDW kit that we got for the 3" lift addressed all of those issues, and the workmanship was outstanding, I rarely see that any more in my business. We maybe got one of the last kits before he stopped making them. BTW the lift idea was my wife's idea.
 
283SD said:
The BDW kit that we got for the 3" lift addressed all of those issues, and the workmanship was outstanding, I rarely see that any more in my business. We maybe got one of the last kits before he stopped making them. BTW the lift idea was my wife's idea.
Click to expand...
Yea by moving the ball joint and extending the tie rod. This works but you are putting 0 reinforcement for the added leverage. And you are adding more crap to seize up or fail the the tie rod ends. It’s ghetto at best. Dangerous at worst
 
cosbySweater said:
Yea by moving the ball joint and extending the tie rod. This works but you are putting 0 reinforcement for the added leverage. And you are adding more crap to seize up or fail the the tie rod ends. It’s ghetto at best. Dangerous at worst
Click to expand...
We have put 30,000 miles on the car so far with no issues. Canadian pot holes, West Texas gravel back roads. The BDW kit was well designed, trust me.
 
283SD said:
We have put 30,000 miles on the car so far with no issues. Canadian pot holes, West Texas gravel back roads. The BDW kit was well designed, trust me.
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I trust you….but the kit is NLA so the point is kind of moot. I’m not looking for anything crazy for my lift. Just a bit more to handle gravel roads and the occasional forest road that isn’t maintained. Slap a LSD in the Dana 30 with light AT tires and send it across the country is my goal. Put my motorcycle on the back with overload springs and drive into the wilderness until the Volvo cannot go and then hop on my dual sport. 1-1/2” is perfect for my needs as the car has a surprising amount of ground clearance for what it is.
 
culberro said:
That’s quite the hot take :lol:

I would argue that the STS kit is one of the best, if not the best, bolt on lift kits for a Volvo 240. The top mounts are designed in such a way to address the camber gain caused by the spacer, the rear shocks and springs were carefully selected for their spring rate and valving profile. These are not parts that are just slapped together and put into a kit.

Well, you may think that a 1 inch or inch and a half suspension lift is not worthwhile, there are a lot of other people that do want something in that range. When you start doing a lift that is greater than about 2 inches you run into all sorts of issues that need to be addressed regarding the ball joint and tie rod ends, as well as the suspension geometry gets very wonky.

Edited to remove the voice to text fails.
Click to expand...
With the STS kit I’m assuming you needed to get the panhard bar and adjustable links for the rear end as well….also what size tire can you run? Want to go 205/65-16 or will I hit the spring perch up front?
 
wagonfan00 said:
I trust you….but the kit is NLA so the point is kind of moot. I’m not looking for anything crazy for my lift. Just a bit more to handle gravel roads and the occasional forest road that isn’t maintained. Slap a LSD in the Dana 30 with light AT tires and send it across the country is my goal. Put my motorcycle on the back with overload springs and drive into the wilderness until the Volvo cannot go and then hop on my dual sport. 1-1/2” is perfect for my needs as the car has a surprising amount of ground clearance for what it is.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a plan. Happy travels.
 
wagonfan00 said:
With the STS kit I’m assuming you needed to get the panhard bar and adjustable links for the rear end as well….also what size tire can you run? Want to go 205/65-16 or will I hit the spring perch up front?
Click to expand...
I haven't had to use any adjustable links with a slight (1-1.5in) lift when everything is in OK shape. Usually lowering the car creates more driveline issues. Biggest off-road type tires I've ran are 195/70r15 rally tires. These clear a stock height car without issue.
MRF ZDM3

What tires are you looking at running? The tire size you posted doesn't bring up a lot of options but 205/60R16 does:
- Falken Wildpeak Trail. Awesome tire (I'm on my 2nd set on the awd daily) and they should fit withouut issue:

- Vredestein Grip Classic. It's a good bit taller, but it's a classic off-road style tire :love1:
 
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