Uncle Rolandp,

A proper tool used to measure such things as the Volvo 240 suspension spring wire diameter is a micrometer. You'd scrub away the road grime and undercoat to get to the factory finish coating on the wire metal.

Someone should post some info, or, you can search this brickboard for innumerable articles detailing the whole host of Volvo 240 factory springs as listed in the VADIS.

The other brickboard folks here do list a few Volvo 240 rear wagon spring wire diameters.

What is always true, for a given Volvo 240 year, or perhaps through the entirely of RWD Volvo history, is an estate (wagon) will nearly always have a heavier spring wire in the rear and sometimes in the front.

Some Volvo 240 wagon runs do make use of a double-strength floor pan. At essence is extra sections of floor pan, increasing unibody strength, at the increase of Volvo 240 wagon weight.

The later year Volvo 240 made use of heavier springs. Should anyone ever encounter a Volvo 240 Diesel wagon, these made use of the heaviest front and rear springs, as well as the heaviest (IIRC) wire in the front stabilizer bar to make up for the VW diesel engine weight.

You'll do better at a salvage year with 1988+ 240s for rear wagon springs. The later, the better.

You do have options in buy new springs, already aforementioned by other brickboard folks replying to your original thread-creating post.

For example, my 1992 240 GL saloon (sedan) had rusty rear springs. This 1992 Volvo 240 GL also has the dealer or factory installed locking or limited-slip ('posi' in 'merican auto speak). I found a set of heavy rear springs from a 1991 wagon. These heavier rear springs give a slightly 'raked' appearance, with the rear a little high, now. Yet the heavier springs allow some lateral compliance, allow the limited-slip to do the job with both wheels on the ground.

Be mindful, whether you use heavier rear springs and / or a heavier rear stabilizer bar, you induce a suspension more so to over-steer. Be mindful in less-than ideal motoring environments and emergency maneuvering.

You may do well to merely buy a new set of HD overload springs. Retail vendors like www.davebarton.com, (I think) FCP Groton, iPd, and others offers these. You can buy replacement OEM springs from your Volvo stealership, and places like Tasca Volvo parts.

Additionally, please consider the state of the rear suspension bushings. The Volvo 240 live axle suspension bushing failure begins with the torque rod bushings and cascades from there. Torque rod bushings may be best served using quality urethane bushes.

Failed Volvo 240 rear trailing arm bushings, about as much fun to replace the Volvo 240 rear axle wheel bearings (since no Volvo 240 owner on brickboard repacks these with the NLGI-2 grease they need, embarking on swear-and-epithet-laden slide-hammer adventure), can fail. These bushings are of such diameter as to further lower the Volvo 240 rear end as they do fail from bushing material deterioration, shrink, and loss.

Also, your friend's second-hand rear Volvo 240 springs are hopefully not too old. As you are aware, even Volvo 240 springs can weaken and sag.

Be careful with them Volvo 240 rear spring to trailing arm bushing retainer hardware. The the threaded stud, splined into the lower rear spring retainer plate or cup, sort of horseshoe shaped, can spin in the plate as you remove the nut. You can use pliers to hold the stud head, yet better may be to tack a weld to keep it in place as you remove the nut from underneath.

So, well, hope that helps.

Volvo 240 Boyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
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Rather be Volvo 164 Boyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, maybe?

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