A friend of mine told me that his Volvo had a Mannesman-Sachs Nivomat shock. Now, I know a lot about car parts. I know an ABS Control Module like the back of my hand, which my friend knows nothing about. After I made sure that he just didn’t get back from the dentist and was slurring his words, I decided to look into exactly what this strangely worded shock assembly is all about. I am assuming my friend is doing the same thing in regards to an ABS Control Module.
The word Nivomat is actually a contraction of two French words, niveau and automatique. In English, this translates to “level automatic.” Finally! Some words I actually understand. Basically, the Nivomat does exactly what its English translation says it does. It is a compact device that automatically levels out the vehicle. So, when the back of your Volvo station wagon is full of all your kids’ really heavy soccer gear, your car will not sag in the back. This will give you a smoother ride, keep your eyes on the road instead of the skies, and avoid looking like a low-rider.The Nivomat shock assembly combines all the common components of a shock assembly; springs, struts, and shock absorber into one small housing. The energy required to adjust the height comes from relative movements between the axle and the vehicle body while driving. No electric engine or motor is required. After a few miles of driving the car will rise to optimum height. If the road is bumpy then the Nivomat adjusts to a higher level, for greater ground clearance. That’s one clever Nivomat.
This type of suspension can be found mostly in European vehicles, cars that carry heavy loads, and trailer hauling vehicles. So, the next time you’re in your friends Volvo, Saab, or Jaguar and their car is sagging in the rear you can be helpful. Instead of making a crude joke about them having “too much junk in their trunk,” you can politely tell them to have their Mannesman-Sachs Nivomat checked out.
