[brett134]

Looking for some community feedback on the Nivomats...

What are your thoughts on the load leveling rear suspension, likes or dislikes, and how well you feel they may or may not perform the following tasks.

Handling characteristics unloaded
Loaded characteristics
Towing characteristics
Loaded and Towing " "

I recently acquired a 2014, one of the two Nivomats are leaking. I know there are some good alternatives, just curious on everyone's thoughts on the stock load leveling system, maybe I will end up keeping it.

Thank you

 

[Sienile]

I've never heard of anyone complain about anything other than the cost of replacing them. Never had a set myself.

 

[sirtate]

I love my nivomats...

I had them on my SRT Charger, and they made a difference there.

On my 2016 DGC, they are essential IMO, when I am carrying 4 teenagers in the back totaling 700lbs.

The nivomats keep the back axle from squatting into the wheel wells, and the headlights on the road...

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[delhiboy3732]

I've never heard of anyone complain about anything other than the cost of replacing them. Never had a set myself.

I have a 2016 SXT. Would mine have them?

 

[brett134]

seems intriguing...

Nivomat Shock Absorbers: Self-Leveling Monotube Ride Control Units

The Nivomat Shock Absorber is a self-leveling monotube shock absorber developed by Sachs. 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...

www.brakeandfrontend.com

 

[LEVY]

I've never heard of anyone complain about anything other than the cost of replacing them. Never had a set myself.

I've never heard of anyone complaining of a Nivomat "this new" leaking.

As a matter of fact, many buy older used Nivomats from a yunk yard and are happy with their purchase.

 

[Sienile]

The ones complaining of price bought new.

I've never heard of anyone complaining of a Nivomat "this new" leaking.

Likely a Northern salt issue. They hate cars like that.

 

[sirtate]

I have a 2016 SXT. Would mine have them?

If it has the Factory Tow package, yes.

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[LEVY]

I have a 2016 SXT. Would mine have them?

You have to physically check to be sure. One clue would be if your vehicle has the OE tow package, it more likely have Nivomats.

 

[delhiboy3732]

You have to physically check to be sure. One clue would be if your vehicle has the OE tow package, it more likely have Nivomats.

How do you check for OE tow package?

 

[sirtate]

How do you check for OE tow package?

Look at the bumper facia over the hitch...

(If no trailer hitch receiver, no tow package)

If it has been cut-out in a scoop to make room for the hitch, and the cut out has a trim piece that looks like 'ballast' (a sewing term), you either have a really professional hitch install, or the factory package...

Next, look under the hood for a blue wire bunched up behind the battery. There will be about 8ft of it. This is the wire for the trailer brakes. An aftermarket installation would likely have already brought the wire into the cabin through the firewall, or ignored the wire completely.

(You can always crawl under the car and look at the rear shock absorbers, write down the part number and post it here... Pictures may work too)

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[LEVY]

How do you check for OE tow package?

First sign if to see if your vehicle have a trailer hitch, if it doesn't, then you don't have a OE tow package.

If it does have a hitch, check to make sure it is an OE hitch.

Lastly, get a build sheet and see of a tow package is listed there.

 

[ChryslerTC4me]

I do like the performance of them. They work well. However, I had one fail, probably due to hitting a pothole wrong. They are bloody expensive but I did end up replacing it with a new one.


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[brett134]

Nothing like a good thread crapping to keep things moving along in the morning...

 

[LEVY]

How do you check for OE tow package?

Get a Factory Build Sheet here, just copy the link below (including http://www.), remove all last 1's and replace them with your VIN:

http://www

.
chrysler.com/webselfservice/BuildSheetServlet?vin=11111111111111111

 

[Willie1]

While I have a 4th gen Grand Caravan, the concept is the same. While I like their function, mine - like many - had a horrible clunk from needing the bushings replaced. The bushings are not the same as typical shock bushings - they are a cartridge type bushing, like a control arm bushing, and need to be pressed in/out. Only supplier I could find was in Latvia. To be fair, once the bushings were replaced, the Nivomats still worked fine with 325K+ miles on them.

 

[Sienile]

Having to send off to Europe to repair American made things is annoying. A bunch of the old jacks and presses at the shop are 50+ years old and we have to get parts from Czech Republic.

 

[Zambee500]

Look at the bumper facia over the hitch...

(If no trailer hitch receiver, no tow package)

This is not entirely accurate, at least for 2008-10 model years. Not sure if it changed with the Gen 5 refresh in 2011 MY and the single engine "option". Mine had the tow-prep package, but no hitch receiver installed from the factory. Also, no blue wire for trailer brakes in the battery area that I recall ever seeing. It did have a Mopar 4-pole wiring harness in a plastic bag in the tire-jack compartment in the back-left of the cargo area. I installed a Curt receiver because it seemed cheaper/easier than the OE, but I already had the Nivos and other items in the tow package. The best bet is Levy's suggestion to get a factory build sheet.

From my factory build sheet, my van has:

AHTP Trailer Tow Group
SDES Sport Suspension
SERP Load Leveling and Height Control
XEYP Trailer Tow Wiring Harness
NHAP Engine Oil Cooler
NHDP Heavy Duty Transmission Oil Cooler
NMCP Heavy Duty Engine Cooling
NMRP Heavy Duty Radiator


From other discussions here, I believe all the Gen5 vans had the "heavy duty" cooling items even if no factory tow prep package.

 

[J Wikoff]

Are your rear shock bodies about 2.5" in diameter, or fatter? Nivomats are fat.

Standard:

Nivomat:

 

[sirtate]

This is not entirely accurate, at least for 2008-10 model years. Not sure if it changed with the Gen 5 refresh in 2011 MY and the single engine "option". Mine had the tow-prep package, but no hitch receiver installed from the factory. Also, no blue wire for trailer brakes in the battery area that I recall ever seeing. It did have a Mopar 4-pole wiring harness in a plastic bag in the tire-jack compartment in the back-left of the cargo area. I installed a Curt receiver because it seemed cheaper/easier than the OE, but I already had the Nivos and other items in the tow package. The best bet is Levy's suggestion to get a factory build sheet.

From my factory build sheet, my van has:

AHTP Trailer Tow Group
SDES Sport Suspension
SERP Load Leveling and Height Control
XEYP Trailer Tow Wiring Harness
NHAP Engine Oil Cooler
NHDP Heavy Duty Transmission Oil Cooler
NMCP Heavy Duty Engine Cooling
NMRP Heavy Duty Radiator


From other discussions here, I believe all the Gen5 vans had the "heavy duty" cooling items even if no factory tow prep package.

It did change with the 2011 refresh...

When you ordered the 'Tow Package', you got the hitch receiver and the 7wire plug, prewired for everything but brake control, and Nivomats.

Since the post I was responding to was a 2016 model, it is irrelevant to go into the depths of what could be optioned on a 2008-2010 RT-body.

You could still get nivomats without the hitch receiver, if you ordered the R/T or GT trim level on the DGC or the 'Touring Suspension' on the mid to high trim levels on the T&C.

But the OP had an SXT, so that would be irrelevant to his question ..

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