2010 xc90 v8 need some info and advice

[youthan!ze]

Anyone still use this website? hoping some are still active in the forum.
Alright! so i purchased a 2010 xc90 v8 about a month ago. haven't done much to it yet, mostly because there is very little info/ community it seems. but i tinted the windows and it looks much better.

I currently live in northern colorado, but am about to throw the animals in the xc and head east. bought the vehicle for the obvious reasons, but mainly the v8 (so i can tow a trailer comfortably), as well as make it in any terrain and feel safe while doing so. i have two dogs that will be accompanying me on the road. the old one is 13yo 100lb black lab. the other is young female about 45 lbs. i liked how the vehicle handled and felt more so than its main competitor that i was looking at (lexus 470). i initially thought i wanted to lift it as i will be towing a small enclosed cargo trailer. but i would like some more info/ insight if available. cant find any decent lift suspension kits. kbut did find a couple decent ones that lower the vehicle.

I am not young by any means but i am not a grandpa either. i would like to freshen her look up a bit, the tint helped, i think it would look better with leveling kit, and any upgrades available for the exterior trim?

If I lowered the vehicle like 30ish mm would that make a difference in the towing/ handling capability? could i still tow? i dont see why not right? just a custom hitch if need be..

I will be on some shaky roads now and again and would probably prefer the performance of a lift, level, and bigger tires. but worse mileage..

I read about a couple software upgrades as well?

Any tuning mods recommended? i was def gonna get it chipped. will prob do an intercooler, and maybe cold air?

anyone towed with this vehicle? if so what size and kind of trailer would you recommend? what kind of hitch? worried about the trailer gettin squirly. i was thinking 6'x12' tandem axle..

i have much more to ask lol but this works for now. please contact me if you have some decent info.

Drew Sevcik
youthan1ze@protonmail.com

 

[SwissXC90]

If your car has the automatic self-levelling rear shocks then to lower it raise the car you would need to replace the rear shocks and springs. Of course, lowering it gives you less ground clearance and less suspension travel, and greatly reduces off road performance.

Uprated intercooler, uprated transmission oil cooler is something that might bring benefits.

The car has the best possible cold air intake on it already, it takes cold air from the front of the vehicle. You cannot improve on that.

Volvo make standard Volvo tow bars and wiring looms, they vary from region to region. Here in Europe we enjoy a removable tow bar that lives inside the vehicle when not in use. The standard Volvo tow bar wiring loom activates the trailer lamp in the dash to show a trailer is connected, and also disables the rear reverse lamps on the car and fog lamp on the car for better lamp performance when towing. By turning off the car’s rear fog and reverse lamps, it reduces reflective glare from these lamps if you are towing eg a caravan.

Some people like to add the standard Aux Light kit which gives extra lamp capabilities on high beam. Easy to install, the wiring is present in almost all of the XC90s. But the vehicle logic means it works on high beam only.


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[KeizerXC90]

Start by getting a solid tune-up on it, all new fluids and services. Suspension wise, don't go lower if you want to adventure the rig. My 04 has lowering springs on it(got it that way from the PO) and I hate the way it rides. Trying to get it back to stock, even with the Nivomat rear suspension. The nice thing with that is that is self levels so it will basically ride like it's unloaded. If you can find 17" factory wheels, you can toss 245/70R17 tires on to go a bit wider and a bit taller without messing with the handling or driveability much. crosscountryperformance.com sells some really neat stuff. I am planning on running their 1" sub-frame spacers. Since you want to tow, a Class III tow bar with the 6k rating is what you need. You will also need to get the vehicle wired for a trailer and a trailer brake controller. Going up or down from stock ride height usually results in less than factory rated towing capability. Our XC90 with the 2.5 tows our little 8" pop up trailer and the family just fine. Look for something like a Scamp or smaller pop up trailer and you will have a lot less of a heft to drag around. As for performance, there's not a whole lot you can do to them without spending serious coin. Just start by doing a solid stage 0 and go from there.