Service Training

Self-study Programme 357

The Nivomat

Design and Function

 The loading of a vehicle influences the ride comfort The NIVOMAT from ZF Sachs is a
and driving stability to a great extent. tested, compact system that can be easily integrated
With this in mind, ride-height control systems have in existing vehicle concepts.
been and continue to be developed.
They have the task of actively reacting to the loading
of the vehicle suspension.

Until now, these systems were optional extras in the

higher vehicle classes or in luxury cars due to
their complexity.

S357_001

NEW Important
Note

The self-study programme shows the design and For current testing, adjustment and repair
function of new developments. instructions, refer to the relevant
The contents will not be updated. service literature.

2
Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Vehicle Suspension Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Loading and vehicle behaviour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Explanation of terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Vehicle suspension systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Shock absorbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Basics of Ride-height Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

What is ride-height control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Nivomat in the Passat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Workshop information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Explanation of the terms

Test Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

3
 Introduction

The Nivomat is a suspension system that automatically The advantages:

reacts to the load carried in the vehicle and adjusts
the vehicle level to the current loading state. This - compact design,
means that the Nivomat raises the rear of the vehicle - easy to install and retrofit,
when loaded within its control limits so that the driving - low cost,
stability is maintained. - no electrical or hydraulic power
It therefore makes an essential contribution to requirement,
the safety of the vehicle and its occupants. - no increased fuel consumption,
- load-sensitive suspension,
- prevention of damage to the underbody with
heavy loads,
- bumpers remain in an ideal position
even when the car is fully loaded.

S357_064

4
 Vehicle Suspension Basics

Loading and vehicle behaviour

The vehicle behaviour is essentially determined by the weight and the weight distribution between the axles in
addition to the speed and the environmental conditions. The ground clearance, driving stability, driving safety and
aerodynamics are influenced negatively by an uneven weight distribution.

Ground clearance

If a vehicle is heavily laden, the springs will be

compressed by the high vehicle weight and the
vehicle level compared with the road will be reduced.
Only a small amount of suspension travel is then
available to compensate, for example, potholes. The
underbody can be damaged.

Low ground clearance S357_002

Driving stability and driving safety

When the car is carrying heavy cargo, the load is

not distributed evenly between the front and rear
axles. The front axle grip is reduced so that the
drive, steering and braking forces are no longer
transferred sufficiently.
In crash situations, the bumpers will also no longer
be in an ideal position to absorb the collision.

Unfavourable bumper position S357_003

Aerodynamics

Due to the unfavourable vehicle position when

carrying heavy cargo, the air resistance and thus the
fuel consumption is increased. Particularly at high
speeds, the poor aerodynamic properties cause the
driving stability to be reduced further.

High air resistance S357_004

5
 Vehicle Suspension Basics

Explanation of terms
Before we look more closely at the design and the tasks of spring/damper systems in automotive
engineering, we will explain the terms damping and suspension in order to differentiate them as much as possible.

Damping

The term damping originates from the theory of Undamped oscillation

oscillation. In traditional mechanics, oscillation (ideal observation)

is the upward and downward movement of a mass

that is attached to a mechanical spring. If you do not
take external influences into consideration in an
idealised observation, an EXCITED MASS would
continue to oscillate infinitely (undamped oscillation).

In reality, there are, for example, friction influences

from the surrounding air and from inside the metal
structure of the spring. The friction that occurs
“consumes” some of the vibration energy during each
oscillation. This makes the oscillation weaker with Excitement S357_020
each stroke until it finally stops as long as the spring
mass system is not excited by bumps. Damped oscillation
This is called a damped oscillation.

In many technical areas, it is necessary to amplify

this damping behaviour with the appropriate
design measures to prevent the development or
build up of vibrations.
This is the task of damper systems used on the vehicle
axles in automotive engineering. Among other things,
they ensure that driving stability, driving
safety and ride comfort are maintained.
Excitement S357_021

6
 Suspension

The task of the suspension is to carry the weight

of the vehicle and absorb bumps caused by an
uneven road surface. Pre-tensioning the springs
ensures that none of the tyres lose contact with the
ground, for example, when they travel over potholes.
Vehicle weight This is important so that on bad road surfaces drive,
braking and steering forces can be transferred and
the handling can be controlled.

S357_022
Spring extension movement
for example, due to pot hole

Damping effect on Damping behaviour of mechanical springs

atom level
Depending on the type of spring used, a spring can
Metal atoms in
also damp oscillations. The damping effect is usually
spring
small, however. This is due to the METAL ATOMS in the
springs having a relatively fixed position and also
wanting to maintain this position. The ATOMS need to
Stretch movement of spring be excited by an external force to leave their normal
position and follow the extension movement of the
springs. If the external force is no longer there, the
metal atoms return to their original position.
At atom level with these movements, kinetic energy is
converted into thermal energy. This is why springs
Force become warm when they are extended and
compressed in quick succession.

Heat loss due to energy conversion

Kinetic energy is
released as heat

Return movement

S357_057 - S357_059

7
 Vehicle Suspension Basics

Vehicle suspension systems

To achieve ideal interaction between suspension and damping, springs and suspension systems are used together.

In terms of physics, a vehicle is made up of unsprung and sprung masses.

The mechanical springs and the damper systems are partly among the unsprung masses.

Unsprung masses

This includes components that absorb the unevenness

of the road with their movements. They are: Movement of
unsprung
masses due to
- the axles, uneven road surface
- the springs (partly),
- the wheel mountings,
- the brakes,
- the dampers (partly) and
- the wheels.

S357_005

Sprung masses Slight movement of

sprung
masses due to
These are all parts that are isolated from the uneven uneven road surface
road surface by spring elements,
for example:

- the body,
- the occupants and
- the load.

S357_006

Basic design

Vehicle suspensions are usually made up of three

spring elements:

- the tyres,
- the axle suspension and
- the seat springs.

S357_007

8
Spring system tasks

To illustrate the tasks of the suspension systems, we will look at the behaviour of a vehicle with a purely mechanical
suspension without shock absorbers (undamped suspension) and a vehicle with a spring/damper system
(damped suspension).

Vehicle with undamped suspension

Internal vehicle vibrations develop.

When an undamped suspension is used, the tyres
start to bounce on successive road bumps and lose
contact with the surface.
The vehicle body is subjected to increasing as well as
overlapping oscillating and rolling movements that
cause uneven grip. The vehicle is no longer
controllable and becomes unstable.

Suspension without shock absorbers S357_008

Vehicle with damped suspension

Internal vehicle vibrations are kept low.
The damping ensures that body and wheel vibrations
that are caused by an uneven road surface are
quickly absorbed. The grip of the tyres on the road is
therefore maintained and the drive, steering as well
as braking forces can be transferred.
The vehicle can also be controlled on bad road
surfaces and is stable.

Suspension with shock absorbers S357_009

In the diagrams showing the behaviour of springs and dampers over the next pages, the mounting point
on the body is taken as the fixed point. Therefore, when the springs are compressed, the upwards force,
which compresses the springs or dampers, is shown as an arrow while the extension is shown as an
arrow pointing downwards. The movement is therefore shown relative to the vehicle body.

9
 Vehicle Suspension Basics

Types of suspension
The following suspension systems are distinguished:

- Mechanical springs in the form of leaf, coil or TORSION SPRINGS made from steel or rubber spring elements,
- pneumatic suspension,
- hydropneumatic suspension and
- combinations of these systems, for example, a strut with pneumatic suspension and coil springs.

Mechanical suspension

The mechanical springs on a vehicle above all have

the purpose of carrying the mass of the vehicle.

Leaf spring Rubber

spring
Damping behaviour of mechanical springs

As described, mechanical springs usually have just a

few damping characteristics.
It is not enough to damp the body vibrations
sufficiently.
Coil Torsion spring
spring

S357_010

Pneumatic suspension systems

A basic pneumatic spring consists of airtight bellows

that are filled with a gas. The spring effect is based
on the fact that gases can be compressed. This means
that the bellows are pressed together by the
vehicle mass.

Damping behaviour of pneumatic springs Compression

Bellows cycle

Pneumatic springs also have a damping behaviour

Gas
when the bellows are extended and contracted.
This is due to the vibration energy being converted Extension cycle
into thermal energy as the gas is compressed S357_011
and expanded.

10
 Hydropneumatic suspension
Reserve
volume
As liquids cannot be compressed much, a purely
Cylinder
hydraulic suspension system has only a very small
spring effect. Hydraulic fluids are excellently suited,
Hydraulic
fluid however, for achieving good damping behaviour. In
order to use this property, cylinders and pump pistons
are also filled with gas (gas-filled springs). The result
Pump piston is a hydropneumatic suspension that creates the
spring effect by compressing the gas in the
Small Large reserve volume.
spring effect spring effect

S357_012

Damping behaviour of hydropneumatic suspension

Due to the properties of the hydraulic fluid, these

systems have a very high damping behaviour. The
piston has small bore holes through which the
hydraulic fluid needs to flow when the piston is moved
Flow resistance
damps
by a force.
Pump piston movement
with bore holes

Force S357_013

Compression Extension Due to piston valves acting on one side with different
cross-sections, the extension cycle is damped more
than a compression movement. This is necessary
because the mechanical springs on the strut (support
springs) counteract the movement of the pump piston
as it extends.
During compression, the supporting spring supports
the movement of the pump piston. Therefore only a
smaller level of damping is required for the
compression movement.

Piston valve with low Piston valve with high

damping damping

S357_014

11
 Vehicle Suspension Basics

Shock absorbers
Pressure cylinder Gas
Today shock absorbers are the most frequently
used damper elements in chassis suspension systems.
Their task is, as the name suggests, to absorb
vibrations caused by the uneven road surface fast
enough and to the greatest extent possible so natural
vibrations do not or rarely occur in the vehicle body.
Reserve cylinder

Today’s shock absorbers are usually designed as Diaphragm

hydropneumatic systems.
Pump piston
with
piston valves

Hydraulic fluid

Cylinder

S357_015

Piston rod

Gas is
Among other things, the reserve chamber is used to compressed
hold the fluid that is pushed out of the pressure
cylinder when the piston rod enters the working room
during a compression cycle.

There are two types: single and twin-tube shock

absorbers. The diaphragm shown here is not
absolutely necessary. Depending on the type of shock
absorber, the hydraulic fluid and gas are not
separated or are divided by a separator piston. Volume of
inserted
piston rod

S357_016

Compression cycle

To illustrate the basic principle more simply, the reserve cylinder is shown as an external chamber.
Real shock absorbers usually have an integrated reserve cylinder.

12
Single-tube shock absorber

Design

In the single-tube shock absorbers, the pressure

cylinder and the reserve cylinder are combined in the
same tube. Hence the name single-tube damper. To
avoid bubbles forming in or foaming of the gas
volume and hydraulic fluid, the two cylinders are
Piston rod
separated by a sliding separator piston.

Cylinder
The reserve cylinder is filled with nitrogen gas. It has
Hydraulic fluid a pressure of approx. 20 to 30bar depending on
the manufacturer and design. The pressure cylinder
Pump piston where the pump piston moves is above the
with separator piston.
piston valves

The damping effect, as described for the hydraulic

suspension, comes from the pump rod only being able
Pressure
cylinder to travel in the pressure chamber as fast as the
hydraulic fluid can flow through the piston valves
Separator piston from one side of the piston to the other. The piston
valves ensure the different damping characteristics
Reserve cylinder during the compression and expansion cycles.

Gas

S357_017

Advantages of single-tube damper:

- good heat discharge,

- no danger of foaming,
- fast response and
- numerous mounting positions possible.

13
 Vehicle Suspension Basics

Function Compression cycle

Due to the moving separator piston, the single-tube

shock absorber has a pressure cylinder
with variable volume.
Pressure
cylinder
When the pump piston is moved in the direction of the
Volume that is
gas volume during a compression cycle, the displaced by the
Pump piston
piston rod is pushed into the hydraulic fluid. The piston rod
volume of hydraulic fluid that is displaced by the
piston rod moves the separator piston so that the
pressure in the reserve cylinder is increased. Separator
This process is called volume compensation. piston Volume
compensation
Reserve
cylinder

S357_018

Force

Extension cycle

During the extension cycle, the piston rod is pulled

far out of the pressure cylinder. As a result, it
displaces less hydraulic fluid than before so the
separator piston is now moved in the direction of the
pump piston by the pressure of the gas volume.
Volume that is not
displaced by the
piston rod

Volume
compensation

S357_019

14
Twin-tube shock absorber

Design

In a twin-tube shock absorber, the pressure cylinder

and the reserve cylinder are accommodated in two
pipes that fit inside each other. The pressure cylinder
with the pump piston is in the inner tube.
Piston rod The space between the outer tube and the inner tube
is used as the reserve cylinder. This is where the gas
and the hydraulic fluid for the volume compensation
is located.

In a twin-tube shock absorber, nitrogen is used as the

Outer tube gas. It has a lower pressure than single-tube shock
absorbers of approx. 3 to 8bar. The pressure cylinder
Gas and reserve cylinder are connected via valves at the
bottom of the inner tube
Inner tube
so that the hydraulic fluid can flow back and forth
Hydraulic fluid between the two chambers.

Pump piston
with
piston valves

Pressure
cylinder
Valves at
bottom of inner
Reserve
S357_023 cylinder

Advantages of twin-tube damper

- Low-cost construction
- Short length

In order to show the design and functions more clearly, the twin-tube shock absorber proportions have
been exaggerated widthways. Twin-tube shock absorber are in fact considerably slimmer in design.

15
 Vehicle Suspension Basics

Function

Volume compensation should also occur during the Compression cycle

compression and extension cycles in the twin-tube
shock absorber since the piston rod displaces more or
less hydraulic fluid. Volume that
Gas is displaced
by
During the compression cycle, the hydraulic oil that
the piston rod
is displaced by the piston rod is pushed into the
reserve cylinder via the base valve. The pressure in Pressure
the reserve cylinder increases. As a result the gas is cylinder Volume
compensation
compressed until a pressure equilibrium is reached
between the pressure cylinder, reserve cylinder
and gas. Pump piston
Reserve
cylinder

Outlet S357_024
valve

Force

During the extension cycle, the piston rod is pulled far Extension cycle
out of the inner tube. This means the piston rod
displaces less hydraulic fluid so that the pressure in
the pressure cylinder is reduced compared
with the reserve cylinder. The inlet valve opens and
Volume that
hydraulic fluid flows out of the reserve cylinder into is not displaced
the pressure cylinder. by
The gas expands between the inner and outer tube the piston rod.
Piston valves
until a pressure equilibrium is reached between the
pressure cylinder, reserve cylinder and gas.

The valves in the pump piston and the

valves at the bottom of the inner tube ensure damping Volume
during the compression and extension cycles. compensation

Inlet
valve

S357_025

16
 Basics of Ride-height Control

What is ride-height control?

As described at the beginning of the self-study program, the vehicle load affects driving stability to a great extent.
Ride-height control in the spring/damper system allows the vehicle height to be adjusted to different load states. As
a result the driving stability, safety and ride comfort are also maintained with heavy loads.
There are different constructive approaches for creating a ride-height control system:

- changing the ratio of the springs,

- changing the lower mounting point of the shock absorber or
- a combination of these two approaches.

Changing the spring ratio

Strut
The ratio of the springs is the distance between the
rear axle bearing and the lower mounting point of the
Lower mount shock absorber in relation to the position of the wheel.
An arm is attached to the rear axle bearing and the
lower mount.

Long
arm
Rear axle bearing

S357_026

This arm is shortened by mechanically moving the

lower mount towards the rear axle bearing.
The shorter lever requires more force to compress
the shock absorber above the rear axle.
Lower mount This means that, with the same loading, the rear axle
springs are not compressed as much as with the
long arm.

Short
arm

S357_027

17
 Basics of Ride-height Control

Changing the lower mount of the spring

Changing the lower mount of the spring means that the lower mounting point of the strut is moved downwards in
relation to the vehicle body using the corresponding design modifications. This changes the arm relationship
between the rear axle bearing and strut in a similar way to the previous example.

There are three possible constructions for achieving this:

- Lowering the whole damper inn relation to the vehicle body,

- fastening the lower mount to a lever with torsion spring or
- increasing the spacing between the upper and lower mount of the shock absorber.

Lowering the damper Without Control unit

ride-height control
In this approach, the upper mount of the shock Reservoir
absorber is not directly connected to the vehicle body,
Hydraulic
but to the piston of a hydraulic cylinder. cylinder Pump
This is in turn attached to the vehicle body.

Upper mount of
strut

S357_028

With
If the boot load is too high, the piston of this cylinder ride-height control

will be extended using a pump and

the rear of the vehicle thus raised.

S357_061

18
 Using a torsion spring
Rear axle bearing
In this case, the lower mount of the strut is connected
Strut
to a torsion spring via a lever. The torsion spring is
bolted to the rear axle. When the torsion spring is
twisted by a heavy load, the arm between the rear
axle bearing and lower mount is shortened. As a
result the strut is not compressed so much with
Torsion spring
a full load.
Lever
Lower mount

S357_029

S357_030 Changing the spacing between the top

and lower mount of the strut

The distance between the upper and lower mount

point of the strut is changed depending on the
loading of the vehicle. The compressed strut is simply
pulled out.

Starting point Loading Ride-height control

This procedure can be achieved with three different construction methods:

1. The external supply of a hydropneumatic damper

2. The external supply of a pneumatic damper

3. A self-pumping hydropneumatic damper

S357_031 -S357_034

19
 Basics of Ride-height Control

1. Hydropneumatic dampers with external Oil reservoir

supply

This system is made up of an external oil reservoir, a

hydraulic pump as well as the damper with reserve
chamber and gas (gas-filled spring). The principle for
controlling the ride height is to pump hydraulic fluid Pump Reserve chamber
(internal or external)
from the external oil reservoir into the pressure
chamber using the hydraulic pump.

Without
ride-height control S357_035

Since, due to the pump output, the pressure in the

pressure chamber increases faster than the piston
valves can reach a pressure equilibrium with the Force
pressure chamber, there is a pressure difference
between both areas of the pressure cylinder.
The resulting force extends the piston and is Gas-filled spring
supported by the gas-filled spring.

Pump Reserve chamber

(internal or external)

Piston

With
ride-height control S357_036

Legend
Low pressure

Pressure equilibrium / normal pressure

High pressure

20
 2. Pneumatic spring damper with external
Air pump supply

Piston
The damper has a flexible air chamber with bellows
and an external air pump that is connected to the
surrounding air. In simple terms, the outside walls of
the damper form a pneumatic cylinder with the walls
Bellows of the air chamber.

Air
chamber

Without
ride-height control S357_037

Air supply
If the load is increased, air is pumped into the air
chamber. As a result, the damper piston is drawn
out of the pressure chamber so that the extension
and compression path is also maintained with
heavy loads.
In addition to the air pump, level sensors and an
external electronic control unit are also required for
this system.

With
ride-height control S357_038

Legend
Air at normal pressure (1 bar)

Air at overpressure

21
 Basics of Ride-height Control

Without ride-height control

3. Self-pumping hydropneumatic
damper Reserve cylinder

Self-pumping means that the damper automatically

reacts to an increasing load and no additional Hydraulic pump in the
components like external pumps or sensors are piston rod
required for the ride-height control. Essential features
of the self-pumping systems are a high-pressure oil
reservoir separate from the reserve chamber and a High-pressure
mechanical hydraulic pump inside the piston rod. oil reservoir
All necessary parts are integrated in the damper. S357_041

Self-pumping

The basic principle behind the self-pumping systems is

to drive the integrated hydraulic pump with the High-pressure
oil reservoir
vertical vehicle movement.
The pump movement causes hydraulic fluid to be
transported from the reserve chamber into the high-
Vertical
pressure oil reservoir. vehicle movement

S357_042

With ride-height control

This process creates a higher pressure in the pressure
chamber and high-pressure oil reservoir so that
the gas-filling underneath the separator piston
(gas-filled spring) is compressed more. The force is
held by the separator piston causing the piston rod to
be extended. Legend
Low pressure

Pressure equilibrium / normal

pressure
High pressure

S357_043

22
There are currently two different types of self-pumping hydropneumatic systems:

- Damper using the hydromat principle and

- dampers using the Nivomat principle.

The reserve chamber and the high-pressure oil

Hydromat damper reservoir are between the inner and outer tube in the
hydromat system.
Thanks to the construction of the hydromat, it can be
Inner tube used in vehicle suspensions without additional
mechanical coil springs (fully supported system).
Reserve cylinder
However, the hydromat does require more space
Outer tube than conventional shock absorbers.

High-pressure oil reservoir

S357_040

Due to the arrangement of the high-pressure oil

reservoir with separator piston above or below the
Nivomat damper
pressure chamber, the Nivomat principle allows a
very slim design compared with the hydromat.
The Nivomat is therefore an extremely compact and
easy to install ride-height control system.
It replaces the conventional shock absorbers in the
vehicle suspension, but also needs an additional
Pressure cylinder mechanical coil spring (partly supporting system).

High-pressure oil reservoir

Separator piston

Gas
S357_039

At the moment, the Nivomat principle is used as the ride-height control system at VOLKSWAGEN
exclusively in vehicles without pneumatic suspension systems.
Over the following pages, we will therefore take a detailed look at the design and function of the
Nivomat damper.

23
 Nivomat in the Passat

As we have said, the Nivomat is a compact ride-height control system. It is installed on the rear axle instead of the
two normal hydropneumatic dampers. The diameter of the Nivomat is larger than a conventional damper.
As each Nivomat adjusts itself automatically depending on the load, it is also possible to balance the rear axle if
the loading on the left and right-hand side differs.
The basic features of the design are low pressure as well as high-pressure oil reservoirs and the internal
mechanical hydraulic pump for the Nivomat.

Design

Low-pressure and high-pressure oil reservoir

The Nivomat design is more or less a combination of

single-tube and twin-tube shock absorber.
This means that, like single-tube shock absorbers, it
has a separator piston and, like twin-tube shock
absorbers, a inner as well as a outer tube with a
reserve cylinder between them. The pressure cylinder Mounting point
Body
is inside the inner tube.

In the Nivomat, the reserve cylinder with oil reservoir

and gas is not just used to compensate the volume of Gas
the piston rod, but also as the “supply cylinder” for
the ride-height control. It is called the low-pressure
Low-pressure
oil reservoir.
oil reservoir

The space with the separator piston underneath the Outer tube
partition also has a volume of gas and an oil
reservoir. This is the high-pressure oil reservoir.
Pressure
cylinder
The ride-height control is achieved by the hydraulic
pump pumping hydraulic oil from the low-pressure oil Inner tube
reservoir into the high-pressure oil reservoir into the
high-pressure oil reservoir. Partition

High-pressure
oil reservoir

Separator piston

Gas

Mounting point S357_044

for axle

24
 Outlet valve
Hydraulic pump

It is driven by the compression and extension

Control sleeve
movement of the vehicle.
The special feature of the Nivomat compared with
Pump chamber conventional shock absorbers is the hollow piston rod.
A control sleeve has been pushed inside it with small
spacing from the piston rod and is connected to the
Piston rod
piston rod via the valve piston.
The control sleeve guides the pump rod, which is also
Inlet valve
hollow and connected to the partition at the other
end. The space formed by the control sleeve and
Valve piston pump rod is the pump chamber. The oil supply for the
Drainage hole pump runs via a bore hole in the partition that leads
to the low-pressure oil reservoir.
Pressure cylinder At the top end of the pump rod, there is an inlet valve
that allows oil to flow from the inner bore hole of the
Spiral groove pump rod into the control sleeve.
The outlet valve, through which the oil flows from the
Pump rod pump chamber into the pressure cylinder and then
into the high-pressure oil reservoir, is at the top of the
Low-pressure oil reservoir control sleeve.

Partition

High-pressure oil reservoir

S357_045

There is a spiral groove on the pump rod that works as a bypass.

Oil can flow back and forth between the pump cylinder and pressure cylinder when the spiral groove is opened to
the pressure cylinder by the control sleeve.
Finally a drainage bore in the pump rod allows the oil to flow back from the pressure cylinder into the low-pressure
oil reservoir via the partition.
The pump rod, control sleeve, inlet and outlet valve form the hydraulic pump for the Nivomat.

25
 Nivomat in the Passat

Function

We will break the functioning of the Nivomat down into three sections:

- raising the vehicle level,

- holding the vehicle level and
- lowering the vehicle level.

Within these sections, we will show the procedures in very simplified diagrams
of the Nivomat.

Realistic depiction

Simplified depiction
Piston rod

Control sleeve

Low-pressure
Low-pressure oil reservoir
Pump rod
oil reservoir
Outer tube
Pressure
cylinder
Partition

High-pressure Inner tube

oil reservoir

Separator piston Gas

S357_063 (gas-filled
S357_062 spring)

About the diagram

In the simplified diagram, the actual proportions of the individual components inside the Nivomat are exaggerated
to make the operation of the pump rod inside the piston rod and the resulting oil flow easier to see.

26
 Raising the vehicle level

When the boot is loaded, the rear of the vehicle is

lowered as usual by the compression of the shock
absorbers and coil springs.

S357_046

The Nivomat starts to work as the vehicle pulls away

Piston rod
and compression and extension movements are
Pump chamber caused by bumps on the road surface. During the first
Inlet valve extension cycle, the Nivomat moves downwards away
from the pump piston and piston rod. This increases
Low-pressure
oil reservoir the volume of the pump chamber and oil is drawn out
of the low-pressure oil reservoir via the bore holes in
Pump piston
the partition, the bore hole in the pump rod and the
Pump rod inlet valve in the pump chamber.

Extension cycle S357_047

Outlet valve The inlet valve closes during the next compression
Pump chamber cycle. The oil in the pump chamber is now pushed out
Piston rod of the outlet valve into the space between the control
sleeve and piston rod. From there it passes through
Pressure cylinder
the working chamber into the high-pressure oil
Control sleeve reservoir.

Partition
High-pressure
oil reservoir
Separator piston
Legend
Low pressure

S357_049 Pressure equilibrium / normal pressure

Compression cycle High pressure

27
 Nivomat in the Passat

This means that due to the compression and extension

Flow
cycles, oil is constantly pumped from the low-pressure
oil reservoir into the high-pressure reservoir. As a Pressure
result, the pressure in the low-pressure reservoir and decreases,
the gas between the inner and outer tube expands. gas expands.

The pressure in the high-pressure oil reservoir

Low-pressure
increases and the separator piston is pushed in the
oil reservoir
direction of the gas. The gas underneath the
High-pressure
separator piston is compressed. oil reservoir

Pressure
increases,
gas is
compressed.

S357_050

Piston movement

The lifting force that pushes the piston out of the

Nivomat results from the pump pumping hydraulic
fluid faster into the area under the piston than the Pressure
difference
fluid can flow through the piston valves in the upper
section. This causes a pressure difference between the
areas under and below the piston. The piston is
pushed upwards out of the cylinder. The lifting force is
supported by the separator piston and thus by the
high gas pressure of the gas cylinder. Lifting force

Separator piston
Gas cylinder
S357_060
Legend
Low pressure

Pressure equilibrium / normal pressure

High pressure

28
 Holding the vehicle level

When the target vehicle level is approached, the

spiral groove reaches the pressure cylinder.
Pump chamber Now oil can flow back and forth between the pressure
cylinder and the pump chamber. This means that no
Spiral groove outlet more oil is drawn in through the inlet valve during
an extension cycle movement nor pumped into the
Pressure cylinder
high-pressure oil reservoir during a compression
cycle movement.
The vehicle maintains the level reached even during
Spiral groove inlet further compression and extension movements.

Inlet valve

High-pressure
oil reservoir

Compression S357_052
and extension movements

The spiral groove on the pump rod is designed so that

it connects the pressure chamber to the pump
Spiral groove chamber when the rear of the vehicle approaches the
normal position. The spiral groove forms the
boundary up to which the vehicle level can be raised.

Pump rod

S357_051

In this operating mode, there is a pressure

equilibrium between the high-pressure gas, high-
pressure oil reservoir, the pressure chamber and the
pump chamber.

If the load is reduced, this balance has to be

reached again.

Nivomat Load

S357_053

29
 Nivomat in the Passat

Lowering the vehicle level

When the vehicle is unloaded, the load on the rear

axle is reduced. The mechanical springs on the axle
Pump chamber
draw the piston out of the pressure chamber during
the extension cycle. This causes the pressure Piston rod
equilibrium that has been reached in the Nivomat
Drainage hole
between the high-pressure gas, the pressure chamber
and pump chamber to be lost. The gas volume
Pump piston
expands due to the lack of counter-pressure and
Pressure cylinder
supports the movement of the piston as the oil is
pushed out of the high-pressure oil reservoir via the Partition
partition in the pressure chamber. The rear of the High-pressure
vehicle is raised. oil reservoir
Separator piston
High-pressure
gas
S357_055 Extension movement due to
reduced load

Legend
Low pressure

Pressure equilibrium / normal pressure

High pressure

The unloading causes the piston rod to be moved

upwards with the piston and opening the drainage
hole. Now oil can flow out of the high-pressure oil
reservoir and the pressure chamber, through the
Control sleeve
bore hole in the pump rod and partition into the
low-pressure oil reservoir between the inner and Drainage hole
outer tube. Low-pressure
oil reservoir

Pump rod

Pressure cylinder

Partition

Low-pressure
oil reservoir

S357_056
Adjusting the
vehicle level
to the new load

30
 Service

Workshop information
Diagnosis Retrofitting

When customers come with complaints, a visual Retrofitting on vehicles is possible as long as they
inspection of the Nivomat should be carried out first are approved for the Nivomat system and the
of all. Drops of oil on the lower mounts indicate a appropriate installation and repair instructions are
faulty Nivomat. Faulty Nivomats should be replaced available. It is important that the mounting points on
according to the repair instructions in ELSA. the vehicle for using the Nivomat are the correct size.

If the customer notices the vehicle is leaning, this The main advantage of the Nivomat system is that no
could have the following causes: additional components like sensors, pumps and
control units nor electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic
- incorrect tyre pressure, lines need to be fitted and connected.
- broken coil springs, The retrofit work simply involves replacing the
- faulty, leaking Nivomat shock absorbers on both sides of the rear axle with
the correct Nivomats for the vehicle.
If the customer complains that the suspension is too In addition, the coil springs on the axle need to be
soft, a test drive should be carried out in addition to weaker as the Nivomat takes over part of the spring
the visual check. force of the coil springs in the complete suspension
The causes can be: system.

- incorrect, uneven tyre pressures Both conventional shock absorbers on the rear axle
- overloading need to be replaced with Nivomats.
- faulty anti-roll bars at front and rear Make sure you follow the installation instructions.
including mountings
- worn steering bearings
- worn Nivomat mounting bearings
- faulty Nivomat

31
 Service

Repair and disposal

Faulty Nivomats should be disposed of according to

the repair instructions in ELSA. Two holes should be
drilled into the faulty Nivomat to release the
pressurised gas and drain off the hydraulic fluid.
Perform the work steps in the order specified in the
repair literature.
Observe the specified spacing and drill bit size. The
outer tube casing needs to be drilled through
completely. Gas and oil spray will escape.

Once no more gas escapes after you have drilled the

first hole and the Nivomat has been depressurised in
the drilled area, make the hole bigger with a larger
drill bit. Now hold the faulty Nivomat with the hole
facing downwards over an oil tray and pump out the
oil by moving the piston rod. Drill the second hole
using the same procedure and drain the next section.
Once you have completed the work, the empty
Nivomat can be scrapped and the hydraulic fluid
disposed of correctly.

32
 Glossary

Atoms Nivomat

The term atom was coined by the Greek philosopher Trademark of ZF Sachs for their shock absorber
Democritus around 400 B.C. Atom means indivisible system with ride-height control.
and described what was then believed to be the
smallest conceivable particle from which matter is
made. Today we know that atoms are made from Torsion spring
subatomic particles. At school, we learn that the
structure is made up of a heavy nucleus and a light Torsion is twisting along the longitudinal axis. A
atomic shell. The nucleus is made up of protons torsion spring or torsion bar is a spring element that is
(particles with positive electric charge) and neutrons wound in a similar way to an elastic band. Torsion
(particles without electric charge). Electrons (particles bars are used, for example, for anti-roll bars or
with negative electric charge) orbit within the shell. in the steering.
The atomic number of the nucleus and shell needs to
be balanced to obtain a uncharged atom. If this is not
the case, an ion is involved.
Now even the elementary particles, i.e. electrons,
protons and neutrons are being split into even smaller
units. The aim is discover the smallest common
universal particle and thus explain the structure and
also the creation of all matter in the universe.

Excited mass

If a mass or a particle is supplied with energy, for

example, by an impact, increasing the overall energy
of the mass, it is called an excited mass or excited
particle in physics and chemistry.

Metal atoms

Metals have a different atomic structure to salts like

household salt, for example, or molecules like sugar,
for example. In metals, the outer electrons are not tied
to the individual metal atoms, but instead move freely
in the metal as a cloud of electrons.
The mobility of the outer electrons causes metals to be
conductive and creates their metallic shiny surfaces.

33
 Test Yourself

Which answers are correct?

One, several or all of the answers could be correct.

1. Which statement is correct?

a) The damping mainly supports the weight of the body.

b) The damping prevents internal vehicle vibrations occurring.

c) The damping ensures the necessary spring travel for stability and safety when the vehicle is carrying
heavy loads.

2. Which of the listed components are sprung masses?

a) Body b) Seats c) Axles

a) Springs e) occupants f) Wheel mountings

a) Brakes h) Wheels i) Load

3. The damping effect of shock absorbers results from:

a) the mechanical springs in the shock absorbers converting work into heat.

b) flow resistance occurring in the piston valve when the pump piston is moved.

c) the movement energy of the vertical vehicle movement being consumed by the damper characteristics.

4. What does volume compensation mean with shock absorbers?

a) The volume compensation adjusts the volume of the pressure chamber to the different
load states.

b) During volume compensation, the volume of hydraulic fluid displaced by the piston rod is collected in the
reserve cylinder.

34
5. The basic features of the Nivomat are:

a) separate low-pressure and high-pressure oil reservoirs,

b) an integrated height sensor,

c) a hollow piston rod for holding the pump rod,

d) special piston valves with different damping characteristics.

6. The internal hydraulic pump is used:

a) to pump hydraulic fluid into the low-pressure oil reservoir,

a) to pump hydraulic fluid from the low-pressure into the high-pressure oil reservoir,

a) to pump hydraulic fluid into the external oil reservoir,

7. Once the ride height required for stability and safety has been reached:

a) the level sensor in the Nivomat prevents the vehicle level being raised again,

b) the drainage bore hole in the pump rod prevents the vehicle level being raised again,

c) the spiral groove in the pump rod prevents the vehicle level being raised again,

d) the head valve in the control sleeve prevents the vehicle level being raised again,

1. b); 2. a), b), e), i); 3. b); 4. b); 5. a), c); 6. b); 7.c)
Answers

35
 357

© VOLKSWAGEN AG, Wolfsburg

All rights and rights to make technical alterations reserved.
000.2811.71.20 Technical status 09/2005

Volkswagen
Service Training VK-21
Brieffach 1995
38436 Wolfsburg

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