Date: Sun, 29 Jan 2006 00:03:36 GMT From: ShazWozza <shaz_wozzanospamentspring.com> Subject: Re: how to work out why car seems to not 'sit' properly... 1985 8V 900i
Craig's Saab C900 Site wrote: > For ages I've been suspecting that my 1985 900i has a suspension problem > in that either both rear springs have shrunk from having too much load > placed on the rear of the car by previous owners (perhaps using trailers), > or something else. > > Anyway, it 'seems' like the problem might be the right/rear of the car, > but I've jacked up the back of the car today and taken off both rear > wheels yet so far I can't see anything physically wrong. > > How it came to light is that when driving (even slowly) on rough ground > the rear wheels rub on the wheel arches, and if I drive at speed on the > road, the car seems to handle badly and it 'bounces' a little on corners. > > I've already had the front of the car under close scrutiny due to problems > with other things (mainly when I changed the right/front swivel member and > wheel hub), but it could well be a problem with something at the front. > > Are there any tried and tested ways to explore rear suspension, etc. to > work out if there is a problem even if it's just that the springs are > tired? Springs lose their set over time, but you say the car 'bounces' a little on corners so this would point more to the dampers having gone to lunch. Springs and dampers form a resonant circuit of sorts and their rates must match. You can roughly test the dampers by violently jouncing the car up and down at each corner and noting how quickly the motion stops. A really bad damper will be obvious this way. If you park the car on level ground is one corner of the car lower (measure it with a tape).
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