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Past posting Posted by Ari [Email]  (#2847) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Ari) on Tue, 12 Aug 2003 09:43:28
In Reply to: Instructions for r/r front suspension arm rear bushing?, Bill Homer [Profile/Gallery]
, Tue, 12 Aug 2003 08:10:09
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I found this in my Useful Posts folder:
I used it to replace the bushings in my car.
Posted by De Wayne on March 15, 2000 at 22:23:27:
In Reply to: Control arm bushing replacement posted by Ron F on March 15,
2000 at 21:04:32:
Here is a copy of the posting by mark Mueller from October 1997. I believe
this is the message you were looking for. Good luck on your efforts.
Thanks to those who have provided me helpful information on the my front
suspension "thunk" that occurred every time I braked to a stop on a smooth
straight and then when I started up again. Please pardon my long-winded
description, but I haven't seen a posting on this procedure.
Executive Summary: If you have looseness in your 9000 front suspension
check the rear bushings on your A-arms and inspect the front "bearing
holders" on the front A-arm bushings for cracks. My personal observation
was that replacing the front bushings before the 200,000 mile mark would
not
really have been necessary on my car, but yours may differ. Here's what I
found wrong: 1) One cracked-clear-through "bearing holder" -- two of these
on each side support the front lower control arm (A-arm) bushing. 2) Tired
and separating bushings at the rear of the control arms 3) maybe some slop
in the bushes between the front sway bar and chassis subframe that might
allow "flop" of the whole sway bar on braking or initial acceleration..
How did it go? What I replaced: Both bearing holders on one side ($12
each); Both front bushes ($13 each); Both rear control arm bushes ($28
each); Both sway bar links and all sway bar bushes ($86 total); Six
bolts/nuts for the lower control arm to ball joint connections (3 per
side);
Four 1 X 14 stainless pan head Phillips screws (2 per side) for the rear
bushings to replace destroyed Torx screws.
The plan: a) remove 3 bolts holding A-arm to ball joint; b) remove nut
holding sway bar link to control arm; c) loosen but don't remove nut
holding sway bar link to sway bar; d) lever down the A-arm from the sway
bar link to get access to the front bushing nuts; e) remove 4 bolts and 2
Torx screws holding rear bushing reinforcing plate to chassis; f) remove
nuts holding front A-arm bushing to chassis and drive bolts back through
subframe toward engine area; g) remove A-arm and bushings from chassis; h)
remove nut holding the rear bushing to the A-arm and remove; i) remove
bearing holders that support the front bush and then remove front bush from
the A-arm; j) coat new front bush with petroleum jelly and press into the
control arm; . . . . reas semble and torque in reverse sequence as
described in manual (section 6, as quoted to me by )
This was a tougher job than I had hoped, mostly because of corrosion. If
you are not a practiced mechanic with extra fasteners to hand, figure a
long
day. I found that the bolts connecting the control arm to the ball joints
were rusted and I broke two of six -- just planning to replace these is a
cheap time saver that will make you feel safer driving the car when you're
done. I also broke one of the sway bar links --- the area right at the
control arm sandwiched between the rubber bushes had been thinned by
corrosion and fractured when I tried to remove the nut. None of this is a
slam at SAAB; the A-arms themselves show virtually NO corrosion, which is
very impressive after ten winters of salt. The rear bushes are secured by
a reinforcing plate bol ted to the chassis with four bolts and two Torx
screws (the infamous six bolts). At some point in production I think the
Torx screws were phased out. Because the bushing metal is aluminum alloy,
the Torx screws were corroded solidly into the bushing body, and the only
ways I found to remove them were to twist off the heads and drill out the
screw or to saw the bushing away from it. If you don't have an overhead
hoist, borrow or rent an angle drill for this. You may need to use a bit
of heat on the front bushing nuts. Be e specially careful with the rear
nut for the front bushing, since the bolt is captive unless the
engine/transmission is removed -- you don't want to break a bolt. When the
A-arm was off the front bushings were a bear to remove from the A-arm --
this may be where the mysterious (to me) SAAB special tool is supposed to
be
used. I would probably not replace the front bushings if I had this to do
over, since they showed marvelous elasticity and strength and came back to
the same shape as the new ones once they were removed. I used a gear
puller to press the new front bushings into the A-arm. On one side the rear
bushing internal sleeve was corroded onto the A-arm, and I first separated
the housing and rubber by cutting and brute force (a gear puller) and
heated
the internal metal sleeve sans rubber to remove it from the A-arm. The
reassembly went smoothly --- but if you have the older 9000 chassis with
the
extra Torx screws be sure to line up the holes between bushing in chassis
BEFORE you install and up the front bushing bolts (how do I know this ??).
I did have to cobble up a temporary sway bar link out of an eye bolt, a
half-inch sleeve bronze bushing, a neoprene grommet, and some washers ---
this got me by until the new links arrived.
The "thunk" has gone and now it's time to think about changing winter
tires.
I hope this will give people some idea of what they can expect if they
decide to renew all the bushings on a 9000 front suspension. The only
thing I have not yet done is the front struts and the bearings at the strut
tops. At 153,000 miles the struts should be done, but does anyone have a
feeling about those bearings?
Thanks again to TSN for help,
Mark Mueller
1988 9000S
posted by 192.249....
, Tue, 12 Aug 2003 08:10:09, Tue, 12 Aug 2003 09:43:28 <-- Viewing This Message
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