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Howdy,
I'm a grad student, and am very transient at this point in my life - this means that I can't yet establish a relationship with a good Saab mechanic. I'm always having to get work done in different parts of the northeast (but I've found some good mechanics on this site!).
Heres the question. Last spring, the steering rack in my '97 900s, auto had to be replaced. It had about 90K on it when the job was done by a shop that does a variety of foreign cars in Ithaca, NY. Ext. warranty covered it, THANK GOD! I think it was leaking, and spraying power steering fluid all over the place, or something. After it was done, I left school for the summer. Steering was very tight and felt fine, but when you turn the wheel if the car is stopped, or moving very very slowly (i.e. parking), there is a "pop" that comes from the rack, or maybe the rods that come off the rack.
This fall, and indie in PA said that the pop was indeed coming from the rack. He checked all the bolts in the steering column, and confirmed it was the rack. He said I wouldn't loose steering or anything, but that I might want to have the original place take another look at it - I shouldn't have to live with it. We've never had a chance to get it looked at by the original shop due to geographic and logistical constraints.
Now the car has 105K on it, and is kind of relegated to "station car" status. My wife drives it to the train station every morning, fast, on shitty city roads (it makes me sad). The shocks are definately spent. On the highway, I notice something else. The car tracks perfectly straight, and the wheels are balanced. But, when I turn the wheel from side to side a short distance, kind of like swerving but not very hard, I can feel a bit of a shimmy or vibration when the wheel returns to center.
Whats the deal? Would worn shocks and bushings have anything to do with the shimmy? Should I worry about the rack? Steering is tight otherwise. We plan on keeping the car for at least another year or so (we're moving to Denver this summer). We are planning on doing the shocks this spring, soon. The extended warranty is up, so expensive repairs will have to be considered in relation to the value of the car. Otherwise, the car is fine.
Thanks for you thoughts,
Brian
'97 900s, auto, 105K
posted by 68.46.4...
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