1999-2009 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
The reason to write: Which spring perch to choose? I chose upper, and here's my story.
2005 Arc with 127K miles - shocks went squirrely in last 1200 miles. Just installed Koni FSD's all around. Got these as 'special', which put them at about $10 more than a set of Koni Sports. In front I used new mounts, bearings, bump stops (left over from a Bilstein install which did not use them). In back I used all new rubber bushings and lower shock bolts, but I reused the rubber spring isolators and top washers. I checked the cross stay bushings (rose bushes) and there was no slop, so I will wait for complete trailing arm bushings refresh at higher mileage.
I measured old/new rear shocks carefully - the distance from bolt hole to lower spring perch on the FSD's was about 3-4mm shorter on the FSD's than on OEM Sachs. I measured the two old assemblies - total length was identical (left rear shock was leaking). When I assembled one new shock on the lower perch, the full assembly was about 10mm shorter than stock from bolt hole to the spring mount that bolts to the car. I recompressed the spring and moved the c-clip to the upper position. As expected, the overall assembled unit was still lower by 10mm, but I now had 25mm of pre-compression from the higher mount. I did both sides this way.
The car drives very well (not realigned yet), and I think we will be very happy with it.
After a week of settling I will report back on ride height.
Mark in Marine (MN)
2005 Arc 127,900 miles
P.S. A tip on the bottom rear shock bolts: Use a large drill blank just under size to the bolt to help align rear arm and shock before trying to start the bolt.
posted by 173.85.12...
http://www.saabnet.com/tsn/bb/9-5/index.html?bID=257616
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.