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The only thing that can be adjusted on the NG900's and 9-3 is the front toe-in.
This is for a Viggen Rescue Kit equipped vehicle. If you have stock suspension components, then you can ignore the comments about very low toe-in settings and go with a standard setting.
Be sure that the tire pressures are correct before proceeding.
You will not be removing the wheels or jacking up the vehicle.
You can get a toe-in guage from harborfreight.com for around $13. The tires and wheels are quite confined on the vehicle, but the guage is still useable. It measures the distance across the tires, not the rims. I position it in a vertical posture to use it.
You need to drive to the location where you are going to use it and then roll back around 1/2 a tire turn to unwind the stress and deflections caused by the exising toe-[in|out]. I roll the tires back and forth a few times for good measure. The folks across the street might question my sanity seeing me going back and forth...
So you follow the instructions that come with the gauge. The Saab toe-in specs are for measurements across the rims, not the tires, so you have to make allowances for such things.
I am not setting my toe-in to any spec, but I am making it quite small. While underway, the stock rubber bushings would deflect under the forces to relieve some of the stesses dictated by the toe-in. So with the VRK at spec toe-in, the actual toe-in geometry and forces would exceed those of a stock system. With the VRK I can also feel the toe-in causing a front tire traction argument with the front tires on ice.
First move the tires fully to the locks in each direction to expose the tie rod ends. Then back off the two 13mm clamp bolts. Spray penetrating oil in the adjuster threads as exposed and through the saw cuts in the clamps. Then work the 17mm adjuster with an open ended wrench to loosen it up... leaving it in is original position. Actually you should do this prior to positioning the vehicle and backing up etc as described earlier.
In the adjustment position you should have the steering wheel in the postition that you use to drive straight down the road. After fitting the Koni's my wheel was to the left. Have this postion as you approach the adjustment postion on the pavement.
If you need to change the steering wheel postion to 'straighten it out', then you will need to turn each tie rod adjuster the same amount in opposite directions. This will then preserve the existing toe-in. Turn the top of the left adjuster towards the front to position the steering wheel to the right. As you adjust the L&R adjusters in oposite directions, the tires will stay put and the steering wheel will move. After the steering wheel is set straight, you are done. Now without tightening the clamp bolts go for a short drive to access the steering wheel position. After repeating things if needed, then tighten the 4 13mm clamp bolts.
Be sure that the tie rod ends and the long shafts to the rack have the 13mm bolts vertical as to not have any of the joints cocked to one side.
If you want to adjust the toe in, then turn both adjusters in the same direction. Turning the tops of the adjusters towards the front will reduce toe-in. Note that Haynes' drawing of the adjuster is a bit bogus, because they show the threads going the same way which would not change the length if adjusted. Their manuals are very sloppy compared to what they use to be!
There is just enough room to reach around the tire to get at the 17mm adjuster. You will want an open ended wrench that is not extra long, as you would then not have room to use it. A 11/16 wrench will do if the adjuster is not stuck.
The adjuster threads are quite course, and a small amount of adjustment goes a long way. Note that there are two sets of threads moving when you turn a single adjuster, so this doubles the effect of the course threads. So make small adjustment.
When changing the toe-in, after zeroing the guage at the back of the tire, then note that as you adjust the toe-in to effect a change in the indicted toe-in, that the rear base line is also changing by a similar amount. So the indicated amount of change is only 1/2 of what is happening! So make targeted changes that are indicating 1/2 of your objective. After making a change, drive and repostion, rezero the guage and get a new reading. The repositioning will relieve the windup in the tire contact patch stress created while making the adjustment.
If you are not needing to make an adjustment, I suggest that you get some oil or penetrating rust preventative and use it to preserve the adjuster threads and clamp threads. Get into the saw cuts of the clamps to hit the threads there as well.
If there is a concern about bent rims or distored tires, then mark the location used for the measurement on the tire, then move te vehicle to put that location at the front for the front measurement, and go from there. After you do your toe-in adjustement, you need to drive, rechecking the steering wheel and postion the vehicle and measure again. Remember, there is no need to tighten the 13mm clamp bolts for these drives around the block to check things out. Tighen them when you are all done.
A question for the suspension and handling experts... What effects to you anticipate by having low toe-in. Will turn-in response or cornering be adversely affected? With stock bushings, perhaps hard braking could develop -ve toe-in and create related issues.
95SET, 130000 miles, Koni's, VRK, stock 16" wheels, SAS rear sway bar.
posted by 208.24.17...
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