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Installed the roadholding kit on a buddy's '99 Linear this weekend. It's much easier when you do it the second (third, etc.) time with proper tools at hand, so you don't have to invent impact wrenches out of a bolt and a hammer ;)
- a wire wheel works miracles on cleaning the threads, especially useful with top retainer nuts on the rear dampers and sway bar links in front;
- an impact wrench is a great asset, even an electric one. I picked up used a 230 ft-lbs Mastercraft wrench for $30 on ebay last year, and it's been working well so far;
- front sway bar links are the biggest pain: if those huge nuts get stuck, the recessed area on the other side is too thin to properly hold it with a spanner. We ended up destroying a ball joint on one of the links completely just to get it off. The joint was worn anyway, but the fact remains: have a spare link ready (or don't do it on Sunday when the dealer's closed ;). When I did it on my car last year, I had to replace both links due to excessive joint play;
- lowering the subframe is a piece of cake compared to the links;
- the sway bar clamp bolts won't snap if you soak them with a good rust solvent overnight (I consider this a big victory). Take a careful approach with them as they are thin and fragile, I've seen people breaking them;
- the rearmost bolt on the engine mount is very hard to reach. Have a couple of socket extensions and a universal joint to insert in the middle (actually, this helps with all rear engine mount fasteners);
- if you jacked up the car to the full height of your jack and put it on axle stands, the jack will likely be too short to support the engine ;). Prepare an extra couple of wooden blocks to make up for the height difference;
- it is not necessary to disconnect the joint between the cat and the flex pipe. In fact, the sole look of that joint on a car that went through 5-6 Canadian winters will eliminate any desire of dealing with it ;). I could barely tell that these two humps or rust used to be nuts;
- the dampers will likely be worn to the point where you can easily move the piston back and forth by hand. And the springs will be so soft you'd be able to disassemble the struts without a spring compressor (don't try it at home though!);
- the car feels funny before the alignment is done, exceptional afterwards (people with Eibachs, Bilsteins and Konis are going to frown now :).
Total time: an easy Friday evening for the rear and two messy weekend afternoons for the front.
Cost: $640 CAD for the kit from a local Saab dealer.
posted by 69.197.62...
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