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, Thu, 19 May 2011 15:31:26
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Posting as an addition to this thread to keep things together. Thanks to many for discussion here, as well as Jeff (fixmysaab)and Platonoff, for DIY commentary and advice.
My apologies to Koni enthusiasts, but I went with Bilstein HD's largely on Tony J's comment that they were a good compromise for his wagon - though I have 1999 SE 2.3lpt sedan. First - 'before' rear ride height was nearly spec, just 1/8" low on left only - the suspect shock that got me on this.
New parts for Front: ball joints, control arm rear bushing, struts, strut mounts, strut bearings, spring support, strut bellows, & sway bar links - the mounts, mount bearings, & spring support were in pretty good shape in spite of 12 years of northern salt, and I might have re-used them if I had no replacements ready. Parts for Rear: struts, strut bump stop & rubber bushings, trailing arm front bushings (OEM), upper outer cross stay bushings (OEM). The parts definitely bad were: Front - sway bar links, ball joints (just going), and struts (no gas). Rear - upper cross stay bushings (small but detectable slop on both), both struts (left rear had NO gas & poor valving, right very slow but only gas pressure of all four), trailing arm front bushes were tired, but in way better shape that any of four web pictures that I saw and thus very hard to remove. Might not have had to do these, but I had gone to trouble of finding new OEM parts ('99 uses different from '00-'09). Note on the Bilstein HD rear shocks: the spring perch is about 0.5 inches lower than the one on OEM Sachs strut. At this time with new strut and more pressure the net result is spec rear ride height, but the spring is under less compression at that height.
WHAT YOU NEED/DON'T: No front bump stop for HD Bilsteins, probably no rear sway bar links, unlikely to need rear bump stops - but definitely the upper rubber bushings and steel sleeve, no new front spring support, strut mount/bearings are for those wanting long life. Will need Front strut bellows unless old are in good shape, will almost certainly need new Front sway bar links. Rear Upper Cross Stay bushings are likely to be going at 170K. Others will vary, but certain things like the Front strut bearing seals were incredibly good. If eEuro says 'special order only' (not just out of stock), you can probably reuse it.
WHAT WAS HARD: Front lower arm removal can be trickier than postings suggest because corrosion makes removing each bolt an adventure. Removing rear trailing arm front bushings with car on jack stands (gear puller & knife for rubber, then hacksaw - installed new w. Harbor Freight wheel bearing sleeves and 7/16" Grade8 bolt/nuts). Andrews says they use an air hammer to push out or remove arm and use press. For Cross Stay bushings I used UK Vauxhall and Russian Opel Record Club info on cross stay bushing tool. A 1 3/4" 12pt socket to receive the extracted bush, pulled out with steel tubing & Grade8 7/16" bolt/nuts (w. small ball bearing to reduce friction). I did not do lower bushings because my home made tool didn't quite clear the shock mounting ear on the arm. I left modifying my tool and doing lower busings for future, since the uppers were only a little loose and I couldn't detect any slop in lowers. I would have liked a Sealey (or Laser) Vauxhall Rose Bush removal tool, but ordering from UK put shipping almost at price of the tool.
Took it to Andrews in Princeton MN for 4-wheel alignment afterward. Car is now at spec ride height in rear; F&R toe are correct, and the rear camber is -1.2 degrees. I'm thinking of maybe shims and spring spacers in rear (that lower Bilstein spring perch height and camber), but I don't have the tire wear issues others have documented, so that is for future.
Bottom Line - Car is transformed! Not an Aero, but drives like a new vehicle and with the right compromise between handling I want and the ride quality the other driver's in my family appreciate. Hope we can go from current 170,000mi to the 250-300K range.
Sorry for long post, but wanted to document for future reference.
Mark in Marine (MN)
posted by 74.46.225...
, Thu, 19 May 2011 15:31:26, Fri, 20 May 2011 09:05:37
, Fri, 20 May 2011 06:40:04, Fri, 20 May 2011 07:32:31
, Fri, 20 May 2011 21:40:08, Thu, 19 May 2011 19:31:36, Fri, 20 May 2011 21:55:40, Fri, 20 May 2011 23:05:05, Fri, 20 May 2011 10:12:46
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