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, Sun, 12 Jun 2005 18:27:45
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I assume this is the '01 9-3 SE you have written about in other posts. Since your problem started after the strut installation, it would be the obvious place to start. But the saga with vibration on my '99 9-3 SE 5-speed ended up being tied to a number of issues, so I'll present it here FYI.
I bought it with 65K, and thought the vibration (and tramlining) it had was only due to the tires (which needed replacing). But here's what I ended up doing:
-replace tires with Michelin Pilot PE2. Three trips to Discount Tire to get four tires that were round (replaced two under warranty)and balanced properly on their Hunter Road Force machine. This is the only way to go on balancing (assuming it's in the hands of a tech who knows how to use it).
-6-point subframe brace from GenuineSaab.com, and alighment.
-Poly bushing kit for control arms (trust me, if you do this, get the arms with the bushings already installed-don't try to put them in your existing arms unless you have a high frustration tolerance)
-New rotors at all four corners. Two sets of front rotors installed because vibration in steering wheel remained. Final solution was machining the rotors on the car.
-Steering rack brace from GenuineSaab.com This one component seemed to bring all the other incremental steps together, and if I had done this first, I might have saved some of the other steps.
-Replaced right drive axle. My problem here was vibration on DECELLERATION, not the classic one on accelleration. When I let off the gas at around 70-75, and was coasting, I got slight vibration (which increased as I applied the brakes due to the warped rotors, but these were two separate issues in the end).
After all this, there is still a tiny amount around 65mph, but it's gone at 70, the steering is much better weighted, and the tramlining is gone, so I'm living with it. After driving Saabs since '79, I have never had one with such a weak front suspension. I know the newer 9-3's are better, but this design should never have been produced.
Anyway, on my car, the biggest improvements came with the steering rack brace and the poly bushings. Good Luck.
posted by 67.170.106...
, Sun, 12 Jun 2005 18:27:45
, Mon, 13 Jun 2005 09:11:53, Mon, 13 Jun 2005 14:44:50
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