I was trying to check for worn ball joints on my sons 1995 900S the other night. I don't have any symptoms of worn ball joints, but after 12-1/2 years and nearly 160,000 miles, I figured it was certainly a possibility. I lifted the body of the car, so that the front tires were slightly off the ground. Then I used a pry bar to apply upward pressure to the tire as I watched for movement at the joint. I also grabbed the tire at the top and bottom and pushed and pulled as hard as I could trying to feel for any slop. Lastly, I used a large screwdriver to pry between the steering knuckle and the top of the control arm. I could not find any evidence of play in the ball joints. If this was a C900, I wouldn't think twice about spending a few $ and just replacing them, but in our cars it requires replacing the entire control arm, which isn't exactly cheap, especially if you opt for "Genuine Saab" replacements. I'm a little leary of some of the aftermarket parts, although I'd probably go with the Febi-Bilstein to save a few bucks over the OEM's.
Am I doing this all wrong or is it possible that they can last this long?
Am I doing this all wrong or is it possible that they can last this long?