Suspension Riding Low '03 9-5 Wagon- any thoughts..

[thxguy]

So my 2003 wagon is riding low- when it has a full tank of gas, and kids in the back- I easily bottom out going over dips in the road- I would like to put in stiffer springs (I suspect that the OEM springs are crap- but the whole rear suspension is not great IMHO)

I have been looking and looking, but cannot seem to find a stronger set of springs to put in- Does anyone know of an uprated, or Heavy Duty spring that can be put in?

I am loathe to simply replace with the OEM springs again. This summer going to the cottage- we put a lot of junk in the car, plus thule box on the roof! and I have never had a problem with any other car I have owned, just load it up and go-

Oh, and I have tried the polyurethane spacers- said to 'lift' the vehicle by 1.5" but they did not seem to make any difference whatsoever! The car has 115,000 kms on it.

Thanks in advance!
J

[woywitka]

Well as the shocks on these cars suck. You can start with replacing those to help with any bouce that can sometimes contribute to bottoming out. If the rear shocks have yet to be replaced they likely are nearing thier useful life anyways. I have Bilsteins in the back and the car drives much nicer to many other 9-5s I tested with OEM shocks.


From there replace the springs with some heavy duty ones. Run a search in the 9-5 MODS forum to see what others have done and what their responses are. remember the Aero has lower/stiffer springs from factory. I have a 2001 and the springs are still very good, so they do seem to last.

[gghh]

Other possibility is to mount the self-leveling kit from Saab - big difference with maximum load.

[Al's Red Wagon]

While the consensus seems to be that Aero Springs with Bilsteins or Koni's rides real nice, I'm a little wooried about the workhorse nature of my wagon.

I USE my wagon. Four adults and my daughter, full to the brim with luggage for a cruise across the state. Will the lower ride height make a difference when my wagon is fully loaded?

Also, aside from worries about bottoming out with a lower chassis - what about the feel of the ride when packed? Will it be significantly rougher?

[numbersix]

The Aero springs don't lower the car significantly. ~10mm from stock.

New Bilsteins may negate this, as the OEM shocks may be allowing the stock springs to droop as they become weak.

The Bilsteins will provide a much better ride when the car is fully loaded. Ensure the bump stops and strut top bushings are replaced when the suspension is done.

[thxguy]

Looking into buying the self-levelling kit for the rear- $535- plus install- Has anyone put this kit on, and if so what is your reaction?

[stipud]

Sounds like your rear shocks are worn out. They are FAMOUS for being weak, and failing rather frequently. I always recommend people to upgrade to a different brand like Bilstein or Koni when replacing them.

Both sets of shocks/struts can be had for about $550 as well (check shox.com). Both will drastically improve your handling instead of trying to hide the crapiness of the stock shocks with a leveling kit.

The stock base model springs are pretty floaty. If you can find some from the Aero model (used is fine), they are a perfect companion to the Bilstein HD shocks. I personally found my Aero springs in the classifieds here and got them for the price of shipping. You can find similar deals on eBay. Add in some Bilstein HD's and you've suddenly got a remarkable handling vehicle. Comfortable, solid, but you can drive it hard and it will reward you as well.

There are a million threads on this. Search around, research, and come up with a plan that suits you best!

[bmwjoe]

Anyone with the factory self leveling kit?