Koni adjustables?

[StormCrow]

I've just won some Koni adjustables and Eibach springs on Ebay (£310 all together). Apart from needing a quick lick of paint and maybe a re-grease (they are obviously used!) I will be fitting them fairly shortly.

My question: How hard is it to fit the rears? The fronts look fairly simple, I've already had one shock off on my previous NG900 but I've not looked at the rears yet...

Also, how do I go about adjusting the shocks to where I want them to be? Do I need to set them to softest and then adjust from there for example?

Cheers folks - I'm happy with my purchase!

HERE THEY ARE BTW

[StormCrow]

So no-one has fitted these before?!

[Andy B]

Going to order myself some as soon as i get the cash, £290 new from www.awesome-gti.co.uk, sorry i cant be of any help but my friends just turn theirs up progressively.

[telreranreoid]

id be interested to see if they fit. the suspention on the NG to the 93 are difrent and not interchangeable.

the rears are about the easiest thing in the world to change you don't need a spring compresser or anything since the springs and shocks are seprate.

[StormCrow]

I've checked Koni's site, they say they'll fit any 900 between 1994>1997...

[ragtopcav]

Originally Posted by StormCrow

So no-one has fitted these before?!

If you drop into the lounge you'll see we've been out busy Saabing today.

I've fitted 2 sets so far, and koni to the rear of the vert too. Ever done dampers or springs on a cavalier? it's the same thing; the nuts can be siezed hellish tight at the strut to in the boot, give everything a good soak with release before you really start. For the rears you'll need the car up on axle stands with the roadwheels removed undo the lower damper bolt where it secures to the trailing arm on either side whilst the axle is supported by a jack on the cross member, lower the jack and the axle should swing away from the dampers and the springs are now free to swap; unbolt the damper tops and remove.
Refitting is more or less a reversal but do not torque up the bolts until the road wheels are re-fitted and back under load, it pays to have the rear up on ramps to do this. The rear dampers will need to be set 2-3 clicks harder [clockwise] to the fronts.

[StormCrow]

Thanks RagTopCav - exactly the sort of info I needed once again!

I love this forum!

[TurboTempo]

Originally Posted by StormCrow

Thanks RagTopCav - exactly the sort of info I needed once again!

I love this forum!

i ran mine quite hard , now i have the rears on 1/2 way and the fronts almost at their softest , a nice compromise , didnt work too well but i fitted the anti sway to the rear and its perfect ( doesnt bounce anymore )

good luck with that ( with eibachs matching your Konis you can really feel the rear wheel steer when on 3 wheels ) ...... so i hear .

[Vengeance]

I was looking at that exact auction. I thought about bidding too

[StormCrow]

Where is the best place to get hold of an Anti sway bar in the UK?

Cheers!

[Andy B]

Try the other saab parts site in the uk, not www.partsforsaabs.com. They have dropped the price since i bought mine, i think thay are £100 now.

[ragtopcav]

The Abbott unit is regarded as the best ARB by some some, at £145 I should hope it is!
The MP performance unit is available from UK outlets, it's OK, when you consider how much one costs [I've got an MP unit on one car] and that you can get a second bar for next to nothing and double stack them [my other 900 has this] then they all seem not very good value.

[StormCrow]

I take it that the EP site is one of the 'other outlets' then?

What if I added another stock bar to the car on top of (or in this case below) the other bar, would that help?!

[ragtopcav]

Originally Posted by StormCrow

I take it that the EP site is one of the 'other outlets' then?

What if I added another stock bar to the car on top of (or in this case below) the other bar, would that help?!

Yes and here's a link

[StormCrow]

That sounds like a good or maybe even better alternative - means that the rear will have a chance to flex a little bit..

Now to find a new standard rear ARB then! Anyone know where I can pick one up cheap?!

[brewtide]

Originally Posted by StormCrow

That sounds like a good or maybe even better alternative - means that the rear will have a chance to flex a little bit..

Now to find a new standard rear ARB then! Anyone know where I can pick one up cheap?!

Too bad you live in the UK, shipping would kill you - I have one on my garage floor (used) doing nothing...

sorry, =\
bny

[StormCrow]

Any way of testing the shocks before I fit them?! I want to make sure that they are ok before I fit them for obvious reasons...

I have noticed a little rust rattling around in the shocks, I think its just surface stuff from around the holes at the top of the shocks...

Should I just fit em and see?!

[ragtopcav]

Originally Posted by StormCrow

Any way of testing the shocks before I fit them?! I want to make sure that they are ok before I fit them for obvious reasons...

I have noticed a little rust rattling around in the shocks, I think its just surface stuff from around the holes at the top of the shocks...

Should I just fit em and see?!

You can sort of test shocks the hard way by holding one end in a vice and try to make them move one way then the other, they should control you almost instantly - then consistently through the travel.

The rust, at the rear arch? where the inner wing and wheel well are jojned and the damper passes through? If so , clean this area, buy a curerust type product and follow its instructions, seal the area in with paint and body sealant, only now do you fit the damper, but make sure you use some silicone sealant to bed the wheel arch side rubber bush to the recently patched up steel. If you are lucky [and thorough] the rust may not come back.

[kyankton]

The thing I like about this set up for the NG900 / 9-3 as compared to my old 9000 is that the rear shocks are adjustable from the top. The Koni's on my old 9000 were only adjustable if you loosened the lower bolt and twisted the shock. Nice set up though. http://www.kyankton.net/saabng900/saabng900.htm

[StormCrow]

^^^^ HOW CLEAN?! ^^^^ <jealous>

The rust, at the rear arch? where the inner wing and wheel well are jojned and the damper passes through? If so , clean this area, buy a curerust type product and follow its instructions, seal the area in with paint and body sealant, only now do you fit the damper, but make sure you use some silicone sealant to bed the wheel arch side rubber bush to the recently patched up steel. If you are lucky [and thorough] the rust may not come back.

Sorry, maybe I need to be a little clearer!

The rust isn't on the car, its on the Konis. There are holes at the top of the rear struts (presumably to vent air...) and they are slightly corroded around the holes.