The must do big rear brakes job.

[ragtopcav]

I'm a gonna do it! It's all Nick Tiallaferro's fault, about 2 years ago he posted a link to this job on his Viggen.

So my 900V6 is a 1993, so it has the older brakes and hubs, so, firstly i need the post 1997 rear hubs...



That's the normal hub/rotor for any late 900/9-3, about 280mm Dia solid, guess what fits on the hub? how about 9-5 aero 300mm Dia vented discs...



The disc fits the handbrake a treat and sits well clear of the dust guard so no butchering there...



The rotors are genuine, I'll need to source callipers and pads, nothing else gets changed except the route of the hydraulic connection. If I cannot source callipers from a breaker and new are too pricey, I'll get some AP Racing 2 pot forged alloy ones.

[CO-Saab]

I've recently installed this kit.



WOW!!!!!!!







Is all I can really say. I've tried many pads/rotor combos along with stainless lines/fluid and this was the single most noticeable improvement with the braking system. The car seems to be pulled to a stop from behind.





















Funny story that happened this morning on my way to work. Driving with the windows down and the tunes up. A large highway and a Interstate merge as the come around a sweeping turn. Literally at the end of the merge lane is the exit I needed. Frequent for vehicles to come screaming around the highway merge and get out of the exit lane. Well today I had a semi-truck in the lane next to me and got sandwiched between two enormous suv/trucks. They completely obstructed my view. At the very last minute before the exit, the SUV in front of me cut off the semi next to us. At about the same time the one behind me was merging behind the semi. As the one in front moves out of the lane I realize there is a cop with his car parked, lights on, perpendicular to the off-ramp. He was blocking the off ramp for an overturned semi. I'm going the speed limit (75 mph) and have only about 200 ft to react and stop. The cop was originally placed in-between his and my cars. He kinda shook his legs and his eyes got real big before he reacted. After a very short time he made a mad dash for the other side of his car. I came to a stop probably 8-10 ft from him. He creeps his eyes over the hood and with a big smile and says.........................................NICE BRAKES! I give him a quick wave. But now I'm stuck with ~10 ft to merge into interstate traffic as it comes around a blind turn. I find a ~reasonable opening and just pin first gear, ~smoke second, chirp third.....at this point I was going fast enough. As I had passed him, the cop gave me a great big thumbs up while the tires were smoking. Interesting drive to work to say the least.



















Oh yeah, the big rear brake kit is amazing!

[StormCrow]

So all I'd need for mine (1997 SET) would be some larger discs, 9-5 Calipers and pads?

[CO-Saab]

Originally Posted by StormCrow

So all I'd need for mine (1997 SET) would be some larger discs, 9-5 Calipers and pads?

And lines.

[ragtopcav]

Originally Posted by CO-Saab

And lines.

I've been looking Nick's pictures again, he appears to have manipulated the stock line to reach the new calliper. Though new copper alloy lines are £1 per foot local to me so...

[Tboy]

Nice Raggy, you are king of the swap when it comes to putting stuff from other cars onto your 900. before long, it will have more parts originally intended for other cars than what came on it! I guess you have more options being in the UK where they have Opel/Omega.

Then so far you've done front brakes, rear brakes, and lets not forget the engine! what else, Im sure im missing something?

very nice job.
Tboy

[Tweek's Turbos]

Originally Posted by ragtopcav

So my 900V6 is a 1993, so it has the older brakes and hubs, so, firstly i need the post 1997 rear hubs...

Ok, hold up. I would have the same early style rear hubs as you...but while looking I found this on Eeuro.
http://www.eeuroparts.com/productdet...ts=1&code=5090

Originally Posted by Eeuroparts

Part Description:
Rear wheel hub with wheel bearing for any 900 94-98 all, 9-3 all, and 9-5 up to VIN# -X3025751. Saab original SKF.

Are you really sure that the hub is diff? I know the kit Nick sells says it is for cars 97 and newer but I couldn't figure out exactly why. Hub was my first guess, but this seems to suggest the hubs are all the same? OR they all supercede to the newest design?

[ragtopcav]

Originally Posted by Tweek's Turbos

Are you really sure that the hub is diff? I know the kit Nick sells says it is for cars 97 and newer but I couldn't figure out exactly why.

The inner hub bearing assembly that you've highlighted does look the same and it appears the EPC supports this also. What I am sure is different is the backing plate that incorporates the dust shroud, the main centre piece that the hub fits through and it all then bolts onto the axle face has different brake bolt position and possibly some other differences [handbrake shoe's diameter?] The easiest way to obtain this assembly is get the rear hubs off a post 1997 900; You can discard or sell on the callipers and discs and you'll have so it seems a pair of spare wheel hub bearings.

[mike saunders]

Great write up, Raggy...

and CO-Saab, I was on the fence before, but I think you guys have sold me.

Once I get the front brakes squared away, then I'm going to do the rear upgrade...

[boxman]

what worries me about that raggy is the fact that the rear abs sensor is incorperated in to the rear hub and i could be differant as the abs system was changed around the same time as the rear wheel hub part numbers did and i inspected the two types and found no visable differance


that said, bigger rear brakes could be more advantageous than abs

[CO-Saab]

Originally Posted by ragtopcav

I've been looking Nick's pictures again, he appears to have manipulated the stock line to reach the new calliper. Though new copper alloy lines are £1 per foot local to me so...

I'm pretty sure you CAN use the old lines. However, pad/rotor changes will be a PITA, as there is very little extra room for caliper movement. Additionally, I had to destroy the old line trying to get it off. It had only been ~20,000 miles since I changed the brake lines, but they were still seized-up on the nipple. I'd save yourself the headache and get new lines.

Originally Posted by mike saunders

Great write up, Raggy...

and CO-Saab, I was on the fence before, but I think you guys have sold me.

Once I get the front brakes squared away, then I'm going to do the rear upgrade...

Mike, there is no fence. This was the single most noticeable improvement in the braking system.

I'll try to get some pics available soon. (We're getting rain for the first time in ~16 months )


The problem is SaabUSA only stocks one LH side caliper. I had to wait almost two months for Nick T to locate one. So get your order in now if you want to get these done before October.

Truly a must do mod, I'd rank it as high as the rear ARB. This should be the first/second upgrade anyone does.

[NickTaliaferro]

Yeah, logic would not lead you to believe this would be a huge benefit.. but Yes. Mostly if you have the 308mm or bigger front disks.. I had gotten used to my Vi with these 300mm and after driving a stage 3+ Vig we just did it was a big difference in the way it shuts down from speed.

On the lines, you can bend the stock lines to new the calipers. This is not a good solution since every time you change pads or rotors you must bend the hard line.. Not a good thing. My car sees so few miles it was not a big issue. I had goodridge make some flex lines that make service easy.

Also Hawk makes pads for those 9-5 calipers. I am going to try some more aggressive pads just to see.

The difference on the early cars is the bolt spacing on the rear caliper mount. The caliper mount is also the backing plate and parking brake mechanism so they are not cheap.. Used are easy to find though since all 97-02 cars use same.

ps, I got sick of waiting for those and now stock a set.
Hope that helps. Have a great day!

[ragtopcav]

Well it moves on apace .

I'm integrating the disc brake upgrade with the long over due axle swap [due a captive nut failure on the existing one] and also at the same time a full powerflex bush kit & Koni suspension kit too [No rush purchase, I've been putting the stuff together for nearly a year].

I've got the old axle off the car [to find the handbrake cable failing, so there's some new parts in the post] and the bushes are falling apart so replacement with the powerflex part is a good call.

New axle with test assembly of the big brakes using the hub from the old axle combined with the donor backing plate...



I'll not fully build the axle to fit, the assembly of these parts is purely a dry run to test fit and function...



The rear dust guard does not not interfere with the diameter of the disc due to it's offset but the calliper is bulkier than the 2 pot item on the solid disc cars, so, the dust guard requires some trimming to fit. The small guard is not compatible so it's reversed so it can retain its control spring retaining capacity.

It is easy here to see how the disc offset has change to suit the hubs requirements and the caliper's too...



As this is an upgrade to a pre 1997 900 the disc change is more noticeable...

[byastremski]

damn raggy i love how easy it must be for you... because you have the whole car torn apart... hahaha must be nice to have that ability... once you get that thing back together it is going to basically be a brand new (bad*****) car again...

[ragtopcav]

Upon checking the handbrake cable I elected to purchase a new one, the point where it bends around the axle to follow it down the the hub has frayed on both [R/H worse than left] typically, my car is so old it has the odd length cables with a balancer across the axle so they needed ordering in. Also found some points where the plastic coating on the rigid hydraulic hoses was scrathed through and starting to rust so I've got replacements made up for that in copper pipe though [easy to bend ] Proper assembly started today.

[ragtopcav]

I had a few hours on Saturday afternoon so I got busy; brakes are now fitted and plumbed in...



One more step closer .

[stromer]

I like to simplify things....

So you need:

1. 300mm disc

2. 9-5 aero caliper (or will any 9-5 caliper work)

3. new pads for the caliper

(?) 4. Do you need different caliper carriers (mounting brackets) like on the front or are they built in somehow?

[ragtopcav]

Originally Posted by stromer

I like to simplify things....

So you need:

1. 300mm disc

2. 9-5 aero caliper (or will any 9-5 caliper work)

3. new pads for the caliper

(?) 4. Do you need different caliper carriers (mounting brackets) like on the front or are they built in somehow?

That's it;
Discs.
Pads.
Calipers.

The new calipers [as a post 2002 9-5 aero] are a fist caliper with a single piston just like the front and come supplied with the carrier that bolts exactly where the older twin piston item comes off; the package has been nicely engineered to fit the existing hub components. The calipers are expensive [unless you get lucky at a breaker] an alternative would be to buy some Wilwood dynalite calipers if they do a suitable bracket.

[John Z Williams]

Man, that looks nice, great job!!! Now that I have insane power, I have more power than my suspension and brakes can really handle... I must upgrade soon, it really is unsafe to hammer this car now, its just too fast for its own good... I want to do this rear brake upgrade for sure... Ok, how much are the calipers? How much for the hubs? What is your parts pricing on this job? No labor, just parts??? Thanks, John

[stromer]

I am curious if anybody knows what the calipers are from Saab or wherever for the rears. Just to know the ballpark figure to compare at a junkyard.

thanks