[nattmara]

So I've got an 08 93 SC Aero. Just rolled over 100k, and has had most bushings replaced in the suspension. I've got 2 questions about it

1. So far I'm on my 3rd spindle on the passenger side. The hole for the tie rod end keeps opening up the hole and causes wobble. I mainly drive on the interstate and it's for the most part smooth. The spindle and rod end have been replaced at the same time so I'm not sure what's causing it. I've had an alignment done very recently, but this one is starting to have the same initial wobble. Where is a good point to start trying to diagnose it?

2. So how stiff is the suspension on an Aero SC supposed to be? This is just a curiosity so not too important.

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[steve12955]

That's a weird one. I'm guessing that the tie rod end nut must be loose and the ball joint is moving within the spindle causing it to wear? To get the ball joint tight you can use an air or electric impact wrench to really snug it down.
Otherwise, you're not using quality parts.

Who is doing the repair? I'd go back to them and complain.

I have an '09 9-3 2.0T SC and it is a stiffer ride than either my '08 9-3 4D or '08 9-5 4D - not uncomfortable, but stiffer.

 

[nattmara]

That was the issue the first time and the spindle was an oem Saab part. I assume a factory one. The second (current) one is oem Saab too. I had been haviing a retired Saab mechanic work on it so I assume that his work was good.

I asked about the ride also because I wonder if that could be part of the issue. I drive an hour one way to college and it's a rather high speed road, and there are 2 places that made me wonder if it was the stiffness of the suspension. One is almost a speed bump, but the other was a lip of a bridge. Would the combo of the stiffer suspension, those bumps, and 18's make those impacts hard enough to do damage? Being in college I can't afford to keep fixing it so often so if a different route could help I'm totally down for that.

Also, sorry for the delay replying. Classes are so hectic with finals coming up fast right now.

 

[Diggs]

18s? Never came with 18s. What tire size? unless you went full suv with like 55+ series thats why it rides rough.

 

[Mimmi]

Here in Europe, my 06-08 all 4D and 5D Aeros came with 18" wheels.

 

[Diggs]

That's nice. US flag by OP makes that point moot.

 

[AVguy]

I have Saab produced 18's as well (accessory purchase) and have converted my 04 Arc vert to sport suspension (SAAB kit). I have never heard of this failure before. Are the front struts original? - maybe they have failed and are causing the issue. They are the only component I can conjecture that could cause such an issue. I would assume the mechanic is using a torque wrench to set those nuts on the tie rods to the correct torque when installing.

Have the wheels been balanced and checked to be sure they are true?

 

[nattmara]

18s? Never came with 18s. What tire size? unless you went full suv with like 55+ series thats why it rides rough.

I never claimed anything your implying. My Aero SC has 18' Enkei wheels, and I never said it road rough. Never mentioned the wheel manufacturer and just said it was stiff. Also, I've got a Stage 0 BCB tune and downpipe among other things. So I know far more than you seem to assume I do, though that isn't a claim that I know a lot, especially with strut type suspension.

I have Saab produced 18's as well (accessory purchase) and have converted my 04 Arc vert to sport suspension (SAAB kit). I have never heard of this failure before. Are the front struts original? - maybe they have failed and are causing the issue. They are the only component I can conjecture that could cause such an issue. I would assume the mechanic is using a torque wrench to set those nuts on the tie rods to the correct torque when installing.

Have the wheels been balanced and checked to be sure they are true?

I was actually wondering about the struts myself. Just didn't know if that could be a cause because I'm used to air bags so I'm lost with struts on how to tell they're going bad. I'm not sure if the struts are original. Didn't notice when I had the Enkei wheels put on it.I'm hoping he used a torque wrench on everything, but I'm getting it up into the air in a few days to check and see if anything is obvious. What would I look for with the struts if it doesn't turn out to be obvious? Yes, the wheels have been checked. I had an alignment done right after it being repaired last time along with a re balance of the wheels and was told they were still true. I was thinking about throwing the factory 17" wheels on to be sure at some point before salt starts getting put down in my town which would just reconfirm they're true. Or at least I hope so.


So let me rewrite my original post so it makes a little more sense. It's only 2 spots on the roads I drive that seem harsh. The rest of the time it rides like it's on a cloud compared to the rest of the vehicles I've owned. The replacement tie rod end was from Autozone (from what I was told) and the spindle was a new OEM Saab part. I purchased it so I can 100% confirm that it is a Saab part.I'm just wondering if the stiffer suspension on an Aero is stiff enough to cause damage like that. I run 70-80 down that road (it's an uncomfortably fast parkway) since that probably matters.



Sorry if I missed a reply somewhere. Trying to write this out before class starts and ignore the edits since I keep seeing grammar and style issues in my reply.

 

[Diggs]

I never implied you didn't know anything. Not sure why you are getting aggravated. An 18" wheel, assuming you are staying within stock diameter, would put you in a 235/40 tire. Saabs are stiff. Depending on what tire you are running, this combo will translate to harshness over cracks/imperfections in the road. On smooth surfaces it will feel fine. You also have the sport shock/struts if they are still original, those are also fairly stiff and get worse over time. I had the sport suspension on my car and it got replaced at 60k with Koni yellows (at full soft setting) with Eibach springs. Rode way better over cracks and imperfections.

"This car crashes over bumps and road imperfections" is a common complaint that I've heard the last....16 years. The OEM suspension stinks.

Unsure why #1 keeps happening. Hope you find the culprit.

 

[nattmara]

I never implied you didn't know anything. Not sure why you are getting aggravated. An 18" wheel, assuming you are staying within stock diameter, would put you in a 235/40 tire. Saabs are stiff. Depending on what tire you are running, this combo will translate to harshness over cracks/imperfections in the road. On smooth surfaces it will feel fine. You also have the sport shock/struts if they are still original, those are also fairly stiff and get worse over time. I had the sport suspension on my car and it got replaced at 60k with Koni yellows (at full soft setting) with Eibach springs. Rode way better over cracks and imperfections.

"This car crashes over bumps and road imperfections" is a common complaint that I've heard the last....16 years. The OEM suspension stinks.

Unsure why #1 keeps happening. Hope you find the culprit.

I don't normally use forums for car stuff since I tend to have guys think I don't know anything when I ask for help. It gets annoying after a while, but if that wasn't the case then you have my apology since I made an incorrect assumption. I do know the low profile tires on 18' wheels will make it ride rougher than a taller tire, though I don't think that's it. I really need to check if the struts are original. Is there something to look for to know if they're original? Were your springs drop springs or factory height? I've been looking at lowering it, so this may be a good opportunity to. I meant to say that my car just turned over 103k so replacing the struts makes sense. Also, thanks. I hope I can since I don't exactly have a large income anymore going to college.

 

[Diggs]

If money is tight then I would forgo doing major suspension work unless something has broken. The springs were drop springs, dropped about an inch.

 

[nattmara]

If money is tight then I would forgo doing major suspension work unless something has broken. The springs were drop springs, dropped about an inch.

Sorry for the delay in my reply. It's finals week at my college so things have been hectic. The main reason I am thinking about lowering it is if the struts need replaced, I may as well get the drop springs and struts since I was hoping to do that sometime this coming spring. I'd rather just jump ahead a little so I don't need to get work done more than once since I can't really go without my car with my school being over an hour away.

Do you have any suggestions on what struts and springs would be good? I saw a thread at some point in my year or so of browsing the forum about SC lowering, but I've not been able to find it again.

 

[Diggs]

Koni yellows and eibachs is what i run. h&r springs are good too but run a bit lower. your aero front lip will get trashed easily if you lower.

 

[qwikredline]

you said the tie rod end was elongating the tie rod hole in the steering arm of the knuckle Tie rod has a.Tapered stud with a torque value around 50 ft lbs. Wont elongate unless something is left loose. If its a useless ProParts tie rod end it will still locate by taper in the steering arm, but the tie rod itself wont last long ( mine lasted 4000 km) Eibach springs are softer than stock, and reach solid load ( all coils touching) often over rough roads. There are dead coils that always touch, but its the rest of the coils that are an issue..... my take.
also lowering without quality springs is always an issue.... and 18's in 235/40 will create a harsher ride no doubt. I run 18s in the summer and 17 oem snows in the winter ( Nokian Hakkapeliitta of course) and the 17's ride is way better if you care about that. I am happy with sharper steering response and grip with 18s so don't care about cushy ride. If I wanted a cushy ride I would buy an old Buick

 

[nattmara]

Koni yellows and eibachs is what i run. h&r springs are good too but run a bit lower. your aero front lip will get trashed easily if you lower.

I'm not too worried about it to be honest. After making the mistake of going down a gravel road in the middle of nowhere, its already broken off the end on the passenger side and the rest is scraped up. I'm used to lowriders and mini trucks, so I'm used to the clearance issues.

you said the tie rod end was elongating the tie rod hole in the steering arm of the knuckle Tie rod has a.Tapered stud with a torque value around 50 ft lbs. Wont elongate unless something is left loose. If its a useless ProParts tie rod end it will still locate by taper in the steering arm, but the tie rod itself wont last long ( mine lasted 4000 km) Eibach springs are softer than stock, and reach solid load ( all coils touching) often over rough roads. There are dead coils that always touch, but its the rest of the coils that are an issue..... my take.
also lowering without quality springs is always an issue.... and 18's in 235/40 will create a harsher ride no doubt. I run 18s in the summer and 17 oem snows in the winter ( Nokian Hakkapeliitta of course) and the 17's ride is way better if you care about that. I am happy with sharper steering response and grip with 18s so don't care about cushy ride. If I wanted a cushy ride I would buy an old Buick

That's interesting about the coils and tie rod ends. I'm no longer going to the previous place I was going, and I'm glad since that's probably the case. Definitely going to do a little more research on them. My semster is about over and I've got till the end of January to do all this. The ride isn't an issue. After running 24's on mini trucks, these feel great. I've still got the factory Aero wheels, but they've gotten winter duty only now. So once the county puts salt down, they're coming out. I agree about the sharper steering response with the 18's. I take a lot of country roads and it feels more solid in the curves. I've got an 04 convertible is I want a softer ride, though it tends to collect dust more than anything for that reason.

 

[foxtrapper]

Fwiw, I've seen this tie rod end problem with Toyota trucks.

The design of both is a tapered pin going into tapered hole. When everything is right, the tapered pin fits tightly the full length of the tapered hole, and the nut holds the tapered pin tightly in place.

If the nut becomes loose, the tapered pin pulls back, and then bangs around, enlarging the tapered hole. At that point, no matter how hard you pull the nut down, the tapered pin will no longer fit tightly in the tapered hole, because the tapered hole has been enlarged at the fat end. The usual failure here is that the nut is castellated, and someone forgot to put in the cotter pin. I do not remember if Saab uses this configuration, though I doubt it.

The sneakier one is where the parts are made wrong. Brand new, the taper on the pin is not the same as the taper of the hole. If the hole is a more narrow taper, the pin won't go in all the way. If the hole is a wider taper, you start off with the beating around of the hole, even with the nut pulled down tight. This is more prevalent in aftermarket parts than oem, but it can still happen with oem.