Gen1 9000 front suspension - Heavy Duty

[pellingt]

I will start a thread later with the particulars, (gist = 9000 carhauler with dual axle rear) but I'm wanting to beef up the front suspension of an 87 9000T. My intent is to put a decent amount more weight on the front end. (maybe 400-600lbs more) I'd like to end up with stock ride height but longer travel and greater load carrying ability. I can live with stock travel and stock ride height with greater load bearing ability.
Among this group, I fully expect someone to pipe up and say something like "86-91 Jeep Cherokee springs will drop right in"

Thoughts?
Perry

[pellingt]

I think this topic proves that the first gen 9000 just doesnt have the following of the later 9000 or especially the c900.

[TurboBudapest]

Have to agree! That said (i) I believe the Gen 1 9000 suspension was the same as for later generations for the most part and (ii) even C900 posts are not getting much love nowadays. In fact, I believe that traffic on all Saab forums has been down considerably as of late.....

I for one love the Gen 1 9000. I'll have mine in silver with a dark grey leather interior, and in T16S form (used basically the same engine as the SPG of the day). This was our family's first Saab, and the one I miss the most among the four 9000s we have owned through the years.

Good luck though! Wish I had more to add!

[tirediron]

i don't believe you are going to find anything to fit your bill that will "drop in".

more wheel travel is going to be impossible without custom lower control arms and/or custom struts.

your best bet is modifying the strut to take a commonly available circle track spring. or a truck coil spring out of say an f150. jeep cherokee coils are acutally pretty soft.

for that much more weight you are going to want to at least triple your factory spring rate. stock 9000 springs are very soft.

[Crazyswede]

I will start a thread later with the particulars, (gist = 9000 carhauler with dual axle rear) but I'm wanting to beef up the front suspension of an 87 9000T. My intent is to put a decent amount more weight on the front end. (maybe 400-600lbs more) I'd like to end up with stock ride height but longer travel and greater load carrying ability. I can live with stock travel and stock ride height with greater load bearing ability.
Among this group, I fully expect someone to pipe up and say something like "86-91 Jeep Cherokee springs will drop right in"

Thoughts?
Perry

I think you could make an adapter that would allow you to run coil over springs thus giving you a wider range of spring selection.

[DrewP]

Out of curiosity, what are you putting on the front end to add a couple hundred pounds?

[Crazyswede]

I figured that extra weight could just be due to hauling a car. I cannot think of a 1000 lb motor swap

[DrewP]

I'm hoping the answer is something along the lines of Art Car.

Cummins 4BT might almost fit.... Or hack up the floor and a 6BT might almost fit....

[paulh]

Maybe a plow?

[Crazyswede]

I'm hoping the answer is something along the lines of Art Car.

Cummins 4BT might almost fit.... Or hack up the floor and a 6BT might almost fit....

might fit...would likely torque the body into a pretzel though

[pellingt]

I figured that extra weight could just be due to hauling a car. I cannot think of a 1000 lb motor swap

exactly. the math says 80-90% will be over the rear dual axles, the rest is "tonque" weight. In essense the midpoint of the car to the front axles is the tonque. It's so unprecedented/undocumented that its going to likely be a build it and throw a car on it and corner weight it to see what I'm really facing.

Perry

[pellingt]

http://s289.photobucket.com/user/johno1 ... 1.jpg.html

That's the idea. car on site already, trailer arrives tomorrow.

[pellingt]

whoever said 4bt, I love the way you think. 50mpg c9000 sounds like fun.

Perry

[DrewP]

I'm trying to remember what the 9000 struts look like, but I bet stiffer lowering springs (or Aero / '98 CSE springs) with spacers would work just fine once the extra weight is there with a little playing with it. You could also do spacers between the top of the strut mount and the underside of the body of the car, and raise the whole thing up that way, just use longer bolts.

[Geoff]

I'm trying to remember what the 9000 struts look like, but I bet stiffer lowering springs (or Aero / '98 CSE springs) with spacers would work just fine once the extra weight is there with a little playing with it. You could also do spacers between the top of the strut mount and the underside of the body of the car, and raise the whole thing up that way, just use longer bolts.

Like this:
http://saabrally.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3801

Perry, I saw one of those 9000 car haulers on Blocket for sale for like $3500 recently. Just need to ship it over from Sweden.