06 saab 9-5 rack and pinion

GotWood

GotWood

Sayer of Fact
Joined
Jan 12, 2007
Location
Maiden, NC
Long story, not my car but I've been chosen to fix the problem. I've never messed with a Saab and know nothing about them or what years or models are similar. I'm using my limited skills of Google Fu but haven't found what I'm looking for yet. Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated.
 
Some of them share identical parts with corresponding GM chassis and some shared with subaru.

My buddy had trouble getting parts for his, but ended up finding some by looking it up for matching Subaru model.

I’m not positive which one the 9-5 is and I’m too sleepy to google it while typing this lol sorry
 
I can pull it up tomorrow and get you a procedure if that's what you are looking for. Pretty much set wheels straight ahead (seat belt through steering wheel unless you want to find out how to change the clockspring & how expensive they are), measure from a reliable point to the outer TRE on both side, set new rack up the same way, & centered and reinstall.

If it's the saabaru, I've actually got one at my shop that needs a motor..
 
The Subaru-based Saab is a 9-2X Aero, not a 9-5. As far as I know, that's the only Subaru shared model, and it's really just a Impreza/WRX wagon with a few different body panels instead of a Saab. My wife has the Subaru that it was based on.

Still don't know what the question about the steering rack is though........

a_kelley said:
If it's the saabaru, I've actually got one at my shop that needs a motor..
Click to expand...

Those are rare, it's too bad they aren't really worth anything. They only made 10k of those, total.
 
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if you are looking for something that it crosses to, you will likely be out of luck......saab wasn't very good at learning to use off the shelf parts from parent companies.
Fun fact, the saabaru (9-2x) weighs 500lbs more than its wrx counterpart, but apparently it takes a moose strike better!
As an owner of an 07 9-5......I can safely say it is without a doubt my least favorite vehicle to work on.
 
Fabrik8 said:
How is that even possible? The WRX/2.5i was only 3200 pounds (I think), so how do you add 500 pounds to the same vehicle?
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I'm not sure, I would have thought they were the same weight, at least if you're comparing sedan to sedan and wagon to wagon. Now if you compare sedan to wagon, I could understand.
 
a_kelley said:
I'm not sure, I would have thought they were the same weight, at least if you're comparing sedan to sedan and wagon to wagon. Now if you compare sedan to wagon, I could understand.
Click to expand...

There are minor differences between the sedan and wagon, and WRX and 2.5i versions, but they're all within 100 pounds if I remember. I have a WRX sedan and a 2.5i wagon from that same platform in the driveway.

A little digging says that the 9-2x Aero was only 150 pounds heavier than the WRX wagon, not 500 pounds. Still, 150 pounds is a lot of weight delta for a badge-engineered sibling.
 
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Sorry for the confusion. I have the rack just need to install it. It is owned by a family friend I'm trying to help. Need procudure.
 

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Fabrik8 said:
A little digging says that the 9-2x Aero was only 150 pounds heavier than the WRX wagon, not 500 pounds. Still, 150 pounds is a lot of weight delta for a badge-engineered sibling.
Click to expand...

I was working from memory of a documentary I watched years ago....maybe the original version was 500lbs, or I remembered incorrectly. I do remember a lot of it was centered around structural reinforcement for a moose strike. The same documentary had a side by side roof based, crane drop of a 3-series and a saab 900....you can't fault the structure of those cars.....just every other bit of engineering in it!
 
a_kelley said:
I can pull it up tomorrow and get you a procedure if that's what you are looking for. Pretty much set wheels straight ahead (seat belt through steering wheel unless you want to find out how to change the clockspring & how expensive they are), measure from a reliable point to the outer TRE on both side, set new rack up the same way, & centered and reinstall.

If it's the saabaru, I've actually got one at my shop that needs a motor..
Click to expand...
Any luck?
 
Sure hold on.

Hang motor with a support bridge. (Or hoist, but you'll be working around the legs.. or possibly support from underneath with a hack and block of wood)
Secure steering wheel straight ahead.
Remove steering shaft from rack (pinch bolt, accessed in the driver foot well)
Remove outer TREs (book says to remove from rack, you may not need to, but it'll make fishing it out easier later)
Split exhaust at joint between cat & silencer.(may not need to do this, depends on clearance, I'd try without first and see if drops the subframe enough.)
Remove rear motor mount bolt holding bracket to mount.
Remove sub frame rear & center bolts, lower subframe at rear, remove rear motor mount.
Disconnect feed/return lines at rack.
Remove steering gear bolts.
Remove steering gear from pass side wheel well.

Reverse for install. (Center the rack before & after you get it in before you connect the steering shaft or you can break the clockspring)

Calls for 4.3 hours, 3.2 warranty.

Good luck and I can get you pictures etc just trying avoid getting my laptop out. Some minor/common sense stuff that shouldn't matter was either condensed or omitted)
 
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a_kelley said:
Sure hold on.

Hang motor with a support bridge. (Or hoist, but you'll be working around the legs.. or possibly support from underneath with a hack and block of wood)
Secure steering wheel straight ahead.
Remove steering shaft from rack (pinch bolt, accessed in the driver foot well)
Remove outer TREs (book says to remove from rack, you may not need to, but it'll make fishing it out easier later)
Split exhaust at joint between cat & silencer.(may not need to do this, depends on clearance, I'd try without first and see if drops the subframe enough.)
Remove rear motor mount bolt holding bracket to mount.
Remove sub frame rear & center bolts, lower subframe at rear, remove rear motor mount.
Disconnect feed/return lines at rack.
Remove steering gear bolts.
Remove steering gear from pass side wheel well.

Reverse for install. (Center the rack before & after you get it in before you connect the steering shaft or you can break the clockspring)

Calls for 4.3 hours, 3.2 warranty.

Good luck and I can get you pictures etc just trying avoid getting my laptop out. Some minor/common sense stuff that shouldn't matter was either condensed or omitted)
Click to expand...
Oh shit! This is more than i want to tackle! The car is driven by a friend off my daughters (17yo) who is in a bad family life. She graduated HS this year and outs planning to move out on her 18th bday. I'm not even sure who technically owns the car and if it will legally become hers. Guess I'll wait this one out.
 
Yeah... If you don't mech-a-nic a good bit (and have impacts, swivels, motor support, lift?, Etc), I'd conservatively double that time..
 
If you want to help the girl, help her sell the saab and buy something cheap and reliable to replace it. In my experience, nothing about a saab is inexpensive or easy to repair.

My top votes are for saturns and old people buicks.....zero resale, cheap to maintain, and a decent track record of being well taken care of.
 
My 21 year old daughter has one. I've fixed multiple things on it. Keeps me on my toes for sure. Her rack and pinion is leaking from the passenger side hydraulic piston. I don't want to fix it myself mainly because I don't have a lift. Removing the K member requires it to be honest. Lucas power steering stop leak with the conditioner made it stop leaking for a bit. Just have to add it back about once a week or else it foams up pretty bad.
 
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