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  1. #1
    Saab Fan chalpkin's Avatar
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    01 Oct 2016
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    Saab(s)
    2004 saab 93 Aero Saloon auto

    '04 SAAB 9-3 Aero 2.0T front strut brace

    Hi all,
    I'm considering buying a front strut brace for my Aero, is it worth doing on a purely road car? Will I feel any difference in the handling?
    Comments and advice from anyone who has fitted one to their Aero would be greatly appreciated.
    Regards,
    Chalpkin.

    Sent from my SM-G800F using Tapatalk

  2. #2
    Saab Owner Digger's Avatar
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    28 Oct 2016
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    Minneapolis Minnesota
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    2006 9-3 2.0t SportCombi
    If the weight of your right foot occasionally outweighs your common sense and you are regularly driving on roads with hair pin curves, you will notice the difference. These things don't cost much, they are easy to install and except for having even less space to get your hand into places than you have now, it doesn't hurt to add one. Should you ever need the extra support you will be glad you did, but other things will do more to improve handling for average driving and most of them are normal maintenance.

    Replacing all worn bushings and installing new shocks, struts and springs all the way around, will do more to improve the handling of a dozen year old car than adding a brace for performance driving.

  3. #3
    Saab Fan chalpkin's Avatar
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    Saab(s)
    2004 saab 93 Aero Saloon auto
    Simple economics govern what mods I can afford to do. When the mentioned suspension components wear out (the car only has 55,000 miles on her), they will be replaced with updated items, although, I'm not sure I will be replacing the springs with anything harder, as the Aero rides hard enough for me! But shocks and bushes will be considered. All I want is to tighten up the handling but not at the expense of ride comfort. The braces should accomplish this.

    Sent from my SM-G800F using Tapatalk
    Last edited by chalpkin; 29 January 2017 at 21:50.

  4. #4
    Saab Owner Digger's Avatar
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    28 Oct 2016
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    Saab(s)
    2006 9-3 2.0t SportCombi
    Hard to wear out a suspension on a car that's not driven and that is very low mileage for an 04 car. Strut brace and when you need them, new tyres with a stiffer sidewall should give you what you're looking for.

  5. #5
    Frank
    Administrator nordwulf's Avatar
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    previous: 2006 9-3, 2001-06 9-5, 2011 9-4X
    Tire discussion moved here: http://saabworld.net/showthread.php?t=32656

  6. #6
    Saab Fan chalpkin's Avatar
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    01 Oct 2016
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    Saab(s)
    2004 saab 93 Aero Saloon auto
    Hi chaps,
    Just a quick update on the strut brace, bought a nice solid one from eBay and fitted it to the car the other day, so after putting a few miles on it, I can confirm, that for the little money (around £90 delivered), the car "feels better than before, the car feels tighter, more precise, I can definitely feel more of what the front wheels are doing under hard cornering, I can feel when it's about to start understeering where as before, you could only tell what was happening by the noise the tyres were making, also, less rattling and creaking and a more solid feeling overall. Only downside will be if I need to top up the brake fluid reservoir, as it runs right over the top, still, small price to pay considering.
    Regards,
    Chalpkin.

 

 

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