ANTI ROLL BARS

The Saab 99 was never made with anti roll bars (swaybars, US). Not even the 900 had 'bars at the introduction. It wasn't until 1984, when the Twin Cam 16-Valve 175 Hp "900 AERO" was born, that the Trollhättan engineers supplied such technically advanced items most other cars took for granted. I'm puzzled by this strange philosophy, even the most humble Ford Fiesta has a front 'bar. The 900 rear anti roll bar will fit a 99, but there's no way in hell the front 'bar goes in.

Can you imagine how amazed I was when I found out that the old Saab 96 has front 'bars??? I looked under a
-72 model arriving at the scrapyard one day, and there it was! A factory fitted anti roll bar...

Luckily for us 99 owners, a specialist company came to the rescue, designed and made front anti roll bars for the Saab 99 (/90). I contacted SAS (Swedish Auto Specialties, USA), and ordered a front anti roll bar. The price for the 'bar was adequate, but the freight prices here are ridiculous. To begin with, I paid the freight in advance to a US-based company. OREGON-USA to North-Norway = $110,- Fair enough. Then our blood-sucking government adds MVA. (23%, and expecting to rise again this year)
On top of that, on its way from south Norway to North Norway, the package fell in the hands of Norway-based NOR-CARGO... They added a hefty 830,- NOK to the freight price. I can get a bloody discount airline ticket the same distance, for that kind of money!
Still, the effect of adding anti roll bars justifies forking out hard earned savings. SAS had even enclosed a set of POLYURETHANE BUSHINGS! The rear 'bar can be found at any scrap yard containing a smashed 900 Turbo 16V. At a fraction of the price for the front 'bar, so the total sum for both 'bars isn't so bad afterall.

INSTALLING A FRONT ANTI ROLL BAR (SAS bar, 7/8")
- Jack up the front of the car and support it on axle stands. Chock the rear wheels and remove the front wheels.
- Position the anti roll bar above the exhaust pipe and frame rails as in fig. 1. To do so: Stand in a grease-pit, jack up the front, REMOVE the axle stand under the right front jack-attachement-point. Rotate the swaybar so the two ends are pointing BACKWARDS. Slide it in from the right side. (This is where it will foul the aforementioned axle stand)
- Slip the lubricated split bushings onto the anti roll bar and position the bushings over the frame rails.
- Remove the innermost bolt of the lower balljoint as in fig. 2. Attach the angle bracket on the a-arm using the 7/16" x 3" bolt. The short leg of the bracket is bolted to the a-arm. Repeat for the other side.
- Attach the eye of the anti roll bar to the bracket on the a-arm using the endlink assembly as in fig. 5.. The grommets should never be over tight. Tighten only until you are not able to turn the grommet by hand.
- Now place bushing clamps over the bushings above the frame rails. Mark and drill four 7/16" holes using the clamps as a template. (7/16" = 11,1125 mm. I used a 10 mm drill)
- Attach the bushing clamps and flat plates to frame rails using the 3/8" x 1 ½" bolts as in fig.4.
- Check the installation carefully. Recheck all fasteners for tightness. Make sure there is no interference with the steering, suspension, or the exhaust pipe. Refit the wheels, remove axle stands and turn the steering lock to lock and check again for any interference.


It is, however, highly recommended to have the car standing on its wheels (preferrably over a pit) when bolting the endlink to the anti roll bar, and when marking and drilling holes for the bushing clamps on the frame rails. All bolts must be tightened when the car is standing on its wheels, and not before.
The track width of the front wheels alter with wheel travel. When the body of the car is supported by axle stands and the suspension is allowed to hang down, the track width is narrower than when the car is standing on its wheels.

ONE THING NEEDED ATTENTION BEFORE IT COULD BE INSTALLED...
The two brackets that bolts on the lower a-arms... I had to grind off material from the head of their bolts. Only the inside tip of the head was in contact with the bracket. If I had mounted it as it was, the head would have snapped off the bolt when tightened.

INSTALLING A REAR ANTI ROLL BAR (original Saab 900 T 16V 'bar)
Remove the anti roll bar from the donor car.
- Jack up the rear of the car and support the body on axle stands. Chock the front wheels and remove the rear wheels.
- The 'bar is attached to the same bolts as the lower trailing arms. (Two bolts each side)
The forward mounting bolts are equal, but the rear bolts are longer.
- Loosen and remove all four nuts on the lower arm bolts.
- Drive in the lower arm forward mounting bolts, so the 'bar can be lowered at it's front end.
- Remove one of the lower trailing arm rear mounting bolts. Lower the 'bar and insert a shorter bolt. (If the donor car is to be used again)
- Repeat for the opposite side.

Fitting the precious 'bar to your car.
- Jack up the rear of the car and support the body on axle stands. Chock the front wheels and remove the rear wheels. (But you knew that already, didn't you?)
- Loosen and remove all four nuts on the lower arm bolts.
- On one of the lower arms, remove the rear mounting bolt.
- Attach the anti roll bar and the new longer rear mounting bolt, using a large flat blade screwdriver as a lever to align the anti roll bar with the lower arm bolt hole.
- Repeat for the opposite side.
- Drive in the lower arm forward mounting bolts, to make way for the 'bar.
- Attach the 'bar, reposition the bolts and attach all four nuts on the lower arm bolts. Do NOT fully tighten them.
- Fit the wheels and put the car back on the ground.
- When fitted, do not overtighten the bolts, as the rubber bushes may be damaged. Rock the car on its suspension and check that the anti roll bar does not contact the rear suspension lower arm.

Enjoy the test drive !!!

AFTER THE TEST DRIVE I DISCOVERED...
...that the next time I do something to the exhaust system, I'll swap the transverse silencer for a longitudinal one. When the engine flexes, the silencer contacts the rear anti roll bar and fills the car with resonance...
A rubber mat will be a temporarily cure.