| Author |  Topic  |
andydeans3
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
2233 Posts |  Posted - 22 Aug 2025 : 17:05:50  
| I'm currently sitting at the side of the
road, with a broken lower wishbone assembly,
right, offside. I was fortunately moving slowly across a speed hump, when it gave out.
Has anyone seen this happen before?
I also suspect the drive shaft is now bent.
Can anyone help me with a lower, right side wishbone, and perhaps a drive shaft?
I've already spoken to a Saab Man in Edinburgh, who tells me that the rally boys would normally reinforce the wishbone arms, by welding metal strips along them.
That will certainly be done with the replacement wishbone assembly that I ultimately fit. Ditto the other side.
I've added a photo below. The whole thing has snapped off.
1978 LHD SAAB 96
1991 Nissan Figaro |
Edited by - andydeans3 on 22 Aug 2025 23:51:31 |
|
SAAB96L
V4 Mad
United Kingdom
749 Posts | Posted - 22 Aug 2025 : 20:00:55
| Hello Andy,
Sorry to read of your unfortunate breakdown, hopefully on the way home now ??
I can have a look over the weekend as I stripped my restoration project down completely and would of had those items spare at the time.
Regards.
Richard. |  |
|
andydeans3
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
2233 Posts | Posted - 22 Aug 2025 : 23:29:44
| quote:
Originally posted by SAAB96L
Hello Andy,
Sorry to read of your unfortunate breakdown, hopefully on the way home now ??
I can have a look over the weekend as I stripped my restoration project down completely and would of had those items spare at the time.
Regards.
Richard.
Richard
After a 5 hour wait, a truck brought the car back to my place, which as only 7 miles away.
It was a hell of a job trying to get the car off the truck, and into my drive. Almost no steering, since the front wheel on the broken side, was hard against the wheel arch.
I'll get it all apart the morn, to see what exactly the damage is.
I will certainly be looking for parts!
I've already spoken to a Saab Man in Edinburgh, who tells me that the rally boys would normally reinforce the wishbone arms, by welding metal strips along them.
Certainly a lower wishbone assembly, and possibly a drive shaft.
1978 LHD SAAB 96
1991 Nissan Figaro |
Edited by - andydeans3 on 22 Aug 2025 23:48:20 | |
|
melle
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
4145 Posts | Posted - 23 Aug 2025 : 10:42:08
| Wow, never seen that before! The drive shaft is pretty short and may have survived, fingers crossed. I would carefully inspect the bodywork/ mounts for corrosion and cracks.
www.saabv4.com | |
|
andydeans3
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
2233 Posts | Posted - 23 Aug 2025 : 13:14:15
| quote:
Originally posted by melle
Wow, never seen that before! The drive shaft is pretty short and may have survived, fingers crossed. I would carefully inspect the bodywork/ mounts for corrosion and cracks.
www.saabv4.com
I've now almost got everything apart, and it looks like the drive shaft is OK. I'm wondering if I should dismantle the top suspension parts, to inspect the top arm. That, unfortunately involves removing the spring, which is apparently a bitch to do safely, unless you have the real SAAB spring compressor. I have spring compressors, but the access is difficult, so I'm sweir to risk it.
I know a chap in Edinburgh, who told me a story of one of these springs flying across a garden, and narrowly missing a toddler.
Andy
1978 LHD SAAB 96
1991 Nissan Figaro | |
|
melle
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
4145 Posts | Posted - 23 Aug 2025 : 13:53:41
| I have massive respect for front springs and quite a bit of experience removing and fitting them on 95/96s, but despite always being very careful with them, I have a numb and occasionally painful finger tip and a messed up nail as a result of my finger getting stuck between a spring and a compressor when the compressor slipped on the spring 15 years ago. Still glad it didn't need to get amputated, the surgeon reckoned I had been very lucky.
www.saabv4.com | |
|
andydeans3
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
2233 Posts | Posted - 23 Aug 2025 : 16:04:16
| With the deft use of 3 spring compressor, I have now removed the spring. The lower cup, that the spring sits on is not in great condition. Neither Malbrad, Saabits, or the Saab Klubben in Sweden, do this part, as a new part.
Is there anywhere else I can try?
I might be able to restore it with the use of much rust remover, and rust convertor, but I'd prefer to fit new cups. The rear cups seem to be available from Malbrad, but not the front.
1978 LHD SAAB 96
1991 Nissan Figaro | |
|
Dynorog
V4 Fanatic
United Kingdom
325 Posts | Posted - 23 Aug 2025 : 18:02:45
| Sorry to hear that Andy. Could have been a lot worse for you I’ll have route about for the cups. I may have acquired some. The village I live in has overdosed on speed humps. I think I will be adding the strengthening plates on the 2stroke rebuild.yours seem to have sheared close to the pivot point though.
Cheers
Dynorog | |
|
SAAB96L
V4 Mad
United Kingdom
749 Posts | Posted - 24 Aug 2025 : 08:43:00
| Good morning, Andy.
I'm in the garage on Monday and will check for those parts.
Glad you got back okay and well on getting the spring removed safely - as Melle says, it's an item that needs the upmost respect !!!
Regards.
Richard. | |
|
andydeans3
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
2233 Posts | Posted - 24 Aug 2025 : 09:45:07
| Thanks to all who have responded. I have sourced the lower wishbone in Edinburgh. So still looking for source for the lower spring cup, preferably new, or a good 2nd hand one.
I'm still trying to get my head round why the wishbone failed. It's not heavily corroded.
Someone across on UKSAABS, suggested it might be tied into the shock absorber being too hard, ie rally spec. The shockers on the front are Bilsteins that have been on the car since before I bought it in 2013.
Thoughts??
1978 LHD SAAB 96
1991 Nissan Figaro | |
|
stevebod
V4 Fanatic
United Kingdom
439 Posts | Posted - 24 Aug 2025 : 12:53:39
| Sorry to hear of this failure. I've not seen it before.
I once had a car with stiff shock absorbers, but this cracked the upper mountings on the front inner wing. Which I would say is the more likely failure from this cause. Just because the metal of the wing is thinner that the wishbone (I imagine).
This probably doesn't help you much, but just wanted to add to the conversation. | |
|
Woody
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
2878 Posts | Posted - 24 Aug 2025 : 16:18:18
| Nasty occurrence, has it also damaged the turret opening? Could possibly be repaired by welding bar to it.
The upper ball joint looks worse for wear. I broke the main bar from the A arms when rallying and had them welded up and plated at the same time.
Have a spare reinforced arm but for left side only. | |
|
Woody
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
2878 Posts | Posted - 24 Aug 2025 : 16:26:34
| | Page 7 of my project “At Last” has photos of the wishbones on the Troll which have been reinforced per rally specs. | |
|
andydeans3
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
2233 Posts | Posted - 24 Aug 2025 : 18:04:33
| quote:
Originally posted by Woody
Nasty occurrence, has it also damaged the turret opening? Could possibly be repaired by welding bar to it.
The upper ball joint looks worse for wear. I broke the main bar from the A arms when rallying and had them welded up and plated at the same time.
Have a spare reinforced arm but for left side only.
Yeah, I'm going to order 4 ball joints, I'm obviously going to check out the left side as well.
I've seen the photo on page 7, of your "At Last" thread. I will probably do the same thing, and have a triangular plate welded in, so this can never happen again. I'll do both sides.
W
What do you think about theory concerning the "too hard" shock absorbers?
I shudder to think what would have happened if I'd been steaming down the M90 at 65 mph.......
1978 LHD SAAB 96
1991 Nissan Figaro | |
|
Woody
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
2878 Posts | Posted - 24 Aug 2025 : 21:31:05
| Yes could have been nasty at higher speed.
Have Bilsteins on the Troll which had been on the rally car from 1973.
Later Billies tended to be quite fierce, had some yellow ones in the 80’s, which
could cause the shocker stub to separate from the wishbone.
Saab did extensive reinforcements to the wish bones for the Baja rally in Mexico late 60-70’s.
They also reinforced the spring seat under the rally special spring by welding a bar to stop
the the support collapsing onto the wishbone. I have a pair of these which I modified myself
copying the Works rally supports that are in the Troll. |
Edited by - Woody on 24 Aug 2025 21:33:10 | |
|
christophe
V4 Fanatic
France
295 Posts | Posted - 25 Aug 2025 : 13:58:49
| I'm sorry for your troubles but glad nobody got hurt.
Your front end looks very "dry", if I may say so. When I got my 96 , the suspension was somewhat stiff. I then noticed that the shock absorbers lower grommets were hard as wood and seized on both sides. My bet is that yours are in the same shape. By all means, check both sides and A-arms bushings as well. | |
|
| Topic | |
Broken lower wish bone.
