A friend of mine just bought an '86 900, and it needs front rotors. Those
are on order, but I remember there's a torx-head screw holding the rotor
to the hub. Does anyone know what size torx bit he needs for that?

Dave Hinz

Dave Hinz wrote:
Dave,

Does it really matter? I mean, what your friend should probably be
sizing is the drill bit he will need to drill off the head of the torx
screw. It seems that every one I have come across, the screw material
is so soft that the torx head strip out before the screw breaks loose,
even after liberal application of PB Blaster. ...and NO! Do not heat
that sucker with a torch.

-Fred W

Salutations:

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 13:53:13 -0500, Fred W <Fred.Wills (AT) SPAMmyrealbox (DOT) com>
wrote:

Hey brother Fred.

While I forget the size too, the trick to that particular bolt is a first
aid kit, patience and an old fashioned manual impact screw driver with a
fresh torx head.

My wrench at the time had spent some real time with English stuff here in
salty Nova Scotia and what he showed me was that you first soak old SAAB
bolts at all points with thinned (3/1) release oil - wire/bottle brush
them off/out really carefully - then give it one (and only one) quick,
solid, whack with the impact driver counter clockwise (loosen). You know
you have that hit right if a little wisp of rust comes up because it will
not appear to move at all. His trick was to then douse a gauze pad in
regular release oil, wire it tightly over the bolt head and leave
overnight in a warm place.

The next morning, bottle brush out the torx head - oil and give it another
single whack with the impact screw driver clockwise (tightening) - then
reverse (loosen) using the same driver. He tried to make sure that the
torx bit was always in the same slots for the hits and marked both at the
outset. To no one's greater surprise than our own - it worked almost every
time.

Clean the hole with a tap, remount with *lots* of anti-seize and check
every so often (twice a year when we swapped tires) for loosening. If the
bolt hole was open to the elements on the other side, he would add a
second gauze pad there before removing and put a little dab of hi-temp
gasket sealer in the back of the hole after remounting the rotor.

He was of the unofficial opinion that the factory may have been worried
about loosening and had allowed for a little corrosion in the threads just
to make sure it never fell off on their watch.

You know - I miss Mike still. We used to get together Friday's and mess
around.

--

Dexter J's fab NG900 is for sale:
http://www.dexterdyne.org/310.HTM

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 13:53:13 -0500, Fred W <Fred.Wills (AT) SPAMmyrealbox (DOT) com> wrote:
Why not with a torch, Fred? Isn't that standard operating procedure for
seized bolts?

Serious question...
Dave

Dexter J wrote:
Yup spot on ... on my 900 I then replaced with cheap soft straight slot
screws (bolts) ... more surface area to grip next time. And on the
present 9000 I have replaced the damn thing with a shawn off locating
pin so it can come out with a 10mm spanner.

Charles


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For J Dexter,

Appending to my previous ...
the bolt with the locating pin for the wheel is showing here in the
first two pictures:
http://www.somis.dundee.ac.uk/~ckchrist/saab/

It appears to be the same P/N for NG 900 and 9000 ie. 89 68 588.

On my 9000 as with the same wheels as the first car shown at the above
url I can fit an extra bolt with the locating pin cut off flush with the
nut. There is enough clearance so it does not foul the wheel.

If it helps at all.
Charles



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Salutations:

On Sun, 21 Nov 2004 02:18:30 +0000, Charles Christacopoulos
<c.k.christacopoulos_removeme_ (AT) dundee (DOT) ac.uk> wrote:


Well that is novel, thank you very much for the pix on it. I think I will
do the same next time I have to do the rotors. Very sensible solution to
the problem.

Cheers.

--

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http://www.dexterdyne.org/310.HTM

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On Sun, 21 Nov 2004 03:17:23 GMT, Dexter J <lamealameadingdong (AT) lamelamelame (DOT) org> wrote:
For the record, I got all 4 torx bolts out of the front rotors on the
'86 today, with _zero_ grunting, swearing, penetrating oil, or anything.
Wrench in, twist, click, "that was easy". All 4 brake bleeder nipples
loosened fine too. Brakes are still crap; the pedal is soft and goes
all the way to the floor slowly, although I'm not losing any fluid.
I assume this is master cylinder rebuild time. Anyone have a goood
online DIY guide for a vacuum-assisted Saab c900 brake master cylinder?
I already know I can't just take it off the front of the booster with
the two bolts which look like the obvious method.

Dave Hinz

Dave Hinz wrote:
When I did that on a 1983 900... you could get an overhaul kit ... with
the rubber seals etc. Next time I looked the kit included the pistons.
One issue with overhauliing the old one is if the culinder is in
good condition if not you need a complete replacement.

I have an old haynes manual it has half a page of text on the issue and
1 page of diagram. Do you have it?

Make sure no fluid gets on the paintwork as it will strip it off.

Nothing hidden in removing the master cylinder from the car. Undo the
two bolts you talk about, *all* the pipes + wires connecting to it ...
and it comes off.

There is a rubber O ring between the cylinder and the servo unit. That
and maybe a bit of rust have stuck the two together. If everything is
diconnected try maybe a tap with a soft hammer.

Your car does not have ABS, does it? (not on 1986 model) Then it is
different to what i have been saying above.

If it helps at all.

Charles
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On Sun, 21 Nov 2004 11:21:56 +0000, Charles Christacopoulos <c.k.christacopoulos_removeme_ (AT) dundee (DOT) ac.uk> wrote:
I've got the local Beck Arnley guy getting a kit in for me, will
probably be just seals. If I get it open and find big problems,
then I can always get a new cyl, but I've had pretty good luck rebuilding
in the past.

Need to dig it out, I've got the Saab manuals for the 900 series also,
but I was surprised when the MC didn't come off the booster as expected.

Probably just stuck then, I'll get more aggressive with it. Thanks.

Nope, pre-ABS by 3 years or so I think. My '88 900T didn't have ABS,
although it did have the light for it in the instrument panel.
Yup, thanks!

Dave Hinz