- 02/01/2017
- 1 Min Read
- By: Alex Fiehl
Replacing Rear Upper Shock Mounts on a 2004 Saab 9-3 Arc
Replacing the shock mounts on a 2004 Saab 9-3 Arc is an easy DIY that takes about an hour to complete. I found a large crack in each side at over 135k miles so keep an eye on yours if you’re in this mileage vicinity.
Parts & Tools You’ll Need:
- Shock Mounts
- Floor jack, jack stands + wheel chocks
- Ratchet + Sockets
- E-Torx sockets
- Torque Wrench
- Wrenches
- About 1 hour of free time
Ready To Replace Your Shock Mounts?
Step 1: Place wheel chocks at the front wheels, jack up the rear of the car, set it on jack stands and remove the rear wheels:
Step 2: Jack up one of the rear wheel corners to set the control arm at its operating height (ie. the level it would be when the car is normally on the ground) to position the shock in a neutral state:
Step 3: Remove the bolt connecting the bottom end of the shock. I didn’t have an E-Torx socket large enough for it but was able to use a 16mm impact 6-point socket to get it off. Use rust penetrant if needed to help break it loose:
Step 4: Remove the 3 bolts connecting the upper shock mount to the body of the car using a 14mm E-Torx socket, then remove the shock from the car:
Step 5: Using a counter-hold on the shock’s shaft remove the top nut connecting the shock to the shock mount. Use rust penetrant if needed to help break it loose:
Step 6: Compare the old shock mount with the new one. You can see a large crack in mine that I was able to spot just by looking inside the wheelwell:
Step 7: Installation is the reverse of removal. The top nut torque is 20 ft-lb (I couldn’t do this so I estimated). Top bolts torque is 39 ft-lb. The bottom bolt torque is 111 ft-lb:
Step 8: Lower that wheel corner, install the wheel and repeat for the other side. When your done, lower the car and torque the wheel bolts to 80 ft-lb.
Step 9: Clear your tools from the area and take the car for a quick test drive to ensure all is good.
Enjoy years of reliability with your new shock mounts!
