Worth lifting my saab?

[Bscfrank914]

I love my 9-7. It handles the roads great, its awesome in wet weather and pretty decent in the snow. It is my daily driver and I plan on keeping this thing till I run it into the ground. I love the looks of the other 360's lifted(not that I ever saw a lifted saab) and I think that with the right lift, wheels/tires, fender flares, and a couple other accessories that my 9-7 would like pretty nice. I would love to start hitting trails if I did get my truck into off road shape. However, the 9-7 is a "awd", not even a constant awd, and my fear of taking it through trails without the select 4wd system worries me. I would just like your opinions to whether I should seriously consider lifting my truck or keep it stock.
Thanks all
Frank-

 

[The_Roadie]

If you have the G80 automatic locker in the rear diff (check your glove box sticker) you would be more capable than some of the 4WD trailblazers I've been with on rocky nasty trails without G80s. One memorable trip we had a 2WD/G80 truck get through stuff that a 4WD/non-G80 needed multiple strap assists. It would be better if you had some electrical experience and wanted to change the transfer case control to lock in the torque transfer to the front. But without changing out the transfer case, you won't have the 2.7-to-1 LOW range, so there will be some trails out of your reach.

Depends on where you have to offroad, what sorts of trails you like, if you go with buddies with recovery equipment and experience, and what your threshold of pain is for damage. Fender flares would have to be full-up custom fiberglass units (no aftermarket options), and you should forget them if breaking them would cause you concern.

 

[tblazerdude]

I was under the impression all 97x's with the G80 glovebox symbol got the limited slip, not the locker. Just FYI.

 

[Jkust]

I was under the impression all 97x's with the G80 glovebox symbol got the limited slip, not the locker. Just FYI.

They all got the G86 in the glove. As for off roading...the 9-7 is really specifically designed as an on-road truck compared to all the others with the exception of the SS which copied a bunch of the 9-7's technology as it was an earlier truck. The list of modifications on the 9-7 is over a page long. To me you would be spending a bunch to undo the very purpose of the design. Every other in the platform is so much more off road capable.

As for the fact that the SAAB and the Rainier are on demand AWD, I wonder if anybody has played around off road with a TB and had the switch switch set on 4AWD to test its capability.

Regardless it's only limited by the size of your checkbook and I'd love to see someone do this to a 9-7.

 

[Bscfrank914]

They all got the G86 in the glove. As for off roading...the 9-7 is really specifically designed as an on-road truck compared to all the others with the exception of the SS which copied a bunch of the 9-7's technology as it was an earlier truck. The list of modifications on the 9-7 is over a page long. To me you would be spending a bunch to undo the very purpose of the design. Every other in the platform is so much more off road capable.

As for the fact that the SAAB and the Rainier are on demand AWD, I wonder if anybody has played around off road with a TB and had the switch switch set on 4AWD to test its capability.

Regardless it's only limited by the size of your checkbook and I'd love to see someone do this to a 9-7.

I wish I had a huge checkbook! Being a full time college student with a part time job does not help out too much.
I have to do my HW on how much everything would add up to, then take it from there and see if its a project worth investing in. I do say though, having a capable off road 9-7 would be pretty cool.

 

[The_Roadie]

Aggressive offroading is difficult to do with a good safety margin on a limited budget. Many of us on offroadtb.com where we discuss high-functional offroading consider $1000 in savings or liquid funds to be the minimum safety margin to go offroad with a daily driver. That's after we've spent $2-10K on lifts, tires, recovery equipment, underbody armor, etc, etc, etc. "Fun" offroading can be done for a lot less. YMMV.

This is a serious trail, for instance (The iconic Rubicon):

 

[Jkust]

I wish I had a huge checkbook! Being a full time college student with a part time job does not help out too much.
I have to do my HW on how much everything would add up to, then take it from there and see if its a project worth investing in. I do say though, having a capable off road 9-7 would be pretty cool.

The 9-7 sure beats the 89 Chevy Beretta I had in college.

 

[The_Roadie]

The 9-7 sure beats the 89 Chevy Beretta I had in college.

At the risk of dragging this thread into the weeds, here's the Roadie's college $50 Opel Kadette. Take pity on the poor geek.

 

[tblazerdude]

another option would be to trade your 97x for a trailblazer or envoy. Im sure someone with similiar options and similar miles might trade straight up. You have a deseriable vehicle. I would love to buy my wife a 97x

 

[northcreek]

At the risk of dragging this thread into the weeds, here's the Roadie's college $50 Opel Kadette. Take pity on the poor geek.

Where did you get the industrial pocket protector?

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

It is worth it. Like my truck says....Lift It, Fat Chicks Can't Jump

 

[Jkust]

At the risk of dragging this thread into the weeds, here's the Roadie's college $50 Opel Kadette. Take pity on the poor geek.

I see where the skinny jeans trend started now.

 

[The_Roadie]

I see where the skinny jeans trend started now.

You kids have invented nothing new. Here's Mrs. Roadie on our honeymoon in 1973, showing off her hips and navel.

 

[northcreek]

You kids have invented nothing new. Here's Mrs. Roadie on our honeymoon in 1973, showing off her hips and navel.

You're kinda the poor man's version of these guys:
View attachment 23702

The kids will not relate to this I suppose

 

[The_Roadie]

You're kinda the poor man's version of these guys:

Nah. Too old. These guys.

View attachment 23703

1000 apologies for the thread drift.......

 

[navigator]

dang Bill, you did good for a nerd! :wootwoot:

 

[bravad'oh]

You would probably have the 3.73 gears as well which would be a plus with the bigger tires. I would suggest installing a front wheel disconnect which I am in the process of doing right now on my Bravada. If you want the transfer case with HI and Lo there are lots in the wrecking yards and since your are going to be opening your wallet alot anyways, what another chunk of change for that? I would guess you will spend alot more on tires.

 

[Bscfrank914]

You would probably have the 3.73 gears as well which would be a plus with the bigger tires. I would suggest installing a front wheel disconnect which I am in the process of doing right now on my Bravada. If you want the transfer case with HI and Lo there are lots in the wrecking yards and since your are going to be opening your wallet alot anyways, what another chunk of change for that? I would guess you will spend alot more on tires.

Question. Since my truck is not a true AWD like the Bravada, would I still be able to change the transfer case to select hi/lo 4WD?

 

[bravad'oh]

Question. Since my truck is not a true AWD like the Bravada, would I still be able to change the transfer case to select hi/lo 4WD?

I could be wrong but, I think our trucks are the same. The front axle is coupled all the time and when the TCCM gets info that there is a slippage on the front wheels it engages the clutch pack in the transfer case and gives
4WD. It never puts any lights on to tell me there is 4WD and there are no switches to select anything. Do you have a AWD switch?

 

[Jkust]

You would probably have the 3.73 gears as well which would be a plus with the bigger tires

The 9-7 I believe only came 3.73 if it had a 5.3l or a 4.2l. The minimum rim size on the 9-7 was 18 inch and 20's were available as well.

And that Gremlin brings back bad memories of the green one my parents had when we were kids. Slightly worse than the replacement Dodge Omni.