Some Saab 9000 suspension repairs become complicated only after the old part comes apart. That is exactly the problem behind Saab part number 8957714: corrosion develops between the steel sleeve of the rear spring-link bushing and its aluminum carrier, sometimes leaving the bracket too damaged to accept another bushing.
On September 18, Skandix announced a newly manufactured replacement for this mounting, covering all Saab 9000 models. The new assembly carries Skandix number 1003575 and Saab reference 8957714.
The important detail is that this is not simply another rubber suspension bushing returning to the catalog. The aluminum carrier is part of the replacement assembly, and that is precisely the component that can be ruined by corrosion around the original bushing.
Why Saab supplied the bushing with its bracket
Skandix describes the component as the rear-axle support-arm mounting between the arm and the body. Saab workshop documentation identifies the same position as the “Spring Link Front Bushing”, which gives a clearer picture of where it sits in the 9000 rear suspension.
The construction creates the failure mechanism. The rubber-metal bushing uses a steel outer sleeve pressed into an aluminum bracket. Over decades of exposure to moisture, road dirt and, on many cars, winter salt, the steel sleeve corrodes inside the aluminum housing.
According to Skandix’s technical explanation, expanding corrosion can damage the surrounding aluminum and, in severe cases, cause the carrier to crack. Even when the bracket has not visibly fractured, extracting a heavily corroded sleeve can enlarge or distort the bore.
At that point, pressing in another loose bushing is not a proper repair. If the bore has lost its original dimensions, the replacement bushing can no longer rely on the interference fit needed to keep it securely located. Skandix specifically warns against installing a fresh insert into a carrier that has already been damaged in this way.
Saab’s own repair procedure supports that approach. In the factory-derived workshop instructions for the spring-link front bushing, the technician is told to disconnect the spring link, remove the bracket from the underside of the body and replace the bushing and bracket as an assembly. There is no procedure for pressing the front bushing out of the aluminum carrier and reusing that carrier.
Where 8957714 sits in the Saab 9000 rear suspension
The role of this small mounting becomes clearer when looking at the 9000’s rear-axle layout. Saab used a rigid rear axle located by two spring links, two torque arms and a Panhard rod. The arrangement is described in the Saab 9000 workshop documentation.
The spring links provide more than a seat for the rear springs. Their mounting points form part of the structure that controls the longitudinal position of the axle relative to the body. The rubber bushings allow the required articulation, while the brackets keep that movement within the geometry Saab designed.
Movement between the bushing’s outer sleeve and the aluminum carrier is therefore not normal suspension compliance. Once the carrier is distorted or the bushing becomes loose inside it, the spring link is no longer held in its intended position. Skandix specifically mentions straight-line stability when explaining the importance of replacing a damaged assembly.
The distinction between the two spring-link bushings is also worth noting when ordering parts. Saab reference 8957714 is the body-side/front mounting discussed here. The bushing at the other end of the spring link is a different component, referenced by Skandix under Saab number 8951063. A generic search for “Saab 9000 rear control arm bushings” can easily blur that distinction.
The damage may not be obvious from the outside
One reason this mounting deserves attention is that the aluminum bracket itself does not develop conventional red rust. A bracket can therefore look reasonably clean externally while corrosion is progressing at the steel sleeve-to-aluminum interface inside it.
That makes mileage a poor guide to condition. A low-mileage 9000 that spent decades in a damp or salt-heavy environment may have considerably worse corrosion in this area than a higher-mileage car used in a dry climate.
During a rear-suspension inspection, owners and workshops should check for rust expansion around the sleeve, cracking or spreading of the aluminum carrier, separated rubber, displacement of the inner sleeve and abnormal fore-and-aft movement of the spring link. Both sides should be examined even if only one appears obviously damaged.
It is also worth inspecting the body-side hardware before dismantling the suspension. Skandix separately catalogs items such as the threaded plate used at the trailing-arm/body mounting, another component that can become relevant once a heavily corroded assembly is taken apart.
Why Skandix commissioned a new production run
The background to the reproduction is significant. Skandix says that the problem had been known for some time, but it could no longer obtain complete bracket-and-bushing assemblies from its suppliers at an acceptable quality level. Rather than continue with inconsistent replacements, the company arranged its own production.
The result is Skandix 1003575 / Saab 8957714. The product page lists the assembly at €39 including 19% German VAT per side, with a recommended quantity of two pieces per car.
At the time of writing, Skandix shows 21 pieces available from stock. That makes the current repair considerably simpler than searching for an undamaged used aluminum carrier or relying on old stock whose storage history may be unknown.
The price itself is less important than the format of the replacement. Once corrosion has damaged the original carrier, a complete bracket-and-bushing assembly restores the repair method Saab originally specified, rather than forcing a new rubber-metal insert into a compromised housing.
A small part with very few good substitutes
Saab owners still benefit from an organized parts infrastructure. Hedin Parts remains the exclusive global supplier of Saab Original spare parts, while specialists such as Skandix continue to supply both original and reproduced components. The difficulty with cars such as the 9000 is that not every supplier, tool or production process from the Saab era can remain available indefinitely.
That is increasingly visible with model-specific brackets, suspension mountings, molded pieces and other low-volume components. Engines, turbochargers, brakes and many conventional service items can often be rebuilt or sourced through several suppliers. A particular aluminum suspension carrier made for one chassis family offers far fewer alternatives.
For that reason, the new 8957714 is more useful than its modest size suggests. It removes one of the awkward compromises that can appear during a thorough 9000 rear-suspension rebuild: discovering that the rubber bushing is replaceable in theory, but the aluminum bracket surrounding it is no longer suitable for reuse.
Owners currently working on a 9000 rear axle — whether a standard CD or CS, an Aero, or one of the rarer versions such as the 1987 Saab 9000 T16 Airflow previously featured on SaabPlanet — now have a newly manufactured complete mounting available again.
On Saab 8957714, the rubber is the wear item, but the condition of the aluminum around it ultimately determines whether the original assembly can be saved.
