A wheels question for the dealers/techies/people who know

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Just arrived in comments, from Filip in Poland:

Need advice on wheels for 9-3SS V6 XWD, plse. I’ve recently bought one with sports suspension, 18″ wheels and larger brakes. The wheels are basically the same as in Turbo X. The idiots at local Saab dealer (Warsaw, Poland) said any 17″ Saab wheels would be ok as winter wheels. To my (and their) astonishment – standard 17″ wheels were too small for larger front brakes. Does anyone know which 17″ wheels (if any) can be used in this model?

I have a feeling that you’re going to need to get 18s if you’ve got the bigger brakes, but I know little about these things.

So it’s over to the techie people……

——

Having a look at nearest English-language car configurator to yours, with that model the smallest wheels you can order are the 18s. And with the 345mm performance brake kit, I’d tend to think 18s are the smallest for exactly the reason you’re now facing – your brakes are huge!

Despite your wheel issues, Filip, enjoy the Aero!!!!

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24 thoughts on “A wheels question for the dealers/techies/people who know”

  1. Atleast in Finland you can choose “V-spoke 17×7″ (=17″ version of ALU 73) for your V6 Aero XWD 9-3SS.

    Having 18″ wheels for the winter tyres would be a nightmare!

    And nice car BTW! :)

  2. Why would 18″ be a nightmare Moose? It´s only a question of money..

    ;-)

    Filip.. Dude.. Nice ride!!

  3. 345mm rotors are typically too large for 17″ rims and requires 18″ minimum.

    My STi comes with 18″ stock but only has 330mm rotors in the front and a 17″ rim just fits.

  4. thanks for your comments. no prob with 18″ wheels. it’s just that I bot these 17s + winter tyres following incompetent advice from the dealer. to sum it up: just luv my new car and hate the dealer! This Aero kicks ass big time ;-)

  5. In the Saab configurator, for the high performance brake kit it says high performance brake kit 17″.

    I was confused, and 17″ its the size of the discs, not the wheel could be fitted.THe hirsch ones are 345mm like the Saab OEM, could be the same??

    That V-zpoke wheels that comes standard in the XWD models is the ALU79, I am looking for them for my 9-3 and use the ALU45 for trackdays.

    regards

  7. I have the 345mm Hirsch brake upgrade and I´m running the original 9-3ss Aero 17″ rims (Alu50) as my winter tyres. Have not experienced any probs whatsoever.

  8. Saab Sweden shows 17″ AL79s as standard fit on v6 XWD – BUT there’s an 18″ or 19″ “sport package” option including “uprated brakes”.

    UK has 18″ rims as standard, but a “dynamic pack” option including the 345mm disks.

    Sounds like Filip’s ordered basically that option, so 18″ minimum.

  9. per Saab bulletin dated August 19th 2008 says to use p/n 1278082 for this application

    Bryan Floyd
    Just Saab

  10. Basically, it seems that due to the brake size you are unable to put anything smaller than 18 inch wheels..which is fine..it doesn’t really make a difference in snow…tyre width is important though…you have the xwd so something like 215 or even 205 is better than wider tyres because they dig into snow a lot better…i guess it comes down to how much show you are expecting :p

  11. I´m sure that Saab have 17″ rim that you can use. I´m sorry that I cant´t remember the name on it.
    Both cardealers there I work have 17″ winterwheel on there car. One TurboX and one Vectra OPC. Both with the same 345mm disc.
    Anders E.

  13. I got 18″ winters for my Turbo X. When they put them up at the tire shop, they tried on a set of 17″ Phat Cat Racing wheels and they fit, albeit there was very little clearance to the front calipers.

    Saab USA Parts, which advertise here, also offer a 17″ Saab OEM winter tire package.

  14. Pure coincidence: I just picked up my new Turbo X today — with a dealer installed ‘winter wheel package’ (from a different dealer [Leaside, Toronto] than Kroum, I suspect). 17 x7.5 inch alloy knock-offs (+ Michelin Alpin 3– 225-50 R17). Clearance is tight on the front…no question. But adequate. The key, of course, is lateral movement of the caliper. ‘Fore and aft’ clearance — if I have orientation and parlance correct — is a few mm from the balance weights. I had a long discussion with the service Foreman and the parts Head.

    They’ve done several that way. No safety issue. I saved about $500.00 CDN to boot (vis a vis 18s). Didn’t bother with the TPMS –warning message goes away with press of button (small light stays on though).

    I’ve always been of the mind to ‘down-size’ for winter. Admittedly, I’m mostly an urban cat and not often plodding through the deep stuff.

    BTW: I’ve had the car for 3 hours. I’m over the moon!

  15. I have the 17″ rims for snows on my Turbo X that are the type on the V6 Aero AWD in the US . I bought them directly from the dealer after I asked them to research what would work. They are the official recommended snow for the Turbo X according to my dealer (for the US market at least).

    I put the recommended 225/50-17 snows on them Dunlop Winter Sport 3D’s.

    Barry

  16. I purchased a Turbo X in May and spent several months talking to many Saab dealers in Massachusetts and TireRack trying to identify wheels. The first response I got was in August from TireRack (about 1 month before Saab USA Parts) and I purchased a set of 17 x 7 Borbet LV5 wheels with Michelin Pilot Alpin 3 225/50-17 tires. The tires and wheels are fine but Schrader the manufacturer of the TPM sensor provided the wrong model sensor and the Saab module does not recognize them. TireRack contacted me and is providing the correct sensors and will reimburse me for having them installed.

    Ziggy

  17. I alsod did put 17″ rims and winter tires (Nokian Hakka 5 with studs) on my Turbo X. The combination of studded winter tires with the XWD system is awesome. I do not remember the brand of the rims, but I’ll look tomorrow and send the info.

    Robert

    /Users/robertpaquin/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Originals/2008/08-12-09/P1010042.jpg

  18. We have the 5-spoke Y 17×7,5″ (AL 45) on our Turbo X, they are to my knowledge the only 17″ SAAB rims that can fit over the 345mm breaks.
    There isnt alot of room between the rim and the breaks but according to SAAB there shouldt be any problem with that.

  19. If you drive through a lot of salt in winter, I strongly suggest a cheap steel set of wheels. These are available pretty readily because SAABs now take about the same wheels as most other GM cars. A few winters of salt can really pit aluminum wheels. If you don’t have an oversize brake kit, then indeed go down one size, get tires with taller sidewalls, and save hundreds (real winter tires are also harder to find in very low aspect tires, such as R45). Winter driving is about stop and turn, not show and go. Arrive in spring with your fall bodywork intact! Slap on some plastic wheel covers if you insist. (Does anyone like those TPMs? I’m thrilled not to have them on my 2007. Tire gauge in the glove box works fine.)

  20. Hi,

    The 9-5 Saab Original wheels have a different offset from the 9-3 Saab Original wheels, and tend to have less brake clearance.

    To our knowledge, all 17″ and above Saab Original wheels for the 9-3 fit with the 345mm brake.
    To our knowledge, the following 17″ Saab Original wheels for the 9-5 fit with the 345mm brake:
    ALU52, ALU55, ALU74

    Cheers,

    Erik

    support@hirsch-performance.ch

  21. It´s not only a matter of size 17″ / 18″ diameter , as 17″ can fit over the 345mm caliber.
    but it is a question of with 7″ / 7,5″ of the 17″ wheels!
    AND you should look at the wheel offset as well.
    These issues together makes the actual tracking with.

    There IS a significant difference between 9-5 and 9-3 wheels and your dealer should know !

    The 9-5 wheels have offset of 49 mm. while 9-3 wheels have 43 mm (19″ Hirsh 3 spoke =41mm.)
    Your ALU 39 is for the 9-5 model and have ET 49mm. so they will get closer to the centerline
    -and rub at the bigger (345mm) calibers!
    You must get rid of these Alu39´s and get 7,5″ wide rims made for the 9-3 (ET 43) eg.ALU45
    The extra 1/2″ and the 6mm offset will get enough clerance. (6,4mm+6mm = 9,3mm)
    Alternatively go for 18″ as they are 8″ wide – and fit both practically as well as optically :)

  22. Sorry original saab 18″ are only 7,5 ” wide !

    Erik, -are you sure about the ALU5x´s ?
    They are only 7″ wide.

  24. Hi, I remenber some months ago, here in this webside a post about all kind of Saab wheels, we did that pots between all of yours and now the post is gone.
    I was talking with the administrator web by email and maybe we can back to build that post with all kind of ALU model Saab wheels exist. We need pictures and model for start.