Do you or a family member own a 1st gen Saturn Vue?

[Waiter21]

I know this is a couple years old, but mine just took longer to rust away. I was originally going to do the repair similar to how you did yours, but after I cut the old one away and started cleaning the surfaces, I stuck a 2x4 up there to see if the bottom of the frame was flat, thats when I got the idea to use a rectangular box beam.

I repaired mine by welding a 2x3x12 box beam to the bottom of the frame. I did a complete writeup on my blog site

TOAD – 2003 Saturn Vue

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[65sporty]

I know this is a couple years old, but mine just took longer to rust away. I was originally going to do the repair similar to how you did yours, but after I cut the old one away and started cleaning the surfaces, I stuck a 2x4 up there to see if the bottom of the frame was flat, thats when I got the idea to use a rectangular box beam.

I repaired mine by welding a 2x3x12 box beam to the bottom of the frame. I did a complete writeup on my blog site

TOAD – 2003 Saturn Vue

..

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I will have to remember this if I need to repair mine

 

[mr. fix it]

I owned a 82 Mazda GLC that did the exact the same thing. Car was fine other than this part which was part of the unibody. It was not saved...

 

[brew9821]

Hi, would you be willing to do this repair for me? I just bought a Saturn knowing nothing at their rust issues. It was to be my first car and while I was cleaning it I found lots of rust in the same location. I’d be willing to pay

 

[atikovi]

After bolt was removed
View attachment 146224

Repairing my Vue as well. How did you remove the bolt? I was able to cut off the mount and slice through the bolt but it seems to be seized in the bushing. When I turn it from the bottom it just twists the rubber in the bushing.

 

[Waiter21]

I cut out the old rusted cups and welded a 2x3x12 inch rectangular tube in its place. The cradle then bolts to that tube instead of the cup. A lot of photos with this article. (NOTE - The link shows as a gas gauge, but it takes you to my cradle repair.)

TOAD - 2003 Saturn Vue - 1999 Southwind 35S

GAS GAUGE DOESN’T REGISTER CORRECTLY July 19, 2020 For the last couple years, the gas gauge was intermittent and would go to empty or low value . I knew I’d probably need to drop the tank and install a new sensor, but I didn’t want to put any more time Continue reading TOAD – 2003 Saturn Vue→

www.1999southwind.com

 

[atikovi]

I cut out the old rusted cups and welded a 2x3x12 inch rectangular tube in its place. The cradle then bolts to that tube instead of the cup. A lot of photos with this article. (NOTE - The link shows as a gas gauge, but it takes you to my cradle repair.)

http://[URL]https://www.1999southwind.com/toad-2003-saturn-vue/#ENGINE_CRADLE

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I'm talking about the bushings in the subframe. Yours must be a FWD which uses a different subframe without bushings than my AWD Vue has.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Repairing my Vue as well. How did you remove the bolt? I was able to cut off the mount and slice through the bolt but it seems to be seized in the bushing. When I turn it from the bottom it just twists the rubber in the bushing.

View attachment 576784

Bolts that are seized up inside rubber bushings are a real problem to deal with. Sometimes an air hammer with a flat anvil bit will do the trick, but you'd really have to drop the frame down alot to get a good shot at the top of the bolt. If you could fine a new bushing, you could try to remove the entire bushing with an air chisel. You'd then likely need something like a ball joint press to get the new bushing in. Another option would be to find another used engine cradle with good bushings already in place.

I'm glad to see that this old thread is still getting some action.

Jeff

 

[atikovi]

Got it out finally and starting on the fabrication. Got frame cleaned up and fitted the rectangular tube.

In addition to or in place of welding, I'll attach it to the frame with 2 long bolts through the top of the frame. One in the square hole and another further back. Any reason you didn't just run a long bolt through the subrfame bushing up through the top of the frame and call it a day?

 

[bigmoparjeff]

You'd probably be concentrating too much load in a small area if you did that. The frame would likely start to crack after a while. Adding a piece of square tubing parallel with the frame will at least spread the load into two different areas and greatly reduce the chances of the metal fatiguing.

Jeff

 

[patrick66]

One of my co-workers has a Saturn SL-1 with nearly 300K miles on it now. He bought it as a year-old trade at a Chevy dealer. He certainly has got his money's worth on that little beast.