Hello,
I am attempting to renew all of the bushings and ball joints on my 1995 XJ12. I have run into some difficulties that I hope someone can help with.

The left side lower fulcrum shaft is siezed to the crossmember mounting tube. I have tried penetrating oil and a few good wacks with a hammer but it will not move.

Even if I did get it to move, it does not look like it will clear the catalyst housing. Will the exhaust need to get dropped as well or am I missing something?

Thank you for any help you can provide!

Regards,
Brian

 

I'll take another look tonight to see exactly what you're talking about, but I did just remove my downpipes and I don't recommend doing so unless you absolutely have to. It is nigh on impossible, even after brushing the bolt threads and applying PB Blaster.

The nuts are hard to get to, even with an array of extensions and elbows. Also nearly every nut will try to round out (2 were brass!). At least on mine it appears Jaguar attached the downpipes with whatever was lying around, there were 3 different styles of nuts, and one bolt (instead of a tap end stud like the other 7). The forward-most nut on each side was removed painfully with a box end wrench 1/12th of a rotation at a time.

You will hate yourself and your car and every tool you own...







Good luck!

 

The front lower inner wishbone bushes are one of the few real PITA jobs on an XJ saloon, because the long, and large diameter bolt seizes in the subframe. Mechanics have been know to cry like babies when given this job by the shop foreman, (no, only kidding !). Problem is there is no room to whack at it and usually the subframe needs to come off the remove them. When you succeed and put the new one in, make sure you put a bit of Copperslip on it.

 

Well, if this job is a PITA, then I guess I am doing it correctly!!

I, too, came to the conclusion I would have to drop the cross member. I figured I was four more screws away from dropping it. I came to this conclusion after I looked at the exhaust manifold to down pipe screws. I'm sure they look just like GoSpeed's!

All this was working out well...until I tried to break loose the rear subframe mounts. I'm too old and weak to break them loose nor do I have a selction of 28mm (?) sockets and wrenches.

I'll let you know how I do. I hope it is soon, as I am running out of hair to pull out!!

 

Don't forget you'll have to make up an engine support bracket to hold up the engine whilst the subframe is out.

Once you've got the s/f out then you can attack the fulcrum bolts with confidence, but do we aware it can turn into a frustrating job !! Some heat from a blowlamp will probably be needed, plus you'll need to either remove the front springs, or make sure they are restrained whilst you remove the lower wishbone. I told you it was a PITA !!

 

With some help from a pneumatic impact, the rear subframe mount screws are out.

FYI to those that are going to drop their cross member - the electrical lead for the power steering rack is clipped to the C/M, but has a connector near the left side of the radiator (on a left hand steering vehicle). Second, the rear of the C/M needs to come down first so the front can clear the coolant hoses. I put a jack stand under the front of the C/M to make sure the rear of the C/M came down first, then I could slide it back a bit to clear the hoses.

I did it by myself, but another set of hands and eyes would have been helpful.

Thank you for your words of encouragement and for giving me the knowledge that I was on the correct path.

Cheers! Time for a Boddingtons!!

 

Hey, isn't that an English beer !!

Boddingtons Brewery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

hi Fracer, I just need some help about replacing the front lower arm bushing for Jag XJ12 1996, I believe you'll need a JD115 tool wich is very expensive and in order to do that ya have to make a tension the spring until the load met. My question is this, when you tighten the spring until the get the load... can you just remove the wishbone from the pan... without removing the spring? will it not move the spring coz if it does move then you cannot put it back the wishbone after you replace the bushing, please help. thankz

Pain,