Dear friends, I have new springs and dampers ready for installation. However, I have a question for the experienced and very helpful members. I raised the rear of the car and supported it on a stand. The wishbone supported by a jack.The bottom bolt came out easily.
I attempted to remove the top bolt which passes through the rear sub-frame.
There is very limited space but managed to get a socket on the forward nut.
This nut is quite easily turned but does not come off the thread. I was convinced that the other end was slipping in the ring spanner I had applied. Not so! It definitley does not rotate when the other end turns! Either I am going mad, the shaft of the bolt has sheared, or the threads in the nut have stripped! I would really appreciate thoughts on this and what happens when the nut finally is removed? There is not enough space to drift the bolt clear to remove the dampers! I have the workshop manual and it clearly states that the rear springs can be removed without dropping the rear suspension! Does any of this make sense?
Kindest regards, Danny.

 

Either you are going mad, the shaft of the bolt has sheared, or the threads in the nut have stripped!


What happens when you turn your ring spanner? Does the end with the nut rotate?


Cheers
DD

 

Hi Doug, once again, I am grateful to you for your help.
I was not able to turn the ring spanner because of the lack of space. I will try again when I get the chance, maybe with an open ended.
I am still wondering how the heck does the bolt get clear of both dampers to allow removal? maybe there is a hole in the body that I have not yet seen?
I will be back in due course with an update.
Thanks again Doug.
Rehards, Danny.

 

Danny, enough years have passed since I last did this job I can't remember *how* the bolt comes out. But, it does come out!

Someone with better memory cells will come along and help

Cheers
DD

 

Danny,
The Blue Book (BL Repair Operations Manual) directs on page 64-4 the following:

1) Remove road wheel

2) Support car on stands

3) Place jack support under wishbone

4) Remove self-locking nut and bolt securing top of hydraulic damper to suspension unit cross-beam. (It looks like you have to reach up inside the cage for this. Is this the one you're having trouble with?)

5) Remove washers and nuts securing hydraulic dampers to wishbone (this shows the bottom of the shock.)

6) Drift out damper mounting pin. Recover spacer at forward end of mounting pin tube. (picture shows the bolt you just removed the nut from in step 5 Maybe this step is missing from your manual?)

7) Withdraw hydraulic damper and road spring assembly.

8) Using Special Tools SL.14 and JD.11B compress road spring until collets and spring seat can be removed.

9) Release spring pressure and withdraw hydraulic damper from road spring.

Refitting:
Reverse operations 1 to 9 inclusive.

I hope this helps you.
(';')

 

Dear LnrB, many thanks for your help. Yes it is the top bolt I am struggling with. I can just about get a socket on the forward nut and only just get a ring spanner on the rearward bolt head. I cant for the life of me see where you can drift the bolt to once I have the nut off the end!
I would be very interested to hear from somebody who has done this job.
Also thanks Doug for your confirmation that the bolt does come out!
Regards, Danny.

 

Danny,
I just now looked at the IRS hanging in the shop. The top bolt is nutted on the Outside of the cage with an Industrial Strength Nyloc. That will be a Fine Thread nut/bolt. Our experience with similar attachments says it just takes a Long time to get it off. It looks like a deep socket, or at least a short extension on a short handled ratchet with fine teeth might work on the inside, as there appears to be space to swing it in there.

It has just now occurred to me, perhaps your hands are too big to get in there!

I think they mean to beat out the bottom attachment point, as a shaft that perhaps goes all the way through both bottom shock supports.

I wonder if you might have more success removing the bottom first, and then, if the bolt or nut is stripped, you can use the top of the shock as leverage to get the bolt out. I have no experience with this, just musing.
(';')

 

Dear LnrB, thanks for your suggestion. If the thread is very fine, that would account for me thinking it wasnt comng off! I will have another go. Perhaps the bolt will drift out into a hole in the body, I will investigate further. The manual says remove the bolt, so it must!
Kind regards, Danny.

 

The alternative is that somebody in the past dropped the sub-frame, removed the dampers, did some work, and then replaced the upper damper bolts/nuts the wrong way round, so there is now no space to remove the bolt.

 

Problem solved!
My sincere thanks to Doug, LnrB, and Fraser for their valued help.
I had it in my head that the fixing bolts at the top were one long shaft like the bottom.
BIG MISTAKE! I had another close look today and found that they are fixed seperately by small bolts. I managed to get a small rachet up beside the spring and with a ring spanner on the outside removed them. EASY once you know how! I was turning the nut on the outside, looking at the other side of the sub frame and could not understand why it wasnt turning and the nut wasn't coming off! I felt a complete idiot.However, with new springs and shocks the car rides lovely and at least 2 inches higher ground clearance.
So, thanks once again for all the help.
Kindest regards, Danny.

 

ALRIGHT, Danny!!
High fives!!
These cars are indeed humbling, aren't they! I think each and every one of us has been bitten by the dreaded Turning Nut.

I'm So glad you have Conquered!!
Feels good, doesn't it.
(';')

 

High Fives indeed LnrB! It is a great feeling when a problem is solved! I love my old Jag and it still gives me a thrill when I take her out!
I look forward to our next little problem! This is a great friendly and helpful forum.
Kindest regards, Danny.

 

Danny, I actually replaced the shocks twice in my ownership of the car, although I did have it 14 years. First time I was poor so bought a very cheap Jo No-name pair of shocks that lasted about 18 months. Then having recovered a bit financially, I finally fitted a pair of known provenance, and these were still on the car when I sold it. I think I also changed the springs at some point too.

 

Fraser, thanks for your info, my springs and shocks were 30 years old! I bought the car in 1984 and this is the first time they have been replaced. It was no wonder the car was sitting low at the rear! I measured the clearance before and it was 5 inches, and now it is 7.5 inches! As per manual!!!
I am a very happy bunny!
My next job is to replace the sagging roof lining, I have found a supplier in the UK. The whole thing is quite easily managed on a series 3 apparantly!
If I get into difficulties, I may be back here for help!
Kindest regards, Danny.