Help with sway bar bushings replacement needed
#1
Help with sway bar bushings replacement needed
OK, how in the world do you get to the bolts that hold the sway bar bushing mounts in place to loosen them to replace the rubber bushings on an 89 XJS V12? I can only get to one nut on each side. Does it take a special tool (s)? My fingers tell me that the bolt heads up above are not welded in place so they will probably turn once loose. Is there some trick to slip the bushing out and in from the side? Do you have to drop the cross member to get to the bolts? Any and all suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.
#2
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 24,739
Received 10,749 Likes
on
7,100 Posts
Been too many years so my memory is foggy.....but I'm betting that you can reach them from the engine bay. You'll need a long extension.
I *do* vividly remember this job on my Ser III XJ6, though. Different body... but same subframe and bar mounting. On that car I went through the engine bay. After initially breaking the bolts free my arms were *just* long enough to work the ratchet with one hand while the other hand held the nuts with a wrench. Having a helper is easier !
Others will chime in
Cheers
DD
I *do* vividly remember this job on my Ser III XJ6, though. Different body... but same subframe and bar mounting. On that car I went through the engine bay. After initially breaking the bolts free my arms were *just* long enough to work the ratchet with one hand while the other hand held the nuts with a wrench. Having a helper is easier !
Others will chime in
Cheers
DD
#3
OK, how in the world do you get to the bolts that hold the sway bar bushing mounts in place to loosen them to replace the rubber bushings on an 89 XJS V12? I can only get to one nut on each side. Does it take a special tool (s)? My fingers tell me that the bolt heads up above are not welded in place so they will probably turn once loose. Is there some trick to slip the bushing out and in from the side? Do you have to drop the cross member to get to the bolts? Any and all suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.
Dropping the subframe is not that bad a job once you have got a beam across the engine to hold it up. And you can do lots of other jobs while there is access: steering rack bushes, engine/subframe/frame earths, check power steering cooler lines.
Greg
#4
It is not impossible to do with the subframe still in place, I removed and replaced my sway bar without dropping the subframe.
However it is much easier and most likely quicker to drop the front of the subframe. Put a jack under the subframe and remove the front bolts, lower it just enough to gain access. Remember the engine is mounted to this subframe so if you drop it too far the engine will come down with it.
Now if it were me I would remove the subframe and do as Doug and Greg suggested. While you there replace the sump gaskets.
You can make one of these.
However it is much easier and most likely quicker to drop the front of the subframe. Put a jack under the subframe and remove the front bolts, lower it just enough to gain access. Remember the engine is mounted to this subframe so if you drop it too far the engine will come down with it.
Now if it were me I would remove the subframe and do as Doug and Greg suggested. While you there replace the sump gaskets.
You can make one of these.
The following users liked this post:
Greg in France (12-14-2014)
#5
I just did mine.
I must let you know that I own a 1993 XJS six cylinder so I don't know if it is the same. I went down from the top, moving the heater hose to one side (but not disconnected). I was by myself so I clamped a vice grip on the bottom nuts as I turned the bolts. I put poly bushing on the end links and the sway bar. The thing I found different was the bolt holes on the sway bar brackets were not on center, but were offset. So, being I was putting on poly bushings I had to get a friend to hold the backers in place with a pry bar while I put the bolts in place. All I had to use was a ratchet, a long extension and a deep socket. It only took us maybe a couple of hours from start to finish. This is the first Jaguar I have ever worked on and it is a different beast, but I find it much easier to work on than my domestic cars.
#6
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Austin tx and Daytona FL.
Posts: 7,362
Received 1,231 Likes
on
939 Posts
OK, how in the world do you get to the bolts that hold the sway bar bushing mounts in place to loosen them to replace the rubber bushings on an 89 XJS V12? I can only get to one nut on each side. Does it take a special tool (s)? My fingers tell me that the bolt heads up above are not welded in place so they will probably turn once loose. Is there some trick to slip the bushing out and in from the side? Do you have to drop the cross member to get to the bolts? Any and all suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.
i had to replace my anti roll bushes(easy to do), my frame bushes seem to be OK.
i dont care for poly bushes , mine were 2-3yrs old and cracked apart!
#7
Trending Topics
#8
The shore hardness of some poly is up there with turned aluminium. Poly is not always an improvement.
#9
#10
The poly ones I bought are crap, plus sway bar bushings in most cases are not "life threatening" more $$$ isn't always "better". I got to my bushing back bolt heads by simply taking an open end wrench to the grinder and shaving the outer sides off.
#11
I'm not one how believes in putting poly everywhere. It can make a Jaguar drive like a truck. I do like a firmer steering and with 93,000 miles on my old bushings they needed replacement anyway.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
philwarner
XJ XJ6 / XJ8 / XJR ( X350 & X358 )
13
12-06-2021 07:13 AM
Doberman_Fan
S-Type / S type R Supercharged V8 ( X200 )
22
12-24-2019 06:21 AM
Fraser Mitchell
XJ XJ6 / XJ8 / XJR ( X350 & X358 )
9
10-01-2015 04:06 AM
FS[SouthEast]: 2005 Jaguar XKR Convertible Supercharged
divingmom
PRIVATE For Sale / Trade or Buy Classifieds
0
08-25-2015 07:54 PM
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)