Thank You for that Jap

There are none on there at the moment, they have Completely worn away!

 

The ones that were on there have Dissolved!

I've been riding around without them, since the MOT!

 

Hi Ron

All I've got are 2 bare metal shafts with nuts on top, no wonder the Car was making Screeching noises.

One of the 'Pickiest' MOT's that I can ever remember and they Completely Missed them!

But not as much as I am missing them now!

 

I've never done this Job Before, I hope that it's as easy as you say!

 

Thanks JT

My biggest problem, is getting the nuts undone, not a lot of room to work in there.

 

I'm really hoping that I don't have to remove the Shock Absorbers from the Car.

 

Hi Mikey

I have a Plan, The GF is going to marmalise me for this but it has to be done!

Stay tuned and all will be revealed!

 

The Jaguar "system" has many parts. ALL of which work together to provide the distinctive Jaguar ride, no ones saying the foam vs rubber vs poly in and of itself lend to ride quality BUT in the total package they do have influence. If you think they don't then that's great for you. If you think the rubber ones last longer and all they do is "isolate" then your way ahead. Be aware that rubber will degrade and harden/shrink even though it doesn't tear up like the foam it still degrades in it's properties over time. But then if it only "isolates" as you state then I guess we can all replace them with homemade wooden ones and really be done with it for some time . I'll live in my ignorant bliss as you've inferred and stick to the Genuine OE ones. I don't think they are "sacred" I just think they are the right ones for the job to keep the Jaguar ride quality. I don't like doing things as few times as possible I just like doing things IMHO right. I removed the rubber ones my PO put on and replaced with the foam ones and whattaya know, the ride smoothed out some and funny enough I didn't tell my son I did anything and he asked " boy this thing seems smoother" couldn't be the "sacred" bushes could it? Nah just his and my imagination playing tricks on us again. Just my $.02!

 

Road wheels off is easier, but at least jacking up the car is a must so the shocker is extended. All you have to do is push down the shocker so you can slip on the required bits. Of course, if the shocker pushes down with one hand easily, it is shot !

Greg

 

This is not actually true. There is a moment when the suspension wishes to deflect and the shocker's "sticktion" prevents it moving. The soft bush gives at this moment to prevent the road shock being transmitted to the body. The harder the bush, the more shock is transmitted. If you imagine a rally car with all-rose jointed suspension, regardless of the spring rate and the shocker bump and rebound settings selected, that car will have a very harsh ride. As will your Jaguar road car if you rose joint the suspension and have solid shocker and chassis subframe mounts!

Obviously this is an exaggerated example, but the shock bushes are one link in a carefully calculated "chain" of things that together give the famous Jaguar ride/handling compromise.

Greg

 

Hi Greg

Although there are many differences of opinion, Poly vs OEM I think you have convinced me, that OEM would be the way to go as I too, do not want to spoil that lovely Jaguar Ride.

Seeing that She is a Fair weather Car, I would be quite happy if they lasted only a year, as now I've pulled it all to bits it really doesn't look that hard to do.

I guess I'm suffering 'Mission Creep' (oh no! not another problem!)

I'm really hacked off with the Garage that did the MOT, as they completely missed the fact that all the Shock Absorber Bushes had gone missing!

I'll leave you with the photo and then continue with a (New Reply) just in case I get timed out again!

This is a Classic example of why it pays to work on your Car yourself!

Do you remember in June this year, I said I was getting a noise like Breaking China, well this is more than likely the reason for that.

Metal against Metal rubbing up and down in the Engine Compartment.

 

orangeblossom,
Of course you have to remove the air cleaner box to make room for the bush change.
You can pull the shock by hand from underneath the wheel arch to draw it out from the wing hole.
An attempt is easier than expected.

 

I doubt it will be that hard. Get a spring compressor (one which works from inside the spring instead of on the outside), insert it from beneath (of course jack the car up first!) and then compress. Undo the lower carrier plate und remove the spring. The damper is just a thing of undoing a couple of screws. You might as well though, whilst at it, replace the shock absorbers... When out, they are out. So instead of doing a job twice, do it once correctly

 

Hi Greg

The Shockers look and Feel Ok.

And now I've taken the Washers out there is no rust whatsoever on the mountings.

But I did get the urge to experiment! So you better get ready to put your head in your hands!

And if you start going 'OMG what is he up to now!'

Then I will abandon Ship and go back to 'Plan 'A' with the OEM Bushes.

But when I saw the GF's Chopping Board, which was made from Polyurethane!

The Temptation to get the drill out, was just too hard to resist! So I made a Set of 'Polyurethane' Shock Absorber Bushes out of it!

Needless to say She was just as Thrilled as when I 'nicked' some Acetone out of her 'make up case'

I cannot lie, She just went Bananas!

Anyway the Bushes I made look almost as good as the ones that you can buy for £25! but seeing as I have never actually seen them in the 'flesh'

I'm not sure if they are meant to be completely flat on both sides, or whether they are meant to have some sort of shoulder on, to fit in the hole?

Good idea? Bad idea? or go back to 'Plan 'A' and fit the OEM?

I was just trying to save a few bob, as I've still got to spend over a Grand, in order to get my other XJS back on the road.

 

if you find a replacement poly bush for the front bottom shock please let me know as I need a pair for the spax to match the tops and I cant find them listed by any major manufacturer

 

Hi Jap

Thanks, I've got the hang of it now!

Over thinking the problem, is always a lot harder, that just getting stuck in!

 

Have you tried Europarts?

 

No spring work is required for shocker work.

 

Well that makes it easier. Thanks for the correction.

 

I would need to know a alternative vehicle that has the same size as they are quite limited on xjs specific parts