So I'm looking to rebuild the suspension and am starting with shocks and springs. The rear coils look they can be done with coil compressors from local auto shop. What about the fronts? Should I take it in to get the fronts done? Also, anything I should watch out for or expect when doing springs and shocks? (Feel free to post links to write-ups on these subjects. I tried to find some but didn't have any luck.)

Thanks!

 

You are right about the rears. Just unbolt the spring/shocker as a unit, then compress the spring with the autoshop clamps.


The fronts are different, and the forces involved much larger, so the procedure needs care or injury is likely. The best way is to buy the correct tool from the JEC, but it is expensive. Some people have made their own, but CARE is required.


The tool needs a good quality steel threaded rod at least 5/8 inch thick and about a yard long, plus thick spacers one wider than the other. Then it needs a VERY good quality deep nut each end, or even two, with one as a safety.


You get the car off the ground, then poke the rod up through the hole in the spring pan from below, up the centre of the spring and through the hole in the spring tower (part of the subframe the top of the spring pushes against) at the top. Poke your hand in behind the tower, there is just room, and put the less wide thick spacer over the rod and then thread on the thick nut/two nuts securely.


The rod is now hanging by the nut(s) from the top. Put the wider spacer on the rod from the bottom followed by another nut (or two for safety). Then screw up the bottom nut to push the bottom spacer against the spring pan to compress the spring enough to take the tension.


Then you undo the six fixings under the spring pan and then carefully undo the nut on the bottom of the rod, and down the pan comes releasing the spring.


The final problem is getting it all back together again, as the spring is not compressed straight up and down, but rather in a curved shape when reassembling. The best thing is to buy some threaded rod (3/8 UNF from memory) the same thread size as the fixing bolts, and use these as a guide for the pan as you squeeze it upwards when reassembling. This pic gives you the general idea



Greg

 

Is that the official Jaguar tool shown in the pics?


I've used both the "long rod thru the center" and the "4 threaded rods from the bottom" methods. The later works best for me....although the work is quite tedious!


Cheers
DD

 

Doug, That is the JEC tool. The good thing about it is that it can be used to conveniently support the spring while changing the top ball joint, or other top wishbone stuff. Of which I have all too much recent experience having been sold a couple of duff top BJs 12,000 km ago.


Greg

 

Two weeks ago, I replaced the V-12 front springs on my '94 XJS convertible 6-cyl with the correct OEM springs. I had a reputable shop do the work, which was extensive. They charged about three hours of labor. In my opinion, this was worth every penny, as it's a complex and potentially dangerous job. They were able to do a front-end alignment at the same time.

 

Awesome! Thank you for the help everyone! Two more questions arose though. Does anyone have torque specs for shock bolts and control arm bolts? Is there a good book I can get that has this info? I also was wondering if springs from an XJ6 will fit in an XJS. I ask because I have a chevy 350 conversion, but the stock front springs. Thus, my front end is raised higher than the rear. I found these but they say they are for an XJ6.

Jaguar XJ 6 With Chev 350 Motor 1968 1986 Standard King Springs KJFS 05 Front | eBay


Thanks!

 

XJS six cylinder springs will fit, that is for sure. XJ6 springs will too (but NOT the XJ40 version of that car, just the Series III body). The Haynes manual has all the torque values, as does the Factory workshop manual available from Jaguar Classic Parts.


Greg

 

I've used a generic spring tool on my front springs before. Just don't be cheap and get one that simply hooks over the springs, get one that you can bolt on both sides. Be careful, but it can be done with no tools at all. People tend to freak out about springs more than they need to.

I've removed quite a few springs with nothing but a jack, if you can let the suspension all the way down and it isn't compressed, it just sort of falls out, not many forces involved except gravity.

I realize this probably isn't the best idea on an XJS because the spring is caged the way it is, but I dont see any need to go off buying some expensive specialty tool when you can use generic tools to hold the spring where it is and put it back in.

 

Greg you are THE MAN!