The first time I heard the the noise related to this,,, a definite and super bassy deep clunk, but only on big bumps,,, I stopped driving the car.

Here and there over the last couple weeks, *** end of the car WAY up in the air, I've been looking, looking pry-bar-ing looking and looking again for the source of the sound. More convinced every time that it HAS to be something in the trunk - until today...

Well I'll be DIPPED - as my dude from Vise Grip Garage exclaims... I'll be DIPPED! A cracked rear spring. I changed the rear shocks just over a year ago and she didn't look like this. Could I have installed it wrong?

Got a used OE set coming for 52smackers...best a man can afford for now.

 

Jay, 1 in a million chance, but if you find the front springs from a 98 xk8 will work there- you can have a pair from me.
John

 

Thanks for the offer John! Really... An 98 XK front spring fits the rear? Really? I did not know. The seller of the rears accepted my offer of 52$. The photos of the springs look okay and they will have to do, for now. I'm looking forward to swapping it out.

I am SUPER behind with this car. I'm seeing rust all over the place, the rear axle, things that need attention, and. The body has 220k miles on it - thinking about it that way, it's not bad. And a spring with that many miles on it,,, I guess is to be expected. Engine and trans, 38k. Runs and rolls amazingly good. And smooth. Even with the shattered footing.

Wonder what folks think. What would happen if this crack occurred in the MIDDLE of the spring, while driving? Would the whole thing just come apart and the rear would drop? I never even considered the possibility.

 

On a VW or Audi with 220k miles on it, this would have happened for the third time. Same on my wifes MB SLK at 100k this summer. I have changed 40-50 broken springs in my life, and I have never seen one break other than top or bottom.

 

Good to know, thanks Nor. I didn't know this was a thing.

I've been thinking back, trying to remember a drive where I might have heard or felt something usual, a loud crack or snap, but I don't. As y'all know I am fairly new to car stuff - so I wasn't aware that this was something to be looking for or thinking about.

So, the rubber cup that the spring rides in. Are there drains or will it pool water? I don't remember from when I had it out and in my hand.

I have rust to deal with all in and around this rear axle.

 

There's no drain in the pigtails & no provision in the wishbone.

I just smeared some red rubber grease under the pigtail & around the bottom of the spring.

 

I'll do the same then... It can't be best that, especially considering the location, there is no drain. After driving in the rain I can imagine, with humidity, that water could pool for hours or days, even. I don't even want to think about salt water... What if the rubber pad was left off all together?

 

Jay, just to clarify. I didn't want to say yes it fits for sure, I meant to say: if it does , then . . .

John

 

From memory the front and rear springs are very different in shape and size.

 

Thanks Bluekg. Jay has been so helpful to so many of us, I gave it a shot just in case.

J

 

No problems - Jay is very helpful just like all of you guys. In fact, this is the most helpful forum I have known and you are all generous with your time and support. I really appreciate that - especially over the last few weeks in the UK - thanks to all of our friends from around the world.

Just to get back to the subject for a while, springs are also rated according to the model and specification. So my XK8 has 'sport springs' which are a bit stiffer than 'comfort'. I doubt in reality that I would be bright enough to tell the difference! - but if I replaced them I would have to probably replace them in pairs (front or rear) to keep the balance of the car.

Take care all

 

Well THIS don't lend to a smooth ride...

Some of y'all out there take SUPER good care of your cars, keep them very clean, garaged and and and,,, for folks more like me out there (especially for my 2002 XK8) who might be a little behind in the upkeep, I would suggest taking a peak at the extreme lower end of your rear springs... Especially if the rubber at the base of the spring is intact...no little holes, not leaking the rubber boot seems like it can act as a little bathtub for water and grime and salts which will,,, well, you know.

I'm proud to say that getting the old spring OUT, "new" one IN, took just over 2 hours out in the street. Its nice when things go smoothly. It just is.


Last spring coil looks rusted clear thru. In the last twist of the coil it looks like the terminating coil of the spring can easily come up against the the coil above, which chips the paint there allowing for water, sand, salt etc to come into contact with the bare steel, chain reaction - rust. The "new" spring had rust there too. I tried to clean it up some and hit it with a bunch of por15. I really need to get into the rear end and do a proper job. It's looking reallllly rough back there - in several areas

 

Changed the second LH spring this weekend. All and all not a bad job at all... Not NEARLY as bad as trying to solve the issues I have with my reverse parking assist. Omgoodness, give me nutts and bolts any old day...

Heres how I do it:
- Loosen wheel lugs.
- Jack up rear of car nice and high.
- Place on good set of jack stands at stand points. Place wheels under car and place extended jack on a area of differential that will NOT obstruct the differential plate (see below) that will need to move down when jacking.
- Remove rear wheel.
- Remove ABS sensor from top of hub carrier - 8mm
- Remove caliper - bolts 15mm. Remove caliper from carrier and rotor.
​​​- Leave caliper hoses attached and find a place to kinda hand it. Watch ABS sensor wire.
- If convertible - remove 1 (one) (careful!!!) 15mm bolt holding body brace pipe/tubing at trailing arm connection point. Slowly loosen and tighten, rock back and forth, until loose. You don't want to shear this bolt.
- Remove 4 (four) 19mm bolts from REAR of lower differential plate.
- Remove 4 (four) 13mm bolts holding shock mounting plate to underside of car body.
- Remove and counter hold 19mm shock bolt/pin.
- Remove 1 (one) 17mm sway bar link bolt for UNDER side and watch for rubber bits and bobs.

At this point everything, the main shock assembly should all stay in place.

Take your scissor jack and place bottom of jack on FLAT on the top of the aluminum hub carrier. Place a folded rag under base of jack between carrier and jack base. Stops slipping. Point angled hinge of scissor jack towards the REAR of the car giving yourself room to monkey around with and move the spring and shock assembly around when loose. You'll see it.

Place TOP of jack foot in an area (uses spacers where needed as to NOT CRUSH) tubes and pipes. You'll see it. Again, point of scissor jack towards the REAR of car.

Begin winding the jack open paying attention to the travel of the lower arm. Put a wrench on the SHOCK PIN and when it gets nice and loose, easy to turn, slide it out of the lower shock mount hole and lower control arm hole. Takes some fiddling - maybe a long 3/8 socket extension and a hammer.

From here, with continued jacking,,, spring and shock will come loose and nearly fall out of its perch... I allowed the lower arm and spreading power of the jack to push the differential plate down as far as it need to be,,, to remove and replace shock and spring. I didn't use a spacer or 2x4.

In this, to the best of my half assed ability,,, and for now, I gave accessable things a slathering of por15 anti rust. I will DEFINITELY need to get back in the entire rear end of this car for rust repairs and anti rust work. It's pretty bad back there, sadly...

Reinstall is basically the reverse - toughest part is realignment of the shock and pin, but not a big deal.

Anything I missed PLEASE add it in.
Thank y'all,,, for being here!


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