Hello all,

I've come to fit my new lower ball joints and discovered that they don't come with the 'cap' at the bottom - part number C24514 and 45 on the front suspension exploded diagram.

Looking at the ball joints that came off the car, the section that holds the ball joint (spigot?) appears to be part of the cap - I can't find any way to get the two apart.

So 1) Am I missing something and there's a way to get these apart (photo attached), or 2) Can anyone tell me where I can order two? SNG Barrat and David Manners both don't have stock.

If I can get them apart then I think the original bits will be fine... and cheaper!



Any help welcome!

cheers,

B

 

The last time I did mine I bought the whole unit, it was sealed at the factory and came with a new cap/dust boot and what ever else was necessary.

 

Nobody bothers with the old adjustable ball joints anymore when a far superior joint is available made by Lemforder.

The Lemforder bottom ball joints introduced with the XJ40 model series are backwardly compatible with all the saloons right back to the Mark 1, but not the chassis cars, (Mark VII to IX) or the chassis sports cars and E-type.

Looking at your pic, it is of the Lemforder non-adjustable joint which lasts almost for ever, but I'm not sure if it was ever fitted correctly on your car. These joints need shorter securing bolts and don't use the tab-washers. Threadlock compound is used instead, in fact if bolts come with the joint they have threadlock applied.

When fitting for the first time, (having dismantled the adjustable joint), the ballpin spigot fitted into the lower end of the hub carrier must be removed by tapping it out. The old-type ball pin works against this, with its lower half in the Railko socket). The Lemforder joint is totally self contained and just needs bolting in.

I used these on an XJ6 Series 3 I once had and it was simplicity itself to fit them unlike the old joints which are a PITA to fit, and last about 5 minutes !

Have a read here to see what you do: -

http://fairislepress.com/WP/?p=2633

Also SNG Barratt have them, and although they don't list the Mark 2, the page states that they are compatible with most post-XK models, meaning the 1950s cars.

http://www.sngbarratt.com/ProductDet...f8287daf04&l=7

 

Thanks for your replies - very useful!

I have contacted SNG Barratt, as the parts were supplied as part of their 'Front Suspension Rebuild' kit and I assumed it would have all the bits needed. It seems not - and the caps are not available on their website (listed, but no longer available).

The single sealed option sounds like the best one, and looks like what was already on there so I've already ordered the correct length screws. I'd just rather not fork out twice and end up with some bits I can't use!

B

 

Just make sure the previous owner knocked out the ballpin spigots from the hub carriers (the uprights). Unfortunately as time goes on, these joints just get supplied without any instructions on their fitment to earlier cars with the older balljoints. The new joints will not fit and work properly with these spigots left in. A tap from the top with a small hammer gets them out. Although I said the tabwashers were not used, I have seen photos of the new joints with them used to secure the four bolts. So clearly some suppliers still include them, and there is no harm done using them. Jaguar did not use them, using threadlock compound instead. When I got my kit in the late 80s the bolts had threadlock on them. It is a blue coloured stuff on the bolts.

 

So far a good customer experience (as ever) with SNG. Kindly offered to swap the ones supplied in the suspension rebuild kit with the parts linked to by Fraser. Pretty good of them given I ordered the rebuild kit in February!

Parts will go back next week - hopefully not too much of a delay!

 

If you look at this picture of the SNG Barratt rebuild kit you can see the spigot ring bottom left.

SNG Barratt - The Ultimate Jaguar Parts Specialist

You need to knock these out with a light hammer tap if there are any in the uprights. The old-type ball joint bears on these on its upper surface, and on the Railko socket on the lower surface. It was an OK joint when it was designed some time in the 50s but no good really today as it doesn't last long. The Lemforder replacements need no greasing, and when they wear out it is a simple swap-out process, just like the top ball joints. Lemforder make these too. These were always non-repairable, but Lemforder eliminated the grease nipple, yet they still last a very long time.

 

All arrived OK, its clear now the old ones were of this type also. Fitting the new ones went OK but I did need to 'adjust' some of the hole locations in the mount cap of the joint as they were not close. All fitted, suspension back on and looking much better now.

Thanks for your help,

B

 

Well done ! Funny the bolt holes didn't line up. When I replaced mine in the very late 80s, they just went straight on. Any chance of a photo so I can check it out ?

 

I think it was just a quality issue - one of the caps fitted fine, the other the holes were out by ~3-4mm, as if the part had been in the wrong position when they were drilled.

It's on the car now - it looks ok now it's fitted, just needed some 'fettling' to slot the holes slightly.

 

Jaguar XK140 150 MK 7 MK 9 MK 1 Front Suspension Lower Ball Joint Boot Set New | eBay