Hello Sportsfans!

I had the oil pan gasket replaced a while back, and I've developed a loud clunking in the right front suspension area, which seems worst if I'm on the brakes a bit when I encounter a bump. Looking under the car, there is a substantial bushing just aft of the lower control arm rear bushing. It is on the end of what I would call the engine cradle. When I turn the head of the bolt that is at the center of this bushing, it turns easily, and I believe the nut it threads into is slipping. Trouble is, there doesn't appear to be any way to get to the nut to hold it. There is an access hole in the right side passenger footwell, but it is rearward of the area I believe the nut is located. Is there any way to get to that nut?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...e-free-113243/

This might help. Seems like a bear of a job.

 

Thanks, X-Type. It does seem like a bit of bother. I'll let you know how I make out. Thanks for the link.

 

X.
I can send you more detailed dimensions of the wrench if you like.
Took me about an hour to make mostly bend a bit and try bend a little try etc......

if you use a screwdriver through the front access hole to help seat the wrench it helps.

 

I wasn't the original poster but I'm sure he could use the info!

 

Sorry X,
That will teach me to post after I have had my coffee and a little more awake

 

Robert: Paul's bent box wrench solution is elegant, to say the least, and hopefully it worked for you. Should that approach fail you, here's a non-elegant, brute force approach I used prior to Paul's bent wrench posting.

It's posted here, with pictures at the bottom of page 1:

Suspension overhaul nightmare

Cutting a hole in the floorboard is easier than it sounds. The sheet metal is perforated above the captive nut on driver & passenger sides (as if Jaguar engineers anticipated this problem!). Because it's perforated, you cut only a ~3 inch straight line across the bottom of the square access hole, which I did in few minutes using a Dremel cutting disc. The left and right sides of the square are factory pre-cut, and across the top of the square the sheet metal bends up and out of the way.

After loosening my X-Type's frozen bolt and repairing the suspension, I closed the access hole by bending the sheet metal back in place, resealed it with a ~4" square of galvanized sheet metal, edged with RTV silicone, and covered with carpet.

Again, not as elegant as Paul's bent wrench, but a brute force "Plan B".

 

Thanks All!

I found that access point to the nut a bit further up the footwell than I first looked. Sure enough, the shoulder of that self-locating bolt was well worn. A few days' wait for a new one to arrive from the US, a 2 hr round trip to the Dealer, and that was that. Clunk gone. Thanks again, Guys.