Not everyone contemplating use of the part is doing so due to the use of lowering springs or seeking to lower a vehicle...rather it is a viable answer to what amounts to a design flaw that contributes to increased tire wear on some vehicles.

I had just replaced the shocks and struts on mine and had the shop also do a four wheel alignment, but try as they might, they cannot quite get the rear completely within spec. It's close, but not quite to the lower end of spec...as such, this is the sort of option I may contemplate.

 

Cherry, the Sport and non-Sport versions use all the same components except for the shocks and springs. So, there is nothing to swap out other than those 2 parts.

As for the adjustable control arm, the X-Type uses the S40 rear end from what I can tell. It just has parts that are labeled with a Jaguar label. So, why not get a part that should be there in the first place if it simply had different sheet metal. The two arms are very close to each other and the adjustable one seems to adjust to exactly what the X-Type needs.

 

Thermo, I respect your knowledge on cars. From reading your posts, you seem to be an accomplished mechanic. But, honestly if you are having issues with wheel telemetry doesn't it make sense that something is out of whack. We've discussed this before on another thread. Time after time, people who have lowered their X Types without making further mods to their suspension have said they are having problems with their tires looking like \/
So, let me try to explain what you guys are doing and why you are having the issues with your tires.

Imagine that you have disassembled both sides of front and rear suspension struts shocks. Now imagine that you go to put in the new suspension components...in this case only the shock/strut assemblies. The assembly has two points where it connects the vehicle to the suspension, the first is the upper mount. There is no issues here because the upper mount is a set point (does not move). Now the new lowering springs and struts are smaller in regards to their height, so when you go to hook up the units of the strut/spring combo to the business part of the suspension, the components must travel further up in order to connect to the strut assembly. That is why you have the cockeyed wheel telemetry. You have connected your suspension to a strut that does not have the same reach as the original so your ride is lower but your tires look like this when you set the car down \ / because the suspension components have to travel further to connect to the smaller strut assembly. If you can prove to me, with part numbers etc..that the sport version of our cars use the EXACT same components and have the EXACT same set up as the non-sport X Types, then I will say the problem is somewhere else and I will go out and slap on lowering spring/struts and call it a day. Until then, I will keep researching this until I find a safe and satisfactory solution. I promise brother, this is the last time I will ever contradict you on this subject. Cheers

 

The proof, to me anyway, is that the only "sport" options in replacement parts are just the shocks and springs. I haven't seen an other x type suspension parts that are "sport" parts other than them.


The reason you described for why the wheels are out of spec when you lower the car is exactly why the adjustable rear arm is needed. And you can get the Volvo adjustable arm as an OEM Volvo part so I can't see how it could be of poor quality. For all we know jag didn't use it to save like 10 bucks per car or something stupid like that. Kind of like how they say the trans and TC are "sealed for life". Factory parts and ideas aren't always the best option. It also doesn't help that the bushings wear out in the rear toe arms, and the rest of the rear arms too. For me, if I was replacing upper rear arms (and I did) i'd get the adjustable option, and I did haha. Although I bought upgraded aftermarket upper rears for a focus. They work just fine as well.

 

I'm sorry, but I am an engineer and the sport xtype doesn't have anything more adjustable than the standard xtype. This work around is fine. Try it yourself, modify some stuff to get it to be perfect for your setup before you bash with nothing to back it up. I never get in arguments on the forums, but this is just uncalled for. I've got a sport xtype and after lowering it more, I had to throw the adjustable control arms on too. Just do some research or ask some questions with an open mind before shutting your mind down to good ideas.

.... aaaaaand, thats my 2 cents

 

Those are bad ***. Can you adjust them to give you extreme camber like a race car?

 

Actually, it's the opposite. you have more adjustability for the top of the wheel to come out from the center of the vehicle instead of the adjustability making the top of the wheel go towards the center of the vehicle like the extreme camber you're talking about. Basically, the adjustment screw has to be almost all the way screwed in (shortest) for it to give you dead nuts camber.

 

Cherry, the best proof that I can tell you about is to go to a site like "Jaguar Parts" - Jaguar parts and accessories catalog (Jaguar dealership out of Cleveland Ohio) and look up "control arm". There, you will see that it only has a single listing for each of the components on the rear suspension. You can then look in the parts diagram and then click on say "5-spring" (part #5 in the diagram which is the rear spring). There it will actually list 4 different spring options for the car (1 for a car with the auto trans and comfort suspension, 1 for a car with the manual trans and comfort suspension, 1 for a car with the auto trans and sport suspension, and 1 for a car with the manual trans and sport suspension). If you can find different part numbers for the the comfort and sport suspension parts, then you have found something that I am not aware of.

As for why the tire lean in when you drop the car, this is part of the design engineering that goes into the car. The idea is that as you compress the suspension (during heavy cornering), the tops of the tires are purposely allowed to lean in slightly to keep the tire tread perpendicular to the road as the tire is going to flex some and if the tire was allowed to remain perfectly upright, it would lead to the tread rolling out from under the rim.

 

I got the arms installed, when getting the allignment done, the adjustment eccentric bolt on one side was destroyed. It was in so solidly it had to be beaten out. We put a bolt in to get it going, but need to replace the bolt. Does anyone know if these will work, 2X SS Replacement 14mm Adjustable 1 Front Rear Camber Alignment Cam Bolt Kit | eBay ?
Thanks,
Mike

 

The eccentric bolts for the lower control arms? I have two of them I am no longer using on my car because of my suspension mods. You can have them. Pm me.

 

Thanks Justin
Mike

 

Hi Thermo....I'm new here, and have just installed a new pair of rear upper control arms on my x-type. You mentioned that after you did yours and lowered the car, your tires were still leaning out at the top - positive camber, with everything as "small" as it would go. My problem was negative camber with the rear wheels looking like this / \ . So, can I assume that I have to let some of the length out of the adjustable arm to bring the bottoms back to a straight up position? Thanks...OnlyTony

 

Tony, this is not a simply yes or no answer. The tires may have been leaning in due to the worn parts and simply installing new components will restore them to their proper angle. Granted, if the subframe of your car has shifted slightly, then this may fix that issue though too.

I have been driving my car for about 10,000 miles since I did the arm replacement. I still have not gotten it aligned (I know, not the smartest thing). But, the rear tires are wearing very nicely and evenly. So, if the alignment is off (which I was merely eyeing it), it is so small, I would not worry about it. Worst case, you can apply the new arms and before you install everything, shorten the one helm joint threaded part by about a 1/4" and that should allow you to get the correct alignment regardless of what is going on.

 

well thermo your idea is perfect the volvo arm works perfect, i did this mod after you posted your findings so thanks,i did also change the other arms down there while i was at it, i have eigbach lowering springs with stock struts ,for me its a great combination,all i did was install the parts and took it to a truck a car alignment specialist,and bam everthing is straight
when i orderd all they had was the gold ones,back then

 

Dennis, good to hear that all is working out for you. Sometimes you have to be the first one to do something to open the flood gates.

 

I'm sorry to inform all but the camber bolt adjustment here may work, but it is wrong. The camber bolt for the rear on a X-Type is located on the lower control arm (that the spring sits on) at the top were it bolts to the bracket center of the car. If you look at this you'll see both arms connect and (carefully look at the bolt, it has a lobe, this is the camber bolt.

 

richfam, we have looked at the camber bolt adjustment and that adjustment really is meant to adjust the toe of the rear wheels, not to adjust the camber of the tire. Yes, the camber bolt will have a slight effect on the camber of the tire, but it has a much larger effect on the toe of the car.

If you did adjust the camber bolt to fix the camber, the toe of the car would be out so far that it would result in very short tire life.

 

I have a 2003 Jag X Type and was reading the forum and it seems others have the opposite problem than I have. My tires both rear lean in at the top both are equally leaning. I am totally confused on this problem. Does anyone have any suggestion aside run the car threw a auction???

 

This thread is the answer to that very problem.

 

Jeff, first off, welcome to the Forums. Lots of good information as you are finding out here. But, please stop by the New Member Section and give us a quick intro about yourself. We pride ourselves on being a friendly bunch here and as part of this, we like to get to know one another.

As for your problem, you are experiencing the same thing that most of us are. The tires lean in at the tops for our cars. This new arm I talk about will fix that condition. Then you can talk with the alignment shop and just make a note to them that they can adjust the rear wheel camber unlike what their books tell them.

P.S. Go Buckeyes. I grew up in Toledo and have relatives out in the Fremont area.