I started this thread to show some of the photos I took while replacing the front shock bushings on my 2003 XJ8. It was an easy project that was made possible by all the help I received on this site. https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...e2/#post822360

Thanks to all who guided me along the way.

First off, I ordered the bushings from Welsh Enterprises for $55.95 (Part # MNC--2168-69-K). I know there are other sources and other alternatives, but that's what I got and this is how I installed them.

Here's a photo of 2 of the old ones and 2 of the new ones.



The driver's side has the power steering reservoir in the way of one of the shock plate mounting bolts, so the first thing to do is remove the 8mm bolt that holds the reservoir bracket together so you can move the reservoir -- you don't have to remove the reservoir, just undo the bracket so you can move it slightly out of your way. The passenger's side has nothing in the way, so the rest of the instructions are the same for both sides.

Here's a photo of the power steering reservoir's bracket removed.



1. Loosen the 5 10mm bolts that hold the shock plate in place.

2. Remove the nut on the top of the shock -- it's a 17mm nut that comes off the top of the shock, but you need to hold the top of the shock with a wrench (I used an adjustable wrench) while loosening the nut.



3. Remove the 5 10mm bolts that you loosened in step #1. The shock will extend and pull the plate up with it.

4. Remove the plate from the top of the shock.

Now for the fun part, you need to remove the old bushings. There is one bushing on the top of the plate and another one under the plate. You need to push on the inside of the metal collar that is in the middle of the bushings -- you can either use a press or do it this way....

5. Take a fairly large hammer, a 6" socket extension, and either a socket (or what I found to work was a reducer) that fits inside the metal washer that's on top of the shock plate but rests on top of the collar that runs down the middle of the bushings. Slam the hammer onto the end of the socket extension a few times hitting it from the top. If you hit it hard enough the collar will push down and pop out the bottom and the bushings will be free.



Now you need to "press" the new bushing in -- this is pretty easy.

6. Hand press one of the bushings onto the collar (this is the bushing that will go on the bottom of the plate. Thread the collar through the plate and hand press the top busing onto the collar. I then used a long bolt that I threaded up from the bottom of the plate, through the collar, and sticking out above the top bushing. I put a large/medium sized socket on the bolt, then used a nut to tighten the whole thing down until the bushing is pushed tightly onto the collar and a portion of the collar is sticking out of the bushing. Then take the nut and socket off, put the top washer on the bolt and tighten the socket and nut back onto the bolt - the washer will pop onto the collar and you're done!





7. Replace the shock plate back on the shock by threading the top of the shock through the collar that goes through the bushings. Push down hard on the plate so it seats onto the car and hand tighten a couple of the 10mm bolts to hold the plate in place while you put the other bolts on.

8. Tighten the 5 10mm bolts, then put the 17mm nut on the shock and tighten it down (remember to use a wrench on the top of the shock to keep it from turning while you tighten the 17mm nut).

9. Double check the 5 10mm bolts on the shock plate.



10. If you're working on the driver's side, re-install the bracket around the power steering reservoir.

That's it, you're done.

 

Thanks Mike... Just ordered the kit from Motorcars LTD (Welsh was out of stock)... and I plan on doing the work this weekend with the help of your instructions and images.

 

How is the ride now?

 

My ride is sitting at the transmission shop waiting for the verdict!

 

I wonder if it's difficult to get to the bottom shock nut ? I mean to replace the front shocks.

 

Very easy, much simpler than JTIS describes. Back in the May timeframe I described how I did it: took about an hour per side and that included jacking and tire removal. Maybe easier using a floor jack than a lift.

 

I know that, but how was the before and after impression? I am going to order the bushings tomorrow (to a local shop making this kind of rubber parts) and I want to know if there is a real improvement after fitting yours.

 

Really nice job and write up Mike, thanks for sharing with the community

 

At first I thought so, but I'm pretty sure it was my imagination. I had hoped it would smooth out some of the bumps, but after a few weeks the car seemed to be about the same as it was before. I've been chasing a problem since I got the car -- hope to figure it out some day.

 

It made a big improvement on mine, but my upper bushings were far worse than OM's were in his photo.

 

If you are trying to delete a vibration at high (70-80 mph) speed, try changing the front sway bar bushes, it was a real improvement on mine. Also try to tighten the wheel nuts one after other , in a circle pattern, not in star as many of the tire shops are doing. This was the last thing that improved my ride after a lot of parts changed on front and rear suspension.
Coming to the top shock bushes, I removed mines a week ago (to check the condition and to see the dimensions, to fabricate them), by simply removing the 5 bolts of the plate and the nut from the top of the shock. With a 2 arms extractor I pulled the top washer and without any effort the parts separate, only the tube stayed fixed on the shock's rod. Refitting was as simple as the removal.

 

Ok, followed the steps for the passenger side - no problem. Got to step #5 for the driver's side: slammed with the hammer, collar did not release. Slammed more - no release. Slammed many more times - no release. It now looks like the inside of the sleeve is flared and preventing the collar from releasing. Any suggestions on how to get this apart? Thanks in advance!

 

Interesting, one had it fall apart in his hand, while yours won't release. Try soaking it with HT Blaster overnight. And if your socket fits, hit it harder! Alternatively, take it to a machine shop with a hydraulic press. Mine were very tight, took a heavy hammer a many hits.

 

A (small) hydraulic press can be faked pretty easily by using a hydraulic floor jack and the weight of a car. Use the jack to press the drift up against the car jacking point. Put a bit of wood between the drift and the car so if it slips you don't punch thru the floorpan.

Don't use the car you're working on as the weight though - the shock is the rebound stop, so with it disconnected there's nothing to stop the suspension overextending.

Failing that, pressing them out's a 5 minute job for your local machine shop.

 

Also, for anybody contemplating doing the top bushes: once you have the top plate off, you're only a jacked up wheel, one more bolt, and $10 a side away from replacing the bottom shock bush. So you might as well do that while you're at it. Bottom bushes wear out too, mine tuned out to be the cause of my front end noises.

Only point to remember when doing the bottom bush is don't let the wheel hang free while the shock's disconnected. Jack it under the A arm. Or alternatively jack the front end up and lower it onto axles stands under the A arms before disconnecting the shock at the top.

 

Can you give us the Part No and source for the lower bushings?

Thanks.

 

MND2153AA, available here (sorry, not getting at you, just love that link). Looks like they're easy enough to get - my local dealer had them in stock.

A useful source for figuring out part numbers is the Jaguar Classic Parts website

 

It seems that the country that made the car cannot supply these aftermarket bushes as a separate item - just the complete assembly. By the time that's rusted away the worlds oil supply will have long been exhausted.....
I dont suppose anyone measured the complete dimensions of these bushes - ie width, height, hole diameter.....

AndyP

 

Dimensions are 52 mm diameter, 15 mm central hole, 19 mm thick. I did them at a local rubber parts shop, but rubber not poly.

 

I had a catastrophic transmission failure and had the transmission rebuilt. I drove my S-Type for a month while I haggled with the mechanic and finally got my XJ8 back. During that time, I marveled at the smoothness of the S-Type's ride, no shaking in the steering wheel or the driver's seat, etc. I could only dream that my XJ8 would someday be as smooth. Well, not that it actually took care of the shaking, but now that I have a "new" transmission in the XJ8, the car seems to be much, much smoother. I wonder if some of the shaking was the faulty transmission?!!! I still have a slight amount of shake, but nothing like before.