I’ve read here on other threads about how to tell if a strut mount is bad by pushing down on the front end and looking for the connectors to move side to side and looking for crumbling foam. I’ve even read a thread when someone was mentioning the color of the foam as being an indicator of bad or good.

My mounts foam is not crumbling, the color is dirty orange and the connectors don’t move side to side or jiggle around when pressing on the front end but the connectors do move up and down as the front end is being pressed on.

my symptoms are slight clunk noises over bumps that sound like something loose in the dash but I’m confident the issue is coming from front suspension as I’ve slowly been replacing all the front suspension components and every step has resulted in less and less clunk.

Only thing left up front is strut strut coils and these mounts but.. do I need them?

 

Please read this thread as this was discussed there. https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...hboard-211036/

 

ive read that thread more than once but i didn’t feel it gave me the answers I needed. It was really helpful but also my tops of my struts don’t move side to side as discussed in that thread. I guess the question for me is can the mounts be bad or starting to go bad causing noise over bumps even if the top of them as viewed from engine bay don’t move side to side.

should I have posted in that thread maybe?

 

If the strut shaft top is not centered in the opening like in post #11 before and after in that thread then your upper mounts are worn. What you see in post #24 are my old mounts showing that the mounts are extremely worn and that under normal driving the strut shaft can be "pushed" enough to come into contact with the surrounding metal of the mount and result in harsh rides and cause squeaks and rattles in the front and dash areas. In my case "movement" was not viable when I had the hood opened and "bounced" the XJ, but it did squeak on the left side.

 

thats helpful, I think I’m just going to replace the springs and mounts and see how it does for me, it can’t hurt and could possibly help a lot. I’ll report back if there’s some amazing change.

thanks for your reply

 

Have you replaced your sway bar bushings?

 

yes and links. Have the front wheels off now on jack stands. The front left tire is rubbing the wheel well liner when I turn right at speeds 40 mph or above. I’m thinking I may have solved the issue of the clunk but I’ll know more in the morning. In my opinion I need coils for sure.

 

I’ve decided to have the strut coils and the strut mounts replaced. I already did the shocks about a month ago.

I've also given the go ahead on inner ty rods for both sides.

my decisions were based on the fact that I’ve started to notice a slight rub from the left front tire on the wheel well lining when turning right.

also my decision about the inner ty rods was based on a sound I heard when I had the front wheels off and having a buddy hold my steering wheel while I started moving the wheel assembly back and fourth. The sound was the same as a clunking that I’ve been chasing down.

ill come update here after the work is complete next week to describe the changes that have taken effect.

 

Another thing to consider is that if one corner of your Jag has been jacked up "improperly", the frame may have been bent. I had no idea that these frames were so fragile, and still have a hard time believing it, but read this post:

https://www.jaguarforum.com/showthread.php?t=114880

Hopefully it's not an issue with yours, and that a frame could be damaged by raising a corner is disappointing.
Check your "pinch welds", where ever and whatever they are.

 

I guess this could be the case, I did recently use a floor jack to lift the car and I did lift it way higher than just getting the wheel off the ground. Im a little taken back by the fact that a frame can be bent this way. I now know to only put the car up enough to get a tire off at least.

I guess ill I’ll find out if the coil springs help. If not I’ll probably have to go with twisted frame.

thanks for pointing that post out to me. All I can do at this point is hope for the best and practice what that post preaches going on into the future.

 

I agree 100%. These things are that fragile, that they'll get bent out of shape under their own weight?

Well, if the frame can be bent in one direction by lifting one corner too high, what are the effects of raising the other corner(s) likewise - could it possibly un-twist what was twisted?
...just a thought.

It may be worth taking it to the dealership, sharing your concern, and letting them look at it. Their guy(s) familiar with the frame, chassis and suspensions may know where to look for this "pinch weld", and see an indication of if that might be what ails your Jag.
On the other hand, they may say that jacking the car won't destroy the chassis/frame anyway.

 

i would be completely totally shocked and probably forever turned off to jacking up any car ever in the future. I can’t imagine having to say I bent my frame from jacking up my car.

maybe they’re saying more like don’t jack the car up from the middle.

I used the jack points (for the most part)

 

I don’t think bending the frame is likely unless you do something really wrong. People jack these cars up all the time; yes, even one corner at a time I haven’t heard anyone ACTUALLY bending the frame when jacking from the designated points. Most of the posts suggesting bending the frame are theoretical. The more common issue is bending the seam because you didn’t put a rubber puck on your jack. That is fairly easy to do.

 

Bent seams aren’t a structural problem or something to be concerned about when it comes to the mechanical performance right?

Obviously no one wants a bent seam though.

 

The car has no frame. It's a unitized Aluminum body. No you won't twist the car by jacking up one corner.
I mean if that was true how would you ever change a tire without damaging the car?

In case you have not seen it Jaguar gives us some arrows which I could never find until someone on this forum pointed it out to me!
They are cast into the lower body plastic.




As was mentioned you just bent the pinch weld which is no big deal. One thing you don't want to do is use the rear differential as a lifting point. You can with old style solid rear axle cars but with IRS the rear sub frame is not meant for that loading.

But you have done a bunch of good work and please post back if you do get that clunk fixed. They can very tough to find for sure!
You hit the major causes as sway bar mounts and sway bar end links are by far the most common problem.
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What is the "pinch weld" anyway? Is that the seam that can be bent if not using a puck?
From what the post that I referenced sounds like, it's not a matter of jacking the car high enough to change a tire, but excessive height.
I'll have to check with the dealership service shop next time I take it in for any dealership service. Just to see what they translate the other post as.

 

Have you considered subframe bushings/bolts or the bushings/bolts on the steering rack?

 

Yes the pinch weld is just where two sheet metal flanges meet and then are spot welded together. Probably the strongest part of the body. Can't really see it in my picture.
You can bend the flange over a bit if you don't use the puck when jacking the car up. Seems like every car I get on the lift has some damage. Don't think it's a big deal.
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That's good to know. From what the post from the other forum sounded like, I thought it was an indicator of chassis damage.

 

I believe the steering rack was a good direction. I’m replacing both inner ty rods that lead into the steering rack at the same time i I’m doing these coils, strut mounts and bearings. I guess these repairs are happening this week some time whenever the mechanic gets everything. I’m hoping this solves my clunking. Fingers crossed.