Just wanted to thank those members posting on how to do the air shock replacement. I replaced one yesterday and it only took about an hour thanks to the excellent writeups available here.
This was the right front, it has no height sensor on it on my car.

I started the car and shut it off after a few minutes, then jacked it up with the car jack. The car was too low to get my big shop jack under it, then I removed the wheel.
I then disconnected the battery.
I put a small shop jack under the lower balljoint to support the hub. I removed the electrical and air connections from the top of the shock assembly.
I removed the sway bar link, unbolted the brake pipe bracket and freed the ABS sensor lead from its bushes.
I then used a Torxx 60 driver socket to remove the lower bolt for the air shock, then I removed the upper ball joint from the upper A arm.
It required removal of the jack under the lower ball joint to get clearance for removal of the air spring. I actually had to push the lower arm down to get it out. There was some resistance of the lower arm to drop, probably from the bushing.
Then manuver the new air spring into position, fasten the four holding bolts and install the electrical and air connections. Install the lower spring bolt 122 ft lbs, upper ball joint 67 ft lbs, sway bar link, using the small jack to move the lower arm to get things to line up.
Install the brake pipe bracket and the wheel.
Connect the battery and let the compressor fill the spring a little. Then slowly lower the car and start the engine. It filled up immediately to normal level.
While the car is running, press the brake while pulling up on the parking brake switch to reboot the brake.
Take a test drive. I had a little thumping noise I didn't remember on bumps but it seems to have settled down, probably the lower spring mount bushing or sway bar bushes getting settled into position.
Hope I thought of everything.
One thing I will note, the right front was leaking audibly but when it went, both fronts dropped to the bottom. I was worried that this meant I might not have diagnosed it right, but this must be normal. When I replaced the right front, the entire front went back to position.

 

I meant to mention that I bought both front springs, but the repair to the right front fixed the problem, so I decided to take a break and install the other one another day and do battle with the level sensor on the left front then. I did realize that air spring failure could be a major mess if it happens anywhere but the driveway, so I will replace the other shock as soon as the weekend weather permits again.

 

Good write up. I had to remove and reinstall mine a while back to do some suspension work and remember it being pretty straight forward. Thanks for writing it all out, though. I know it will help someone.

 

Just curious: Did you buy the replacement air bags from Jaguar or did you find an independent source? I replaced air bags on my daughter's '95 Lincoln Mark VIII about 3 years ago. It also was pretty straight forward once I read how to do it, but I could find the bags only at Ford (at about $325 each as I recall.) Like you, without test eequipment I had to guess which bag (at separate times, front and back.) Since all the compressor mechanism seemed to run normally, so far as I could tell, I decided each time to risk buying a bag. Fortunately I guessed right. Lincoln dealer told her she needed to replace everyting with a quote of about $3,000 for front only.

I don't have the air bag system on my 02 XJL VP but your helpful write-up brings back memories. Thanks for taking the time to do it.

 

I got the springs from Arnott Industries in Florida. They rebuild the units with a lifetime warranty for $400 plus a $150 core charge. The dealer will charge $1500 for the part and about $400 in labor to change each one. Ths is a lot of money for an hours work. One note.....Arnott told me there is a National backorder on this part and that the dealers are buying from them, causing a shortage. It took a week to get the parts. That didn't seem too bad to me though. It did tell me that a lot of these are failing now.

 

Not true, we get them as we order, and with the cold weather we replaced 15-20 last week. All in stock, and we normally keep 20 on stock in the winter. Useally when a dealership buys from Arnott its because a customers extended warranty company wants those. Dealers are under contract with Jaguar to buy from Jaguar parts suppliers. Otherwise there would be lots of other choices for differant things. If you owned a Franchise company, would you want your fanchisees buying from other venders taking money from the company and creating other issues in service, quality and supply? its all just business. For a Mcdonalds lunch price, I can go down to HEB grocery and buy a T bone steak and potatoe. That meen Mcdonalds charges too much?

 

Yah, I knew there had to be a reason why dealers would be ordering rebuilt units. The aftermarket warranty company request sounds very plausible.

Brutal, still seeing the majority of failing shocks to be the front? Are rears even being replaced on any type of regular basis?

 

yes 20 fronts to a couple rears, and if its 1, its normally the abused right front from rougher roads on the right side by the curb

 

I noticed that the removal procedure starts with release of residual pressure in the spring. I have seen no one relating how this is done. I haven't seen it in Alldata either.

 

Unscrew the air line from the shock, this lets out the air

 

I'm good on the Dealers need to sell and install original parts, it is just business. People that can afford these cars new usually trade them before they start needing repairs, but that's when I get them. I wanted to give the questioner the option to buy the part and install it themselves for a roughly $1500 savings per unit. I do this so that I can afford to drive a car like this. If I had to fork out $3000-$4000 just for two front springs or $1000 for the air compressor for them I would have a heart attack. I have had to replace all this stuff in the last year. By doing it myself, I have kept about $3200 of my hard earned cash and still have the car working right. I have had generally good luck with the car, only needing a coolant reservoir and battery in addition to the suspension parts and scheduled maintenance in the three years I have had the car.

 

Just finished replacing the other front spring. One thing that was different from the descriptions was the level sensor disconnect. The Forum and Alldata both say to slide the level sensor off of the shaft attached to the lower arm. Well, I pushed, pulled and pried and that thing would slide NO where, it appeared to be permanently attached to the stud. I would have had to destroy it to get it off of there! I just undid the spring clip that holds the lower sensor stud to the lower arm and that worked fine. Just thought I'd mention it for others. The procedure is the same as I posted before otherwise.