Hi All

I recently bought the arnott coil spring conversion kit $1288 for my Jaguar 2005 vanden plas, However I noticed before the installation the spring shocks were about 2 inches longer than the existing air shocks. When I attempted to install them starting with the rear, I had to have a friend lean full weight on a prybar to bend down the lower control arm just to make it fit. The tension was so tight that when i put the lower shock bolt in it stripped out. I then decided to tackle the front shock. I also had the same issue in fact when I got the shock in place with extreme difficulty, the shock would not compress in order for me to connect the lower control arm bolt in. I even tried to jack up the lower control arm to compress the shock which it did a little but them the whole car started to raise. I am confused here, when i watch the arnott install video, everything goes out an in with zero difficulty. When I ordered the shocks I checked to see if they were the right fit for the car and they were. Stumped on what to do here. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

This is the X308 section. You need the later X350/358 section.

 

Yes I did have to fight the rear ones on. They do fit but need some help. I did it on a lift too. Keep using your pry bar (I have a 6' one) on the suspension arms. Just watch out so you don't damage anything prying.
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Another trick to those is that you make sure the emergency brake is in the off position so you can get the rear toe adjuster back into position easily.

 

So with great difficulty I got the front shock in position, but when I jack up the car by the lower control arm, the shock only compresses so much then the whole car starts to lift . And it's not close enough to connect the upper control arm . Don't know how I'm going to do this ???????

 

I use a long prybar inside the upper control arm, go under one of the upper spring loops and pull down on the prybar.

 

Yes I did the same as Addicted2boost did. It was a battle!
But leverage with a long bar is the key.
I know it is frustrating.
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Hi desertfox670,

I am going to move your thread to the forum for the X350, which is the Jaguar factory project code for your 2005 Vanden Plas.

All of us who have done the coil conversion feel your pain. I don't think it's our imagination that the Eibach coil spring/shock units now supplied by Arnott are a little longer than the older units, or do not compress as easily, and that does create some challenges during installation.

I have done more than a dozen coil conversions on X350s and X358s and I recently posted some tips that I've learned in the process:

Air Suspension Coil Conversion Observations & Tips

Cheers,

Don

 

The conversion shock was much harder to install than the replacement air spring from Arnott I initially installed. I also had to use a very long pry bar to get it in finally. When I installed the first replacement for the air suspension I went with the model from Arnott and I got it installed in less than 3 hours. However, when I decided to do the conversion I was surprised by how long it took me. I spent pretty much 2 entire days doing the conversion by myself. I did set the new shock next to the first air shock I removed and they were not very different in height. Accordingly, I was not expecting the installation to give me so much trouble and certainly did not plan on it taking an entire weekend. It is difficult but you can do it. Good luck.

 

I did this a month ago and I actually did not have any problems installing the new Arnott Eibach coilover struts. Critical is to release the rear brake and disconnecting the sway bars, otherwise it is near impossible to do the install. Follow the directions on the Arnott YouTube video.
John

 

My thought was sway bar links, too. If you did not disconnect the sway bar links, then you're fighting the sway bar when trying to lower the suspension arm. That's just about as difficult as compressing the spring on the strut!

I did mine about a year and a half ago with none of these issues, so I can't really guess what else the problem might be.