In looking around for new struts, found this company offering 4 rebuild air struts: Suncore Industries

Anyone had any dealings with them?

-Michael

 

Feel free to send me your VIN and I will quote you on 4 new struts Arnotts/Bilstein to give you some comparison. I'm confident the prices will be very competitive with your JF discount.


Regards


William@SngBarratt.Com

 

I just replaced the entire suspension on my '04 Xj8 with coil-overs and while trying to make up my mind I contacted Arnott as I had used one of their rebuilt air shacks about a year or so ago. They told me that they no longer rebuild the air shocks or offer any rebate for returned air shock cores. That means you'll have to pay $450-$550 for their new air shocks with no rebate.


By comparison these are a steal since after the $500 refund for your old shocks you'd only have about $1400 which is less then a Jag dealer would charge just for doing ONE. Even if I misread the core deposit it would still be a good price for 4 shocks with a limited lifetime warranty.

Certainly worth checking out.

 

Looks like other choices are being made available. As the Chinese market for luxary cars keeps growing and Jagaur's market share increasing, the Chinese are seeing it as also a parts supply opportunity.

Now with Alibaba web site in full swing to the USA, I saw the following china makers of Jaguar air springs and not sure what to make of it, price is certainly low at $180 an air spring given need to buy a quantity of 10. Origionally I was searching for just the goodyear rubber bladders as a DYI possibility (but can't seem to find them as others have also tried) but came accross this.

New Air Shock Absorber Strut for Jaguar Super V8 Vanden Plas XJ8 XJR Front Comfort OE#C2C41349 C2C41347 C2C41349, View air shock absorber strut, - Product Details from Guangzhou Pinnuo Auto Parts Trade Co., Ltd. on Alibaba.com

AIR SUSPENSION SHOCK:C2C41341--Air shock (Guangzhou) Auto Parts Co.,Ltd.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...e-them-136376/

 

I will have to contact them and see how extensive of a rebuild they do. The air bladders on mine are not the issue, it's the upper seal. And I would like to know if they recondition the shock itself.

Might also contact Bilstein and see what they can offer for rebuilding services. Years ago had a regular Bilstein shock rebuilt by them for $50 or so. Even if it cost a few hundred dollars for the air struts, it would be well worth it.

 

I've found online listings for several racing-oriented shops that offer Bilstein rebuild services, but none list the combination air spring/damper type units. The firm at the link below claims to be the "Official Bilstein shock absorber shop in the U.S." If they were made aware of the size of the potential market for rebuilt Jaguar units, I wonder if they could be persuaded to add that capability to the list of services they offer?

Service


Cheers,

Don

 

I gave Bilstein in California a call, he told me they only work on the aftermarket shocks and struts. OE equipment struts are crimped at the factory and can not be serviced. I'm sure the factory could reman the entire thing, but the rebuild service shop in the link above does not have the capability.

Also heard back from Suncore (brief reply) that "all worn seals are replaced and leak checked." Might give a call... I would like more details.

 

anyone know anything about these air springs? they say exact OEM remanufactured


I've sent a question to them asking if these truly keep the CATS system functional or do they bypass in some way so as to suppress the error message


Jaguar Super V8 Vanden Plas XJ8 XJR Front Comfort Air Shock Absorber Strut | eBay

 

Expanding the description they say they are Arnotts.

 

I see that now... but since they say remanufactured... maybe they still have the CATS system intact?


we'll see how the respond

 

they claim the part is refurbished original air spring with CATS intact... so I'm giving it a try

 

I for one would be interested in how this lead works out. Please provide photos upon receipt if you wouldn't mind, thanks!!

 

will be my pleasure to add photos when it arrives supposedly on Friday.


the right front air spring has been replaced by previous owner. it appears to be a remaned Arnott so i'll now have a matching pair

 

new front air spring just arrived. found on ebay, ordered from buyautoparts.com ... pictures as promised

 

thanks!

How much did you pay? ($429 shipped?)

Looks like a reman Arnott strut w/ the CATS functionality intact. Good find!

 

Correct, plus $150 core

 

They look to be identical to the one I bought directly from Arnott a little over a year ago. At that time they were giving forum members a 10% discount and as I recall a $50 or $100 rebate for a returned core. It ended up costing me $300+ w/shipping after the rebate and came with a limited lifetime warranty. Yes, it does have CATS capability.


Unfortunately they no longer supply the rebuilt units and do not buy cores to rebuild so the stock of units available from other retailers has got to be declining pretty rapidly...unless Arnott is still rebuilding them but only for their jobbers and not for direct retail. I know that Arnott only retails their new shocks to the public and they want about $550 for each one with no trade-ins and they don't offer us a discount.

When searching for some additional replacement rebuilds recently (I ended up converting to coil-overs) I found some Arnott rebuilts here:


Arnott® - Jaguar XJ-Type 2004-2009 Replacement Air Suspension

 

One can, of course, buy the Bilstein originals now on the aftermarket, i.e. don't have to go to a Jaguar dealer. I have to say, though, that they are definitely NOT cheap, although reasonable as a percentage of the price of the car when it was new.

Air Spring - C2C41347 | Jaguar XJ 2003 - 2009 | Jaguar | British Parts UK

US price works out at nearly $950, then there is shipping and local taxes. Not cheap !!

Maybe somebody will buy the Chinese copies as advised here in the last 2 weeks. Could be a good alternative, but somebody has to be the guinea pig.

 

if you want originals.. check with SNGBarrett.... they offered me a very good price, but since I was already on the trail of this Arnott one I stayed with it

 

I just went and looked and this is what came up, (rears similar).

SNG Barratt - The Ultimate Jaguar Parts Specialist

Why one would buy the higher-priced unit, I don't know as nothing is said about provenance or anything. Maybe the cheaper one is the Bilstein after-market product, but as this is the same as they supplied to Jaguar, why the different price ?

It's all a bit of a puzzle, so I have asked SNG Barratt about it.