So I’ve got two new rear shocks on the way and have read various/many posts, viewed on line videos and read the workshop procedure to get some guidance.
I’ve settled on this excellent post;
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...change-148359/
and these two videos;
(Bilstien)
(Arnott)

to use as the basis for the procedure for replacing the shocks. I don’t have access to a ramp, just axle stands and a low profile trolley jack. I don’t have software to re calibrate the height sensors.

The difference between the threads and the two videos is to do with the following points
1. Do I disconnect the battery with the ignition off OR do I turn the ignition to position 2, put it in neutral, disengage the park brake and then disconnect the battery?
2. Do I need to support the bottom of the suspension to stop it dropping before I remove the airshock or not? Neither the Bilstien nor Arnott video show this but some threads do say to do this.
3. When the new shock is in place do I lower the car completely to the ground before reconnecting the battery and starting it up or do I partially lower it, reconnect the battery, start the engine and let the suspension pump fill the new strut with some air?
4. Is it necessary to do the final torque on the bottom shock bolt and tie rod with the car on the ground? If so I’ll have to get some ramps.

Any comments very welcome.

 

You will not need to recalibrate the height senors.

The idea is to replace the strut while the air suspension is" not looking".

I would lower car to the ground completely and then start it up upon completion.
.
I seem to remember that you need to disconnect the battery within half an hour

of stopping the engine and parking the car.

 

Have not had the pleasure of replacing the rear shocks yet.
But have done the fronts with out disconnecting the battery.
The car rose back up when placed on the floor, then starting the motor.

 

So I've just finished fitting my new rear shocks.

Followed the Bilstien video but had to remove the parking brake caliper to get the bolt out securing the stabiliser bar to the hub as it was fed in from the top and the caliper was in the way when withdrawing the bolt. My 2003 xjr has brembo brakes with a seperate parking brake caliper.

To do this I had to release the parking brake and so I used the procedure in the Arnott video and the post referred to above to do this; put the key into position 2, into neutral, released the brake and then disconnect the battery.

Reconnected the battery after lowering the car so that the wheels touched the ground only, started the engine, ran the engine for 2 minutes then lowered the car to 340mm from wheel center to bottom of wheel arch all as recommended by Bilstien.
Car rose up to normal height and I removed the jack. This prevents lowering the car completely and compressing the shocks as far as they will go with no air in. I presume this is to prevent any damage to the air bladder....this seemed sensible to me although no thread I've read on the subject included this step.

Finally I put the back wheels up on ramps and torqued up the bottom shock bolt and stabilser bolts according to the workshop manual figures.