Hi folks my cheap XJR is getting new upper control arms, the old one was torn...so I got everything unbolted except for the T60 bolt at the bottom of the air suspension. That bolt won't budge, I can't force it too much because if I use my breaker bar, the suspension flex at the bushing and my Impact drive (350lbs) can't even move the bolt....have you guys ever dealt with this and what can I do to fix this...I've been pb blaster it for a few hours but it still won't budge...any advice?

 

I've had issue with stubborn suspension bolts in the past (not the Jag) and have used a blow torch to heat the bolt area. That usually does the trick.

 

Removing the front lower air spring securing bolt is a notorious issue on these cars, especially early ones. The bolt seizes in the steel tube inner of the bush. Most shops wont provide quotations for replacing these bushes for this reason. The shop that used to maintain my previous X350, (now packed-up), told me they sometimes had to remove air spring and straight lower arm as an assembly to get it to the workbench where the bolt could be carefully sawed to release the shock from the arm. Once that was done, the bush was easily removed and replaced.

 

Fraser Mitchell nailed it;
The 04 came apart, just like the Arnott video.
But not the 07, a real pain in comparison.

 

Hmm i never have had a issue, but then i dont work in a salt belt. I would turn the wheel to allow better access to bolt and place floor jack under the knuckle if the drivers side and use a breaker bar maybe with extention. If the passenger side, yes the suspension will go up when you try to loosen so make sure the upper arm is still atached to the verticle link and wedge a few 2x4's between the upper a arm and wheel arch srear to limit travel and have at it. My ingersal rand is 750ft pounds reverse torue which is maybe why i dont have a issue either

 

Good advice above.

Some Tips:

- Heat on the front mounted weld nut will do it, but you must then replace the bush. I would replace that bushing even after cold impact removal.

- And, unless you intend this old XJR to remain a beater, I would replace the rest of the bushes on both front lower arms and rear lowers. The front upper arm ball joint rubber cup is always shot, but the joint itself is sometimes still OK. I replace the upper arms (Ford parts; front and rear), just as you're doing, and rebush the lowers. The lowers were worn front and rear on all original X350 cars I've looked at. Use lemforder bushings only. I used a 20T press

- Bad LCA bushes will affect braking as well. Juddering brakes when discs are true very often seen; ditto clunking on accel/decel

- Tighten all the arms front and rear at correct ride height. Do this by measuring to your cars spec from center of spindle to fender lip (~17", IIRC). Air down the struts, and adjust to ride height with a floor jack before torquing arms. So, you won't tear the new bushes or preload your suspension at full sag...

- Chk your ft wheel bearings. I replaced mine both at 100K.

- Also, check your rear track rods, front tie rod ends and inners under at least 50 lb load for any looseness. Jack up one wheel at a time, 3 and 9 o'clock push and pull as hard as you can - should be no movement other than tire sidewall on opposing side. 12 and 6 for bearings. Do front and rear axles.

The X350 suspension is really short lived, IMHO, but works well when refreshed.

 

Did you have to use the the 750ft reverse torque to get it out? My 350lbs and my breaker didn't have any effect on that bolt...I was afraid the bolt will snap if I use too much force

Woow so much for just replacing the upper control arms...No I was planning to get it to tip top condition...The brakes were juddering before but it was because the upper control arms were shot, Can you tell visually if the lower bushing really need to be changed? or it's more about aged and mileage that will ensure it's bad?

I guess I'm not saying I won't change the lower bushing but I still have this bolt stuck Issue that I need to deal with.

 

My impact about 700 ft lbs would not begin to loosen the ones on the 07.

Using a 4 ft cheater bar, on a long 1/2" breaker bar, snapped an industrial torx off in the bolt.

Got another torx that broke the bolt loose from the nut, but not from the bushing inside the suspension arm.

That required cutting the bolt on both sides to free the arm.

 

The rubber bushes on these cars turn to mush for some reason. Front brake torque is mostly handled by the forward LCA, which probably has mushy bushings. Check your rear axle as well - bet you'll find all the bushings need renewing

Funny, I have a 16 yr old toyota truck (Tundra V8) and all the suspension bushes are like new. My M3 needed all new suspension bushes recently, however, and both it and the Jag use Lemforder (German) OE bushings.

 

I think the way to proceed now is to remove the air spring and lower straight arm together and then saw the bolt to separate the two parts. Yes, loads more work !

 

Yikeees!!! Thank you guys looks like I have a fight ahead of me