Greetings, I'm on a road trip in a city with some roads that are not great - pot holes, bumps, dips, etc. My 1997 xj6L gets pounded by the harsh, rough roads (roads are not abysmal, just typical for a big city - in need of repair!). Other drivers just blast over the bumps while I cringe and aim for the smooth spots. It seems the car's ride is too stiff. (Almost makes me miss my big '76 Cadillac that wallowed over everything.) Does anyone know anything I could do to the car's suspension so that future road trips are not so hard on the car? I don't care if this means the car rides higher - just need suspension that absorbs the shock of the road and saves the car.

 

Tires, springs, bushings, and shocks all contribute to overall shock absorption.

What's the mileage of the car and type of the stated components?

What brand / model of tires?

 

I'd make sure you have correct shock absorbers.
I foolishly replaced my front shocks with KYBs 3 years ago - they were dire. Harsh, horrible crashing ride. I phoned my mechanic who fished the old Bilsteins out of his skip and I had them rebuilt to correct spec - lovely soft ride (these are on the softer-riding Daimler 6, not my XJR)

 

The car has 62k miles. I found a really nice low mileage jag a few years back - love it.

Tires are... Hankook... somethings. When I bought it, it still had the original ancient Pirellis. I just put on some 'decent' tires. This trip is convincing me to throw some more money at the jag.

 

Are bilsteins really that much better? (I'm not suggesting they aren't a lot better - just wanting to guage how much better they really are.)

 

It is very unusual to hear an X300 being criticised for a harsh ride. It is usually the opposite, particularly as wear and tear set it to the shocks, bushes etc.
I notice you have a very low mileage car, and my thoughts go immediately to the tyres. What pressures are you running, as overinflated tyres make the ride much harsher. Also, how old are the tyres? If the car has been stationary on them for a long time, and they are many years old, they will have hardened, which could also explain your problem. Thereafter, I would start to think about whether any of the suspension components are seized, for example the fulcrum bearings at the rear.

 

The tires have about 13k miles on them and are less than three years old. We check inflation before every trip, so they're not over-inflated.

On smooth pavement, hills and curves are a joy. That car loves hilly, curvy SMOOTH roads.

Thanks all for these suggestions. I really enjoy this car and want it to last a long time.

 

My XJ6 Sport is lovely and smooth on a smooth road but ordinary bumps slam through the car like it's a Lotus Elan. Fortunately it seems to handle really well so I don't mind. I do suspect a previous owner may have stiffened the suspension.