Well, I'm home visiting family from college, which pretty much means maintenance time for the Jag. At 151k miles it's time to replace the rear shocks. I wanted Bilstein, but at around $115 per I just can't do it, so I'm settling on some Monroe's for only $50 each (Rockauto).

Quick questions:

• Can anyone who has used shocks other than Bilstein comment on a change in ride quality?
• If not the Monroe's, something else? (cheaper than Bilstein)
• What else should I do while I'm at it? I'm doing the maintenance to (hopefully) fix a knocking noise.

 

replace the large foam rubber bushing up top over the top plate. it does not come with shocks and buy the largest plastic packing that fits into the coil spring cup and add that to what in there now. I will restore the ride height that youve lost over the years from the spring sag

 

Could you clarify what you mean by "buy the largest plastic packing"? I understand where I should put it with regards to the spring, but not so much what you mean with regards to an actual object.

Thanks

 

The packing is what jaguar calls the piece that goes in the spring cup ontop of the spring. There are differant thicknesses you can buy to "tune" ride height. I simple added the largest avail when i rebuilt my rear suspension a few yrs ago to allow alittle more room to stuff a 275/40/18 in without rubbing with a radiused wheel well lip thats about the same size as a rear tire on a vette fyi

 

is it necessary to replace the upper spring isolator as well? Or can I use the old one?

looks like this:

Jaguar XJ6 Vanden Plas Rear Upper Coil Spring Insulator Genuine Brand New | eBay

Reason I ask is because I replaced the 2 smaller bushings (per shock) but the slight thumping noise I had in the rear suspension area never went away...

 

I bought a full set of KYB's and had Motorcarman fit them all around (rear bushings were making knocking noises and fronts were coming apart but not yet to the point of clanging)

Ride is maybe slightly firmer than before (I obtained the car with 63K on it and damper replacement was done somewhere around 110k) Motorcarman cautioned against putting KYB's on the rear and leaving orig's on the front (or vice-versa) so I'd recommend whatever you use....change all four for the same type. I'm perfectly happy with the KYB's - got one pair from Rock ($113/pair) and the other from Amazon (Can't find the record, but similar in price - once I determine what I need from Rock, I always paste the p/n's into Amazon to price-check b/c Rock will rape you on shipping if you aren't careful)

 

i put kyb's in front and back and they are way better. but i bet you'll be shocked at seeing how badly damaged are your shock bushings front and rear and coil spring bushings in the rear.
kyb's come with polyurethane bushings in the front and foam ( stock type) bushings in the back
i trashed the foam bushings and made my own buying some 3/4" hard rubber from McMaster carr and cut the bushings on the late
i tried to find polyurethane bushings for the rear shocks but could not find any.

 

I was tossing up before I bought bilsteins between Monroe sensa tracs or KYB.s reason I went with bilstiens was they are OEM on XJR cars and nothing wrong with the stock ride mine had just done 240,000 k,s and needed replacing

 

The Bilteins are great, KYBs work but are harsher, and Monroe are crap! If you have noises, a good general tightening of all suspension bolts/nuts works wonders. I usually only replace dampers on customers cars if they are leaking (wet, not residue) and the difference in damping rates cam be felt (drive over a speed bump at varying speeds, you will feel a bad damper in the way the car returns to rest!) Make sure you test them cause even at 150k they may not be bad, the original shocks were that good!

 

My XJR at 110,000 miles has had all the shock bushes replaced, but the shocks feel fine to me and the specialist Jag mechanic said he wouldn't replace them. Thanks Jaguar for excellent OEM shocks!

 

I sent my shocks to Bilstein for rebuild for $65 each and I am tickled with the results. Home