Front Shock Bushings
 

My front lower, possibly upper too, shock bushings are worn. Is there a polyurethane replacement for these lower bushings? Is it advisable to use polyurethane in this position or should I stick with the stock style? I am not sure what all options are out there so maybe someone can chime in. Thanks!
-Rob

Mine were shot too. I just purchased the kit from British Parts online and they are awesome. You will have to use a press to remove the old ones and to install the new ones. Really easy DIY job if you have the tools. Also, if your steering feels loose check the front control arm (think thats the correct name) under the car. Good luck.

I haven't found any poly bushings manufacturers for our cars for anything but sway bars, end links, and control arms. If you need those, i can give you a link.

h20boy, I would like the link for the sway bar bushings. I have been looking but all I've found is the universal ones.

Sure, Powerflex USA, I ordered a set of sway bar bushings and end links for mine. Have not arrived yet, but looking forward to getting them on.

Please let us know how the bushings work out for you. I would love to purchase a set for my XJR.

h20boy, do you know if the XJR is a 33mm bar, I assume it is, but I can't find it listed anywhere and Powerflex lists two sizes.

I'm pretty sure the Rs do have a larger sway bar, I've read that somewhere in the past. You could take a string (floss), measure the circumference, and calculate it. :)

That would be too easy... I never thought of that, I'll check the next time I crawl under!

OK so back to the original topic. Where do people get these shock bushing kits for the XJ8 besides motorcarsltd/britishpartsonline? When I ordered the ABS tone ring socket the other day, it cam with an advertisement for polyurethane XK8 shock bushings.

So where else do you guys get your parts? Thanks
-Rob

I don't know about the XJ8, but the XKs (of similar years) no longer have bushings available separately to purchase. If the XJ shock is also similar (not adaptive) its just as economical to buy a shock $100 with the new bushing already pressed in. labor rates in jag documentation are identical as well.

CoventryWest has the uppers as a kit for the XJ8, but I think they are more money. I don't see the lowers anywhere. http://store.coventrywest.com/cgi/co...Y=JAG147A26010

h20boy is probably right that buying a shock is now becoming the choice for worn bushings.

I wish someone would measure the diameter of the XK8 bushings and compare them to XJ8 bushings. I know that motorcarsltd has poly uppers for the XK8 that look similar in pictures to the XJ8 lowers. My lowers are shot, but I wont be a buying a whole shock to fix it unless the shock itself is toast.
-Rob

The sway bar diameter on the XK8 is 25.6mm, I measured 4-5 times using my caliper, always just a few hundredths larger or smaller.

A follow-up on the powerflex bushings I linked before, they still hadn't gotten the rears in after 6 weeks, so I canceled my order and got some OEMs to solve my little problem.

If you plan on ordering from them, anticipate a longer wait time (~6 weeks) as they have to special order it from overseas (the UK IIRC).

Thanks for the update. I haven't ordered them yet, but I was planning on it. I may go the same route and order OEM's.

to my knowledge. NO lower front shock bushings are avail seperatly

midlife, if you can get a measurement for the bar diameter, you could try energysuspension.com, they aren't 'custom' fabricated for our cars like the powerflex, but if you're within a mm, they just might work.

Have you guys tried britishparts,

http://www.britishparts.co.uk/.sc/ms...BSORBER%20BUSH

-lower front shock-absorber bush.

I've been looking at the kit for mine (about £135 for all front bushes for an XJR)

Just wondering if any of the tech's can give an idea of how much labour (in hrs or $/£ to change all the front bushes would be).

Oh, I think powerflex do a full front kit for XJ8/R's

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/JAGUAR-XJ8-SPO...item439f87f2c0

-any one fitted/recommend poly bushes as I, and i imagine a few others, would be interested in checking them out.

Good luck with your search

Cheers guys

Alex

You are the man! This place also has awesome prices on lower balljoints. I am getting new lower shock bushings and ball joints. The front lower shock bushing looks pretty easy to change. Hopefully I can at the absolute worst, just use a c-clamp to press them into the shocks. Although I should probably check out doing the top bushings at the same time. Thanks!
-Rob

From Jaguar documents:
-> labor to do lower bushings (on XK8) = 1.2 hours
-> labor to do entire shock (again on XK8) = 1.2 hours

All that is left is parts prices, that's why the shock is often just changed, more benefit for the same cost. Same goes for upper and lower control arms in essence.