Hi guys.
I noticed that my upper front shock bushings looks a little bit tired so i want to replace them before it is starts knocking.
(Photo from the internet)

I went to the Jags catalogue to order thise pieces but i was very impressed that this part it selling just complete with mounting bracket.
I went to the forum search and find some threads with eBay links and so but there is a problem.
All stuff what is on sale is for standart suspension. Iэму contact a few companies and they said that theirs bushing are for the cars without CATS suspensions but nobody can tell me the difference exactlly.
Jaguar parts catalogue also shows me different part numbers.
For my opinion the difference is just in the hole diameter where you put damper in but i can't be sure because i haven't seen this mounting bracket for non CATS suspension.
May be someone here can tell me for sure what is the difference ok have some drawing of it because it looks like pretty simple part what i can easily maid here in Moscow.
This guy installed bushing for standart suspension as i understand right: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...e2/#post207358
So i really don't know what to think.
Thanks

 

Mine has CATS and I just did them, the replacement bushings are the same for all X308 XJ's on the tower. The thing is when you get them just toss away the new nut and washer, you'll only need the bushings. The CATS is the only one that uses that tall nut.
Simply put:
1. Remove CATS connector
2. Remove nut and washer
3. Jack up car to where the wheel is just touching the ground at jack point behind front wheel.
4. Remove the 5 bolts holding the tower, you may have to jack the car up a little more if tower starts to push up.
5. Begin removal of the tower, it pulls up. You may have to unmount the power steering reservoir on the drivers side. If the tower doesn't come off, use the jack to leverage the shock up and down until it slips off. Be careful not to mess up the threads.
6. Repeat the process for the other side, passenger side is easier.
7. Have your coupling pressed out at a shop (unless you have press) and replace the bushings then repress the coupling. Take a pic if need be to insure it is pressed back properly. My shop guy had to use his 10 ton press to get mine out, so these aren't exactly easy. I have read where some guys hammered theirs out.
8. Reverse install procedures and make sure you put each tower back onto its original side. If the tower doesn't slip back down onto the shock easily, take a 3/8" (10mm) drill bit to clean out any burring or slight mushrooming in the coupling. Then install again, repeat until it slides snug, but easily onto the shock post.
9. When I reinstalled mine I didn't use the jack until I went to put on the 5 tower bolts.

 

Can anyone tell me if this is the right part?

Rancho Bushing Kit RS979: Advance Auto Parts

 

Doesn't look right: might be able to make fit, tho.

Look at parts sold at Welsh, motorcars LTD, or Coventry to see what the kits look like. Then, price them on EBAY or Amazon.

 

Rostman - the sleeve and the washers that hold the bushings in place for the upper shock mount are a larger diameter than the non-CATS to allow for the thicker shock rod on the CATS shock. The bushings in the replacement kits will fit either sleeve and washers. Just re-use the existing sleeve and washers as Highhorse mentioned

 

Thanks Jhartz and rocklandjag! I cross-referenced Welsh and found these:
Just to confirm I can change just those bushings without removing the tower and "pressing any couplings at a shop?"

 

You will need to separate the bushings from the mounts. This will require a press or the BFH method. Lots of threads: search for the one that has Old Mike's photo story if you go with the hammer method. If you have a really big C clamp, you can press out the bushing that way. You find a bolt or socket that will just fit inside the upper bushing washer but over the inner sleeve and you tighten the clamp or smack it. Cheap sockets (i used a 7mm allen socket) might shatter or disfigure. Lots of writeups avail.

 

I just had the mounts fixed on my XJR with CATS. Bought some rubber washers for about $10 and paid a tyre and suspension place $70 for a couple hours work to fit them. Which, from what I read on this forum, sounds like a long time. I don't know if they used the BFH method or something else. But it worked. Now the mounts don't go clonk and I can hear other parts making noises instead.

The RH side bushing was completely gone, I tried wrapping duct tape around as a temporary fix but only the top so it still went clonk.

The rubber washers I got were the wrong thickness, I found a place by accident that made such things and guessed 10mm because didn't have car with me. So the fixit place put two together to make thickness of one, and found a couple of used rubber washers lying around to finish the job.

They should be 19mm thick I think. And about 2" diameter. There's another topic in here where someone has posted the exact dimensions but I forgot which one.

This topic has information about buying expansion plugs and using them.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...unt-bad-64316/

Meyle in Germany make the complete mount but not for the CATS suspension cars. Don't know how easy it would be to adapt them. I was wondering if it was possible. Maybe you could drill out the hole to make it bigger and use your own washers again. Take that as a suggestion from someone who knows as much about car suspension as Gunga Din.

 

Delete ... off topic

 

The amazing bushing is not the right part. You do have to remove the tower to change the bushings - a very simple process