Hey, all, this is my first post. Recently I have noticed a large amount of body roll from the rear suspension and wanted to know what could be done about it. I have the sport model, so I assume it should handle decently well, but it seems to be much too floaty for "sport suspension". I have no interest in coilovers or lowering the car, I just want tighter, stiffer handling from the rear. I haven't looked under the car yet.

Does the XJSport have anti-roll bars? Should I replace the bushings? Cheers!

 

Sport should have both front and rear roll bars, I'd do a thorough lookover of both front and rear suspension to make sure there aren't any worn bushings anywhere - there's a lot of them to wear out. The important ones to check first in the rear subframe are the main bushings on the lower A-frame (big ones about the size of your fist, towards the front of the rear wheel wells), and the bushings in the truss on the rear. There's also foam insulators in the strut assemblies that tend to fall apart over time. Check the sway bar bushings, as well as the roll bar end links.

 

Thanks, I'll check after I get off work. Any specific way to check/test them, other than visually? Also, I just remembered, I have been hearing a faint clunking coming from the rear suspension sometimes when cornering. I would assume that is some of the bushings.

 

Prybar to check for excessive play works as well.

I'd look at some diagrams of the rear suspension to get an idea of where everything fits together, a couple good diagrams in this thread https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...d-swap-166574/ and https://www.jaguarclassicparts.com/u...xico-usa-parts has good ones as well.

 

How many miles has the car done?

 

100,000

 

My experience of the Bilstein shocks is that they are very long lasting, but at that mileage the damping force will be less than new - maybe 2/3? So new ones will tighten up the handling.

 

I think I agree with Mark; maybe for a different reason. Bilsteins are long lasting, but the top and bottom bushing wear out. New Bilsteins will get you new lower bushings and uppers are now available at a reasonable cost for the front shocks.

I had an independent change out my rears; but fronts were a piece of cake to do. Those replacements, along with new sway bar bushing and links cleaned up the handling nicely. All in a days work in the driveway for the fronts.

you might need sway bar bushings in the rear, as well as new shocks.

and finally, might just need to raise the tire pressure aft.