Hallo all,

Anyone managed to change the bushes at the lower end of the shockers without the help of a workshop press?

I seem to remember replacing bushes in a vice before now, but these seem a little more 'stubborn'....?

 

Rich,

Guys on the XK8 section make an extractor with a bolt and tube:





Same principle should work on your X308.

Graham

 

Thanks Graham, I'll have a look at that.

I was kind of applying the same principle with my vice and 2 sockets, but the bushes seem extremely difficuly to shift - maybe I need to swing harder.

 

Rich,

A workshop vice with sufficiently wide jaws will achieve the same result.

I've had to 'encourage' really tight ones out with a torch - and I don't mean a Maglite.

Graham

 

Excellent schematics....and performs the task admirably ;o))
When you disconect the bottom of the shock, you will need a pair of 'mole' grips to lock bottom of shock in place, otherwise it retacts up into the spring.
Give the bushing area a liberable dosing of release agent.
Assembly of new bush is reversal of removal....making sure that bush is central.

 

Got them! Sockets and a vice in the end.....

 

cracked the diff open yet?

 

Not yet, the replacement turned up today - the a-frame that came with it is in much better nick than the original so i will use that one.

I will crack the old diff open once I have rebuilt the back end. My nice powder coated springs came back today, plus my new bushes, drop links etc....lovely!

I will post some pics of the old diff when it is open if you like - I will say that the oil stinks like nothing I have smelt before....sort of 'burnt'!!

 

Did you make a mental note of the colour swatch painted on the springs?

I carried out this work last year on my total rebuild into a new bodyshell - it's so nice to have a car mechanically 100%. This year it gets a limited slip diff.

The smell is a good sign the diff's had it.

 

The smell was unHoly.....never smelt oil like it before! Diff really cooked!

Colour swatch was blue - not sure what this denotes?

Moving away from originality somewhat, shocks now black (as is most of back axle except diff and hubs)....looking to do a running resto that is fit for purpose without breaking the bank - car only cost a grand in the first place.....

Just noticed this morning that the replacement diff has two studs replaced with bolts on one of the output flanges.....looks like this diff has been removed previously from it's doner car? (If i was the lucky type it would have been rebuilt before now - but probably not!!) Checked the oil inside it and it's beautiful, so I am not going to change it just now, even though this is the ideal opportunity!!!

Front axle next (needs a weld at the nearside V Mount), then some bodywork in the springtime - underside is getting a good clean and underseal as i move forwards - surprising how nice the ally exhaust shields come up with a bit of oven cleaner and a jetwash (bit sad?) :-)

 

Sad, not at all - check my picture file out for sad...

Richard I'd suggest changing the case breather it's £15 from Jaguar, if blocked it raises pressure inside the case and oil gets pushed out of the input shaft seal...

Blue means Sports suspension - it's rare but I've seen them with comfort, I know, on an R.

 

Nice pics Sean, you have been busy - where on earth did you get a new shell from?

 

my old man's ex Jaguar so he made the call, 'with or without sunroof?' I'll stick my neck out and say it's the best on the planet. Not much standard about it...

 

You can find one on ebay at 149 pounds. XJ8 X300 XJ6 V8 Jaguar OE Bodyshell Body Brand New | eBay

 

Got one of those too for my 2 door coupe project. Fancy a rebuild flay? lol!

 

Car is still up on jacks at the rear, but today when I switched ignition on I got a 'suspension fault' on the dashboard....

Is this normal? I have disconnected and reconnected the plugs at the top of the rear shocks...not sure whether that has done it?

Edited to say: did a 'hard reset', suspension fault gone....

 

Which I can find one of those BRAND NEW!!! in the State.

Get it painted and a week off from work.

 

Its not necessary to remove the shock, which requires a lot of work. Simply remove the bolts that goes through the shock, raise the suspension and the shock will come out the bottom enough to remove the bushing. If you do not have the tool, use a ball joint removal tool to gut the bushing ( remove rubber and Teflon parts) leaving the outside sleeve. if you have a bushing that fits small enough to in the shock hole but large enough to catch the sleeve, you can use the ball joint tool to remove it. If nit, use a hacksaw and cut the sleeve then drive out with a chisel. Using a socket and ball joint tool press in the new bushing.
I have done both my rear shocks this way. Took me about 1.5 hours a side with all the messing around to find the right size socket to push in the new bushing.

 

Looks like I have joined the group needing rear shock bushings replacement. My mechanic says if I can locate poly ones instead of the OEM foam ones they will last a lot longer and give a better ride. Trouble is the guy he thought had them on e-bay can't be located. Also says a guy near us in Boca makes them in his garage but haven't been able to track him either.
Anyone with info on this?