Recently my driver side front door cable broke, I can buy a cable for the rear door is this the same as the front door cable? Any tips on installation would be appreciated

 

I would post the question in the XJ8 section of the forum, or get the moderator to move your question.

 

I remember seeing a full walk-through of how to do that, but I can't remember where it was. Seems to me that it was in the XK8 section, but I can't be sure.

I'll look for it...okay, got to this thread https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-videos-77768/ and look at the fourth video, it should answer some if not all of your questions about replacing the cable.

 

Hi
Welsh Enterprises (welshent.com) sells XJ8 Front Door Handle Repair Cable for $61.55 plus $10.40 priority mail. Their part# GNC1101CBL.
Also Motorcars LTD (motorcarsltd.com) has it (part# gnc1100.cable) for $49.54 plus $11.89 priority mail.
Jim Lombardi

 

As far as I recall (it's been a few years since I replaced one on the XJ8), the rear door cable is a different length to the front but both front doors use the same cable.

Graham

 

Iirc, the stretched versions (xj8L and vdp) the front and rear door cables are different lengths. I had chronic problems of breaking handles and cables until I lubricated my latches. You can just open the door and squirt wd40 into the latch and open and close the door a few times...viola!! I have parts available used from an 01 xj8 L, but the rear cables would be too long for a regular xj8. I think the regular XJ8 has the same cable for front and rear but not sure.

 

Also is a HIGHLY good idea to disconnect the battery if you unplug any electrical connectors in the door or elsewhere.

 

Thanks for your kind replies I managed to get it done and no more opening my window to open the door!!! I was not a difficult exercise but getting the wood trim off gave me a thud or two in my chest!! Anyway many thanks for all your kind posts. All the best to you.

 

I live in Durham here in America thanks Graham

 

Whenever I see 'Durham, North Carolina', I wonder whether it was originally named by settlers from Durham in Northern England.

Washington, a small town about twelve miles from here is where President George Washington's family lived.

Good luck with the door latch cable. The worst part of that job is removing the door trim.

Graham

 

There are plenty of posts about removing the door card, and if you follow the directions it's not hard and you won't break anything.

 

Yes Graham, I was born in Liverpool and ended up in NC. Thanks for your kind words, take care, all the best, Robert.

 

So guys the driver door on our VDP quiet on my wife this morning. She got in drive to the gas station and the door would not open from inside or outside. Is this the cable problem or the lock/unlock motor? What is the trick to opening the door in this situation because I need it open to get the door panel off.

 

Hi J.Bo
Another forum member I am quoting "First you have to remove the door panel. Yes it can be done with the door closed" - Link to thread is (look at post 3):
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ctuator-59213/

Also you might want to look at this forum thread (see post# 8):
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...r-cable-32658/

Here are a bunch of links to the PDF files to remove an install - driver front door handles, locks, door panel & trim, etc:

Driver Door Handle/Lock R&I 76.58.07
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...e-lock-r-i-pdf

Front Door Trim 76.34.01
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...l-76-34-01-pdf

Front Door Trim Panel 76.47.11
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...l-76-47-11-pdf

Front Door Armrest 76.34.22
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...t-76-34-22-pdf

There is also a youtube.com video forum member (reverend Sam) made on this (XK8 model)


Jim Lombardi

 

Wife called and the door worked when she got to work. So this could be caused by what? Is the cable about to go out, do it need lube or is it something electrical that is causing the door to not respond to pulling on the inside handle?

 

For future users: I just fixed mine today using a bicycle gear cable (end grounded), a wire crimp, washer and nut.

I watched the video about removing everything.

Reused cable sleeve and fed bike cable through it. Put capped in in door handle. At the oth end I put a washer, nut, and then a crimped end. I slid the whole group into the latch unit. Washer is big enough to keep unit in place. Nut keeps crimped in from sliding through washer.

I measured cable to 20.5 inches. I don't think I can post pics yet so I'll try to remember to do so later.

2002 xj sport.

 

I am doing this repair this evening on my driver's door. What's weird is that the driver's door always felt normal, but the passenger side felt like it took too much effort to open the door using the interior handle. Then, last night, the driver's door interior handle failed to open the door. I removed the door card, and the cable was terribly frayed and broken at the handle end. Fearing the same was going to be true of the passenger door, I pulled that card too - but the cable looks perfect.

Are there any adjustments for this cable? Something to take up slack to give the passenger door proper feel again? Or, is it just a stretched cable that needs to be replaced? It looks like the little rubber insulator was murdered at the latch end of both cables. Perhaps that's what's failed, leaving just a tiny amount of slack in the cable?

(And, yes - I fixed the cooling system in time to have the driver's door break LOL)

 

I had both my interior and exterior handles break about 2 weeks ago. After getting the parts I got to work today on replacing the broken exterior handle and interior cable/handle. It was NOT fun... The biggest problem I encountered was refitting the dust shield or whatever it is that covers the rods coming from the lock and exterior handle. I ended up just taking it and putting it in the trunk for another day after 3 hours of trying to get it back in place. It just seems it will not go back up above the small lever that pulls the rod connecting to the latch up. I tried installing the rod in every position possible, and when that wasn't in the way, the lock would not fit in. Remember to RTV the exterior handle when installing it unless you want to fork out $40 for a handle gasket!! No way! Also if you dont disconnect your battery then your window may not roll down afterward. I simply did a hard reset (discharge the system) and the window now works. Dont worry if you cant get the dust shield back on... There isn't even one on the passenger side to reference. I would take a pic of how everything goes together before I started. I'm an engineering student and I work on alot of cars. I would also WD40 the crap out of the latch, it is the reason the handles and cables snap. To get the door opened the easiest way is to use part of your broken cable and put the round or barrel metal piece at the end of the cable through the latching mechanism and pull it with a pair of pliers or channel locks. You will see a j shaped slot that the cable snaps on (there is a groove in the metal near where the cable comes out of the black tube. If you can slide the cable on that and extend the ball or barrell shaped end of the cord all as far out as you can while still having some slack on the other side to pull on. The actual lever you are trying to pull is located about a cm behind the j shaped slot you can see. You will probably not be able to see the lever, but if you stick your finger behind the j slot you can feel it. just put the end of the cable behind it and you dont have to worry about breaking the cable. Its already broke Good luck!

 

Wow - glad my exterior handles are okay. That sounds as bad as replacing the latch on a modern VAG. *Not fun*. Just replacing the cables took maybe 20 minutes! (Almost like they were designed to fail and need replacement.......

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My rear right cable is broken. I recently replaced one of my front cables with no problem. I am not seeing listings for a rear repair cable for the regular length XJ8.

So, will a front cable work as suggested above?