Hi all
Does anyone know about XJ40 wheel alignment? I went to an alignment centre, and their specs say I have to get a special tool to create a 'mid-laden' effect before the alignment can be done - another chap says don't bother with that, they say the same thing for his Series III XJ6, he ignores it and his car is fine.
This is rather confusing...

 

You can "simulate" the tool easily, because it is trying to "simulate" you.

Get a full tank of gas and sit in the car while they do the alignment.

 

You know, after I made this post, I finally succeeded in getting my Service Manual cd to work, and Jaguar say it is 'preferable' to have the car laden while the alignment is being checked, and I was, like you, thinking of having my wife sit next to me while they worked on it!
Thanks for a great idea.

 

jrwb:
As for wheel bearings (about which I know very little, I must confess)... when I had the car into the shop in my little town, the technician thought there was way too much play and suggested replacement. When I took it to my Jag guy in the big town nearby, he assured me that the play was well within tolerance and could in fact be adjusted a few more times before any kind of replacement would be required. I guess it's a quirk about these cars that not everybody knows. I know on my classic Ford, any degree of play in the front end is most certainly a bad thing.
Cheers!
Scott

 

Years ago, when I was training in auto mechanics, adjusting front wheel bearings was a question of turning the nut so much and then backing off so much ( I can't remember how much!), now they are giving you clearances...so
I may have to get a feeler gauge or whatever the devil they use to do that...

 

The front wheel bearings have a star cap retainer w/cotter pin. I just straighten the cotter pin, remove it and turn the nut against the bearing retainer plate to where it has minimum movement. Then put the retainer cap back on and put the cotter pin back thru the hole and bend it back. You can repack your bearings while you're at it if you want. Its a very simple and effective robust system.

 

Thanks for that advice - sounds like the old-fashioned way.
Check your PMs.

 

RE Front Wheels: Haven't pulled the wheels yet but I had the front end up and noticed significant play top to bottom, and I'm with Midwest, I just put wheel bearings on the to do list.

Now I'm researching...is this something that can be done with the wheels on the car? Just a cap removal to access the retaining nut? I was ready for a more involved disassembly.

 

Well to just re-tighten you can get to the nut from the cap. May need to remove the wheel, not sure. Haynes has a specific note on the required tightening. I will look tomorrow for it. It is something like finger tight, one turn with a wrench, and then a 1/4 turn back or something quirky. I seem to remember Haynes was very clear not to mess this up.

While doing my ball joints, tie rods, control arm bushings etc I removed my front left wheel bearing for some reason. Was a fair amount of rust and moisture in the area that I cleaned and replaced. Bearings are fairly cheap, could just make a day out of it and replace bearings and do some PMCS on your brakes. Do an oil change while you have her jacked up and wheels off.