83 XJ6, 4.2 I6

Front suspension creaks loudly. Local specialist says: Upper/Lower Balljoints, Upper Bushings, Swaybar linkage need replacing.

What's a fair price for parts and labor? He's asking 3K+.

Thanks gang.

 

Good price if he is including another Jag... WAY too much.. he does not want to do it or does not know how...
When mine creaks at all, it is the sway bar bushings.. spray with WD40 and all is well until next time.

 

Just did this myself. Its 5 hours work and 400 dollars worth of parts. Job should cost 1 grand retail. I would think if you shopped around for the parts at a better price 800 would still leave a jober with a nice profit.

Make sure who ever does the job uses the proper lower ball joint. There is a low cost lower ball joint that will bolt on but is not a good fit.

 

Nobody these days fits the original lower ball joints, they are a PITA to fit and last about 5 minutes, (OK maybe a bit longer). The joint everybody fits was made by Lemforder for the XJ40 and is a simple bolt-on job, although the bearing ring for the old joints must be first removed from the hub carrier. A tap with a hammer usually gets them out quickly .

You'll need two of each joint, (upper and lower). It is not necessary to dismantle the whole suspension to fit these, but the lower wishbone must be supported underneath on a stand before undoing the balljoint nuts as the very powerful spring is trying to push them apart.

https://www.ebay.com/b/Lemforder-Car...80/bn_19735520

Then I have no doubt the inner top trunnions are either seized or totally knackered. These are the so-called "Slipflex" joints, and again, easy to fit.
Here's what they look like, and not hard to find.

https://www.ebay.ie/sch/sis.html?_it...S&_mPrRngCbx=1


All of the above joints I replaced myself on a Series 3 in around 1990.

When it comes to the anti-rollbar, the individual parts are not all that costly

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaguar-An...-/381475712442

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAGUAR-E-...-/370584222529

I remember replacing the roll-bar links in 1990, but I didn't bother to replace the roll bar bushes as they were OK

Of course if the lower wishbone trunnions are to be replaced, the work can get a lot more involved and labour time can mount up mainly due to the difficulty of removing the trunnion bolt and the bushes that are on it. Over the years the bolt seizes up in its housing and also the bush inners rust in to the bolt making drifting it out very difficult. Of course when everything is stripped out replacing with new is a doddle

Doug Dwyer on this forum is an XJ enthusiast, I believe he still has one, and can tell you more.

 

I just replaced every bush and ball joint on my front suspension, parts cost was about $500AUD. It took me about 10-20 hours, but i stuffed around cleaning repainting all the nuts and bolts.
I think your job should take 3-4hours (probably less, especially for a mechanic).
He's ripping you off in a big way.
If you game me $3000, i would give rebuild and powder coat your whole front suspension, with change.

 

When I did mine it was around the $450 in parts, and 8 hours labour at $60 p/h. So around $900. A few bolts were rusted in and broke off, so time to extract broken bolts as well.
That included his time to make a spring compressor and change over my rear mufflers and pipes through the IRS to fit ones with flanges rather than slip ons.(parts supplied.)

About 2k too much in my opinion.

 

I suspect the former.

The ball joints and upper bushings are a cake walk, as are tie rod ends, ARB bushings.

Lower bushings can be a real PITA unless one is prepared to simply cut off the lower shafts if seized....and they often are.

Cheers
DD

 

I was very fortunate that nothing was seized. One of the lower wishbone nuts was quite stiff, and had to be driven out of its bushings, but with enough persuasion it came loose without harming threads.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...8/#post1206390

*Everything* went back together with anti-seize compound for the next time I do it (in another 40 years) or for the next sucker after I've driven the wheels off.
(';')

 

Two comments:


1. I agree, he doesn't want the job. Sees issues and little profit. Other faster moving work puts more $'s per hour in the "cash box".


2. Around here shop hours are about $125.. It adds up big time.


3. Shop around. When it was time for rear calipers. with help, I found a new shop that thirsted for work.....


Carl

 

my Jag mechanic asked me 500 for both front suspensions, arm bushings and labor included. Done this 1 month ago.
Now the rear ones start making noises...

 

that's not bad $125/h.
One reputable mechanic in Oakland asks $180.
He's very good but... $180...

 

That's how they keep the riff raff out.
Also how they keep their work manageable.
(';')

 

the sway bar Links you can get at any autoparts for $30.00 the pair. Those are not exactly "Jaguar Only" parts, they can be replaced with universal parts, and all you need to replace on those Links are the 8 rubber bushings, the metal hardware is reuseable.

the sway bar itself is`mounted to the body with two large rubber bushings which you can find at performance parts stores, or from SNG Barrat USA store.

 

I am curious about the comment made by ICSAMERICA regarding the cheaper ball joint not being a good fit., Apart from maybe quality, what are some of the issues with the cheaper lower ball joints?
The reason I am asking is that I installed the cheaper ball joints on my lump and I encountered a problem I never had before.
When I back up the car even slowly the car goes from "normal" camber to negative camber. So much so that it is very noticeable. When I drive forward the camber returns to normal. I am wondering whether the ball joint has anything to do with this.
I have visited the 2 alignment shops in my area and they are totally ignorant as to how to approach this issue, or rather they say they can't or won't touch it. The next closest alignment shop is about 80 miles away.
There is a strictly British repair shop in my area and what a scam! Upper and lower control arm bushings are new, upper and lower ball joints new, Tie rod ends new, Sway bar rubber bushings new, sway bar link rubbers new. The only items not replaced on my suspension are the shocks which I plan to do soon. All of the above parts were purchased from Coventry West and other Jaguar parts suppliers about 2 years ago,cheap lower ball joints and all.
Guess what they told me?
I have bad control arm bushings. Cost $800. Knowing that these parts were newly installed by me on my car and less than 500 miles, I asked them to show me and their reply was "customers are not allowed in the shop area".
This car did not have this issue prior to me lumping it and replacing the upper and lower ball joints. All shims were put back in place and my ride height is 24 inches from floor to center of outer headlamp which I believe is the spec for the 1985 xj6. So it is possible that I did something incorrectly.

 

While you are in the car, how can you tell the camber is changing? Is it such a drastic change that you can literally see the camber change from outside the car?

 

LOL. Oh no. I back up and park. When I get out of my car you can see the front wheels in the negative camber position. I then drive it forward and park. I get out and the front wheels are now pretty much at 0 degrees. I will take some pics and post them.

 

Worth 1000 words. Check all the A-arm bushings

 

As stated, all A-arm bushings are new.

 

Ah okay, I missed that. So the suspension was recently worked on and its doing this. What is the toe like?

 

This ain't magic, and the front suspension isn't much different than any big GM car or truck from the same era. Something IS moving or there wouldn't be any camber change. So, bushings (even if new, put your eyes on them with it in the -camber position), mounts torn loose on the frame, or other worn or defective parts. Keep in mind, if you just suppose the new parts are good because they're new and you just put them on, that's not a diagnosis it's a guess. So you'll have to get under the car.
Best case would be a four post lift where you could drive the car on completely to the front, back it up where it needs to be and then lift it to inspect parts.
If the toe is off bad enough to cause this I'd like to see what parts are bending!