The previous owner of my XJCV12 fitted upgraded springs all round and GAZ adjustable performance shocks. Harry Metcalfe from YouTube has this system fitted to his XJ12C.

When I collected the car it was very floaty and when I looked at the shocks they were set on the lowest setting of 1. I went to setting 2 on all shocks and it was better with flat cornering but still a bit floaty in some circumstances. I then went to setting three and the car cornered really well but ride was very harsh except on really smooth roads.

I then changed back to setting 2 as a compromise and have been running that for a few months. Is Ok but not the best - front is still a bit floaty but rear is bottoms out occasionally when going over decent dips. Doesn't seem to be a shocker issue more - a spring issue. The rear springs are adjustable so thinking about trying adjusting then up a setting or two.

So anyone else have the Gaz suspension fitted to their XJC, XJ or XJS. If so, what settings have you decided on and how well does it go?

Thanks

Garry

 

Floaty sounds very unbecoming to an XJC, I don't think I've ever bottomed out the rear suspension over a good dip with stock components. That said, when I got the car it floated worse than a high mileage 60's cadillac, but replacement Monroe shocks all around firmed it back up ok. That was 39yrs ago, this is now and recently found rear trailing arm small bushings practically gone. The old monroe shock bushings gone too etc... I'm sure you've probably already looked but check those trailing arm bushings, that can make it floaty in one way. This worries me though because I bought all new replacement shock/spring combos from welsh, I hope the springs live up at least to orig specs. Haven't got the rear back in yet...

 

I don't have Gaz shock absorbers on my XJ but I read this with interest. I recently put Gaz shock absorbers on all 4 corners of my MGB and came to the same conclusion you did: setting 3 is way too harsh and 2 is a little too soft. It needs a 2.5 setting

 

Thanks for that - the GAZ shocks are all OK as adjusting them up does take the floating out of the front end so they are working fine. The rear does suffer a little bump steer so the trailing arm bushes may need replacing though they look ok - it just feels that the rear springs are not strong enough on their current setting but they are adjustable so going up on notch on the springs and one notch on the dampers may assist - though may make the ride a little harsh for everyday use.

Garry

 

For GAZ shocks it is important to get the ones valved specifically for the car concerned. I know that about 15 years ago GAZ worked with a UK specialist to get this right for the XJS. I have GAZ shocks on the rear of my XJS and about 8 clicks up from softest is the sweet spot. At 3 it feels like no damping at all! I reckon you might have a shock that while it fits, is not valved for the car; contacting GAZ might be worth trying.

 

Thanks for that Greg. So you have your front set at 3 and the rear at 8, that is a lot of difference. I assume your ride is bit harsh but handling is pretty good. I will give those settings a go and see how it goes.

Cheers

Garry

 

I had the fronts on my XJS at about 13, and the rears about 8 or 9. The ride was not at all harsh, it gave pretty much the factory-mid 1980s XJS ride; but just a touch firmer because of the 16 inch, rather than factory 1985 15 inch rims, as the sidewalls on the lower profiles are more firm. The shocks on these settings, when I first used them with the 15 inch rims years ago (an earlier set), gave a ride the pretty much the same as the factory Boges.