Hi guys,

1984 Jaguar XJ6:

I'm going to replace my rear shocks & springs this weekend, and I figured as long as I was getting greasy I might as well replace the rear trailing arm bushings as well. I don't think they have ever been replaced (the car is a 1984 XJ6), so it's definitely time to get rid of the old rubber bits.

Does anyone have a write up on how to do this? Is there anything specialized about this job that I need to know about?

Also, in removing the top bolt for the rear shocks, what tool do I use to? The top bolt is hidden away pretty good, and it looks like there is a spring attached to one of the washers.

Any help would be great!

Thanks,

Tyler

 

Makes perfect sense to me coz the 2 forward shocks need to be pulled off the lower pins and tied out of the way to do the trailing arms at a later date.

NO special spanners for the top bolts, one end is 11/16a/f the other is 5/8a/f and I forget whether the bigger size is the bolt head or the nut???. Dont ask why the different sizes, it's British, nuff said. Lots of twisting and "feeling" as you can see ZIP, and the vocabulary will extend.

NEVER noticed a spring in that direct area in all that I have done.

 

You can buy new radius arms complete with bushes for not very much money. Much easier than mucking about trying to swap the bushes, especially the large diameter one. Anyway, the arms are sometimes found to be completely rusted out when removed from the car.

SNG Barratt - UK | Parts | Radius Arm Assembly

Lots of owners find getting the radius arm off its body location fixing very difficult, because it is on a taper, and rusts on solid. Also sometimes the body metal around the mount is seriously rusted too. Take care !!

Rear shocks and springs is a pretty easy job to do, but you need a spring compressor. I have done this job twice when the first set only lasted about 12 months, (I was very poor at the time !!).

Check the subframe (cage) mounts while you're at it if they are the original ones from 1984, as the rubber will have likely broken away from the metal. Sometimes they are so bad you can jack the car body up and leave the rear suspension on the floor !

 

Thanks guys!

I already purchased the bushings -- they are only 2-3 dollars with free shipping, so I couldn't resist -- 80 pounds is expensive in USD these days :-(

As for the radius arms, do I remove the whole arm from the car to replace the bushings? or can I do it with the arms still attached to the hubs/body?

I swapped out the front shocks in about 30 minutes per side -- amazingly easy! Didn't even have to lower the spring pans or anything. I'll check the rear subframe mounts, but I think the job might be too big for my driveway -- living in an apartment complex limits my "big jobs".

Looking forward to having the ride quality restored -- going over any bumps, the entire rear would shake, and almost vibrate off the road. Can be very dangerous on the highway!

 

Mmmm, arms OFF completely to that job and a PRESS is required and someone who knows what they are doing, as Fraser said, or those arms will end up like twisted steel. I also get the arms from the Indy supplier here when needed, as it is just sooooo simple. I always spray penetrating oil or whatever is handy on those front pod thingies of each arm, for about a week prior to doing that job, IF the time permits.

By what you are describing I reckon you also got some serious issues with the cradle mounts.

The rear shockers are time consuming, and NOT fun, as those small springs puck some serious punch if they come adrift from the compressor/clamps you will be using, so PLEASE, no el-cheapo spring compressors here. My good quality ones have done 6 sets of these, and 2 sets of XJ40 shocks, and I will NOT use them again, as there is just toooooo much wear in the threads for my liking.

My guess would be "all day" for a first timer????. It takes me about 5 hours now to do them, and yes I am a tad slower these days, but also careful.

 

As Grant says, you appear to have serious issues with the rear suspension assembly; you definitely should NOT be getting shaking as you describe. I would think the subframe mounts are shot, definitely, as they don't last as well as the radius arm bushes. I think you're going to find more than you anticipate when you get a look at it. The whole assembly is isolated from the car by the mounts, so they all need to be in tip-top condition for it all to work. Have you done any of the rear inboard brake jobs ?

I had a piston seize on a rear caliper and it wrecked the caliper seals and also the diff seal next to it from the heat. So much smoke I looked like a steam locomotive coming along !

The good news is the diff seems to last a long time.

 

Cradle mounts aye... i wouldn't be surprised if they are shot, I've never replaced them, and I don't think the previous owner did as well. Do I have to drop the cage to attend to these mounts, or can the be installed by other means?

i'll bring the arms to the local pep boys and press the bushings out. In the mean time I'll replace the shocks...

If i'm going to lower the cage... I think i need more space :-(

 

Good news !!

You can renew the cage mounts without dropping the cage right out, but it has to be lowered a bit, so you basically do one side at a time, using a trolley jack to stop it dropping too far. There are two mounts per side, and undoing the bolts is fairly easy, (I've done these myself).

Here's a pic from a supplier website, see how cheap they are, not worth doing one or two, replace the lot !

SNG Barratt - UK | Parts | Cradle mounting

 

that is great news! thanks for the link too, I'll pick some up. How many do I need? And do you have photos of where these mounts are on the cage?

 

You will need 4.

They are NOT handed, so 4 of the same part No will be just fine.

No Kodaks, never thought about it when I have done them (too many over the years). They are secured to the cradle with bolts and nuts, 2 I think, and 2 nuts on the studs, or is it 1, anyway it is not "rocket science" as we say down here, but it has been many years since I last did any, and the memory is lacking somewhat these days.

Not wanting to be the bearer of doom and gloom, BUT, reading again what you are saying about the wobbles over road thingies, may be that the cradle itself is cracked. Dont laugh, or whatever you do, it does happen, and more common than a lot will admit, mainly due to the 4 lower (2 each side) diff mounting bolts coming loose and the diff itself works back and forth and cracks the top plate out of the cradle. I have replaced 3 in the last 10 years, and one came out in 3 pieces, and she was still doing maaaaany country high speed travels in that car, and had sort of got used to the "feel" of her car, clunking noises and all, and when the replacement was finished, she was amazed (obviously) at the tightness of the whole car, and the precise handling it was capable of.

This will take some serious checking to establish IF in fact it is cracked, or IF the diff mounting bolts are loose, but most I have looked after have had these lower bolts loose.

 

Basically, the problem with an '84 car is there will, by now (28 years passed), be a lot of worn out parts, and sometimes it's easier to just take out the rear suspension and rebuild it off the car; it's certainly easier than lying underneath it freezing to death.

However, if you can't do that, be aware that this will not be the first and only ocasion you will be attending to the rear suspension. I hope Grants suspicions on the cage itself don't come true when you get to look.

 

Hi guys,

Thanks again for all the tips -- do any of you have a picture of where the cradle mounts look like under the car, and where they are located? And when you say cracked, do you mean the cradle mount is cracked (the mount you showed a picture of) or do you mean the IRS itself?

I found that URO parts makes a replacement part -- they are 9 bucks a pop. Pricey little mounts, especially because you need 4.

More Information for ÜRO PARTS CAC3067

It's been raining the last couple weeks, but I'm heading out to the shop this weekend to finally replace the rear/front shocks. I believe there is a press out there too, so I can get the radial arms done while I'm at it.

Any more info regarding these cradle mounts would be great, or a picture of what could be "cracked".

Thanks!

Tyler

 

Cradle mount pic from a well known Jaguar parts supplier.

SNG Barratt - UK | Parts | Cradle mounting

I am really not sure what cracking will occur on the rear cradle (or subframe). There is a tie plate on the bottom which can get abused by people using it to jack-up the rear of the car. Cracks are not unknown in the aluminium suspension trunnions that hold the hubs.

I suspect you may also find your radius arms are shot through with corrosion and it would be better to replace with a new unit that comes with the bushes already pressed in. These arms are notorious for rusting, and your car is 28 years old, plenty of time for them to rust completely away.

Do you have any pics for us to look at at all ?

 

I dont have any Kodaks, and I really dont want to jack up the beast and remove wheels to do so.

Jack your car up, remove the rear wheel, and sitting square on look at about 1 o'clock, and 11 o'clock on the chassis rail in front of your face. You will see 4 bolt heads, 2 on each mount. This is/are the "V mount", as they are commonly called.

With the car supported on the factory jacking points, these mounts are in an "extension" mode, and cracks in the rubber medium is easily seen. I NEVER mess with them on any s/h car I own, I simply replace all 4 and be done with them. At your stated "9 bucks each" is cheap.

The other cracks I talked about are in the actual metal cradle, radiating from the 4 bolts HIDDEN on top, and travelling down to the mounting pins at the lower side of the diff unit itself. Not easily seen with the cradle insitu, unless you know exactly what you are looking for, but easily seen with the cradle out of the car. HOWEVER, these cracks are RARE, and I only mentioned them due to the weird happenings you are experiencing whilst traversing uneven surfaces.

 

Forgot to mention, the cradle mounts are bolted to the box section that passes round the back of the wheel arches. Each one is fixed at an angle to allow the cradle to move slightly and thus absorb suspension vibration. The radius arms control this movement so it doesn't become excessive, (except when they, too, are shot !!)

 

On Rock Auto I noticed there are 3 different subframe mounts (one of them looks like the large bushing for the Radial arm). It says one is "rear" and one is just a regular cradle mount. Here are the links:

Trailing Arm Bushing:
More Information for ÜRO PARTS C17146

Subframe Mount:
More Information for ÜRO PARTS C30314

Cradle Mount 1:
More Information for ÜRO PARTS CAC3067

Cradle Mount 2:
More Information for ÜRO PARTS C45666

I'm guessing I need 2 of each Cradle mounts -- I already purchased 2 of the Radial Arm bushings with plans on rebuilding my Radial arms (california car... so hopefully no rust). It's wierd they don't list the large bushings anywhere.... looks like the cheapest ones are on ebay.

 

No, you need four of what you have marked as Cradle Mount 1 (2 each side), plus the large and small bushes for the radius arm bushes, assuming the arms themselves are found to be OK when you get them off.

Of the other parts, I can only go on the pics because your URO website has no part numbers or any clue as to where they go. The trailing arm bush is for what ? The subframe mount appears to be the front mount on the front subframe. The cradle mount 2 could be the rear mount for the front subframe.

You would probably serve yourself better by searching for suppliers that concentrate on Jaguars, rather than those doing everything, as you will be less likely to buy the wrong parts. I tried Rock Auto just now, and the site just went to sleep on me.

 

Fraser is spot on.

This is a job you DO NOT want to do more than once per car.

Get the right parts, and do it properly. The $$ search will drive you nuts, and even more so if the bits are wrong, and/or inferior quality.

I have NO IDEA where in the USA Santa Monica is, but I use XKUnlimited in San Louis Obispo, and they ship to here real quick. I think they even ship free in the USA???. OR, try one of the suppliers that are supporting this site, that would also be smart in my opinion.

 

I believe the radial arm bushing i listed above is the "small" bushing. The large one is actually tough to find --and they are fairly expensive (20 bucks or so.)

I forgot about XK's Unlimited -- i bought gas tank gaskets there when I refurbished and POR-15'd my tanks a couple years ago. very quick shipping. San Luis Obispo is about 3 hours north of me!

I see you're from Australia btw -- i lived down in Melbourne for a couple years. It's a great place. Although those Road Worthy Certificates were a PAIN to get -- same with how you guys register/insure cars.

as for the front subframe mounts, i'll tackle those later, maybe when i pull the motor to rebuild it at some point in the future. a shop did the steering bushings a couple years ago-- charged a bundle.

 

replaced the shocks all around the vehicle -- the thing drives like a completely different car now! I didn't get around the radial arm bushings this weekend, but I anticipate getting to them in the comick ng weeks. The large bushings looked pretty well shot -- the smaller bushing was covered in grime and was hard to see.

As for the front end, those front shocks sure are easy to put in. The sway bar end link bushings are completely toast, as are the sway bar mounts themselves. Next time I have a chance I'll replace those. Looks like that job might be a PITA... has anyone on here done it before?

The subframe mount bushings looked to be in very good condition (both front and rear.) There are many, many bushings on the front end of this car -- i had no idea there were so many!

Thanks for your help everyone. The job wasn't hard, just time consuming tensioning all 4 of those rear springs! The SenSen Shock kit available on Amazon was a great deal -- 186 bucks for the entire complete set. I reccomend it!