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The camber shims are behind the casting onto which the top wishbone bushes fit. These control in or out top to bottom "tilt" (camber) from top to bottom of the upright and hence the hub and wheel. no.14 in the diagram below.
The castor shims are the ones each side of the top balljoint, (11 in the diagram) these control the fore/back tilt of the upright and hence the self centering effect of the steering (in olden days this was called king pin inclination; the king pin being the huge vertical hinge the hub swivelled on in the days before balljoints.
Ok, so they are washers. Is anything going to fly apart when I take wishbone out, are blocks in right place, anything else I need to do before starting ?
Mac
While the blocks are in the correct place, I do not like that vertical on its end lower block. I would replace it with a wide wooden block like the wooden one on top, but thicker obviously. Also handbrake on and in park and rear wheels chocked both sides. Check that the top wishbones bump stops are NOT in contact with the subframe, and then you are Ok to undo the top wishbone to top balljoint nuts and bolts. Remember the semi-cut down headed outer balljoint/wishbone bolt (8 in the diagram) MUST go in from the FRONT with the nut at the rear, or it will foul the disc on full lock.
Last edited by Greg in France; Jul 22, 2018 at 01:16 PM.
Mac
While the blocks are in the correct place, I do not like that vertical on its end lower block. I would replace it with a wide wooden block like the wooden one on top, but thicker obviously. Also handbrake on and in park and rear wheels chocked both sides. Check that the top wishbones bump stops are NOT in contact with the subframe, and then you are Ok to undo the top wishbone to top balljoint nuts and bolts. Remember the semi-cut down headed outer balljoint/wishbone bolt (8 in the diagram) MUST go in from the FRONT with the nut at the rear, or it will foul the disc on full lock.
Thank you, I see what you mean, will replace those landscape blocks with a cinder block and a 2x12 on top,bottom and center it.
Will make sure I do as you have outlined. Will take pics before and during.
Ordered the parts yesterday will start when they come in.
If I have any problems I will post and will post the end results.
The closest I have done is replace a kingpin on a 1971 Ford P/U in 1978. and don't remember much about it. I took the 360 motor out of the same truck and put in a 428 cobra jet, one fast P/U. Punched it going down the highway and snapped the rear U joint on drive shaft,ah, good old days. lol.
Want to thank all you guys for your help.
Yoweee, from the fryoing pan not into the potbut in to the fire.
Concrete blocks are almost safe. Cinder blocks are as unsafe as one can be.
Big difference between the two.
Best, proper jack stands. Not expensive. and safe when used properly.
Or cribbing from solid wood blocks.
Really horrible things can and have happened when the supports fail!!!!
Carl
Good point. If a cinder block is what we call a breeze block in the UK, then, Mac, you must use something more solid eg: jackstand or solid wood, as JagCad advises.
Another point worth raising at this point - I noticed that when KWE refurb the front suspension they put all the Caster shims to the front of the car, to give maximum caster angle & presumably a bit more feel/feedback to the XJS steering. Now would be a good time to experiment if you fancy it.
When I replaced my upper control arm bushings and ball joints, I put the car on jackstands but then used a hydraulic jack to move the hub up and down as needed.
While there, see if you can clean your ABS sensors.
Also, might wanna check the condition of your tie rod.
Another point worth raising at this point - I noticed that when KWE refurb the front suspension they put all the Caster shims to the front of the car, to give maximum caster angle & presumably a bit more feel/feedback to the XJS steering. Now would be a good time to experiment if you fancy it.
Steering is tight, steering wheel centered and drives straight on highway.
When I replaced my upper control arm bushings and ball joints, I put the car on jackstands but then used a hydraulic jack to move the hub up and down as needed.
While there, see if you can clean your ABS sensors.
Also, might wanna check the condition of your tie rod.
The upper control arm is actually 2 pieces, a left and right side piece. They are bolted through the top ball joint where I circled in red. There is a bracket that bolts to the whole front subframe to hold the other end of the control arms and allow them to pivot. I circled that bolt in blue. There will be another bolt on the other side. There will be shims under this component, that's how camber and caster is adjusted, so note the number and position of the shims before removing this piece.
Once that blue bracket is off, then you can remove the control arm retaining nut, I circled that in green. Or remove the green nut first, then the bracket, your choice.
I would get the bushings from Coventry West in Atlanta or SNG Barratt in NH, since you are in the USA. You want part number CAC9295 and you might need the washer C29975. I'd go OEM on the bushing, and aftermarket is fine for the washer. I'd do both sides of the car, since if one failed the other is probably not far behind. So you'd need 4 bushings and 8 washers. If you want to do the ball joint as a "while it's all apart" thing the part number is CAC9938. I'd get the OE, as opposed to after market for that one.
Got the parts today and was looking forward to getting it fixed but shorted me 6 bush washers C29975. Can I reuse the old bush washers or reorder and wait.
Got the parts today and was looking forward to getting it fixed but shorted me 6 bush washers C29975. Can I reuse the old bush washers or reorder and wait.
you sure can reuse them! I may have brushed them off a bit to take off any stuck on rubber, but I’ve never swapped them out. They don’t affect any of the geometry.
you sure can reuse them! I may have brushed them off a bit to take off any stuck on rubber, but I’ve never swapped them out. They don’t affect any of the geometry.
I reordered 6 bush washers, spoke to sales on phone,after telling 6, I ask how many did I order he says 6, okay thank you bye.
Sent me an email of my order, says (((( 2 )))) bush washers, WTH, called them back and already closed for the day, was going to reply to their email but it was a NO REPLY email.
Hope this is not a preview of how the actual work is going to go. lol
Mac
While the blocks are in the correct place, I do not like that vertical on its end lower block. I would replace it with a wide wooden block like the wooden one on top, but thicker obviously. Also handbrake on and in park and rear wheels chocked both sides. Check that the top wishbones bump stops are NOT in contact with the subframe, and then you are Ok to undo the top wishbone to top balljoint nuts and bolts. Remember the semi-cut down headed outer balljoint/wishbone bolt (8 in the diagram) MUST go in from the FRONT with the nut at the rear, or it will foul the disc on full lock.
Greg, the wishbone bump stops are in contact with the subframe and compressed about 3/8 inch so if I remove bolts wishbone will jump upward and wont line back up for reassemble.
I also noticed I will need to move the steering wheel to the left so I can remove bolt on balljoint as the way it is will not clear the hub shield.
Last edited by macdoesit; Aug 1, 2018 at 02:35 PM.
Greg, the wishbone bump stops are in contact with the subframe and compressed about 3/8 inch so if I remove bolts wishbone will jump upward and wont line back up for reassemble.
I also noticed I will need to move the steering wheel to the left so I can remove bolt on balljoint as the way it is will not clear the hub shield.
If the wishbone bump stops are in contact with the subframe, then the suspension is NOT, repeat NOT sufficiently loaded and you must NOT undo any of the suspension components, Place the jack (and then the blocks) further outboard, under the shock absorber fixing part of the spring pan, and jack the car up higher; that should do it.
You do not need to undo the steering balljoint unless you are renewing it.
If the wishbone bump stops are in contact with the subframe, then the suspension is NOT, repeat NOT sufficiently loaded and you must NOT undo any of the suspension components, Place the jack (and then the blocks) further outboard, under the shock absorber fixing part of the spring pan, and jack the car up higher; that should do it.
You do not need to undo the steering balljoint unless you are renewing it.
Greg, jacked up higher, bumps are not touching, I can move wishbone back and forth by hand ,but back tire is barely touching the floor, seems like a lot of torque on the frame.
Greg, jacked up higher, bumps are not touching, I can move wishbone back and forth by hand ,but back tire is barely touching the floor, seems like a lot of torque on the frame.
Got the passenger side Upper wishbone bushings in and new ball joint, piece of cake. Took driver wheel off and bushings were almost as bad as passenger side, so I replaced them, no problem, when I got to the bottom of threads where they are even with bottom of nut on Ball joint PO must have striped it cause I worked 30 minutes to get 1 full turn so I used drimmel and cut the nut.
Can I go to hardware store and get a matching nut or do I need a better nut ?
Thank you all for the help,it made it so much easier.
I didn't have to take off or even loosen the fulcrum shaft witch I'm sure saved time.
Mac
Are you saying you need a nut for the new balljoint and the new balljoint did not come with a nut? If so, take the BJ with you. It is probably metric, but may well be UNF, but if you take the balljoing you can be sure to buy the correct nut. It is not a special steel or anything like that.
