Well I got the IRS out.

Firstly - I have no mechanics background, what I did worked for me, no idea if it would work for you.

Second - I have read a few posts on different forums that contain a lot of hesitation about dropping the IRS cage. Having completed this for the first time I would have no hesitation about doing it again. It is a 2 person job in my humble opinion though. (my 17yr old son helped)

Thirdly - Due to work and time constraints I didn't have the time to work on the car for a few weeks so I spent 5 minutes couple of times each week spraying penetrating oil on the bolts needed to drop the cage - seemed to work very well as all bolts came undone without hassles.

Sequence:
1. unhook handbrake springs
2. unhook handbrake cable
3. clamp brake line
4. disconnect brake line
5. disconnect exhausts and secure up. Disconnect the rear parts of the exhaust from their 2 rubber hanging points and let them sag to the ground.
6. disconnect tail shaft
7. disconnect ABS sensors
8. place trolley jack under cage with timber block at forward 1/3 of base plate as the cage is front heavy.
9. place second or bottle jack under hub and jack hub up so that radius arm is level then pry arm off forward mount.
10. remove the 8 bolts that hold the cage to the chassis (4 each side) in order 1 each side at a time checking to ensure that the trolley under the cage is supporting it evenly and securely.
11. once free, lower the cage a short way and unscrew and remove the speed sensor from the rear of the differential.
12. lower the cage the whole way down, and either remove backwards if car high enough or rotate trolley jack sideways and remove sideways (that's what I did)

 

 

 

 

Very methodical approach.

Well done.

Not as daunting as some have us believe.

 

One of the Best Posts Ever! (This should be a Sticky)

Please keep going with the Pics of what you are doing next ie Changing Rotors.

 

Thanks Grant and OB. It took about 4 hours to do in between honey do's and mowing the yard! Looking forward to completing the rest and awaiting all the parts to arrive. I would like to thank everyone on here though becuase its the knowledge on here that allows noobs like me to have a crack at these things

 

Dave,

Well done. I know from experience that your biggest challenge now is knowing when to stop! It's very easy to keep going "well I might as well refurb this bit as well whilst it's out...". And it's true! You might as well do as much as you can whilst it's out.

Good luck

Paul

 

Great pics, appreciate the writeup. As Paul says above, it will be interesting to see where the "while I'm in there" stops

 

one thing I would mention its that with the cage out I notice that the two radius arms sit at different angles. One sits fairly much straight out (Drivers RHS) while the other (Passenger LHS) sits up at a 35-40 degree angle.

Is this normal or should both sit at the same angle?

Would its be prudent (I'm thinking it is) to replace the metalistik parts (radius arm bushes, vee blocks etc) regardless of percieved condition?

 

They should both be straight, probably one small end bush is going home. I think you would be wise to replace all the metalastic, you will not regret it. Fitting new bushes to the big end of the arm is a pain, as is removing the old ones. if you can run to it, new arms with bushes already installed is far easier, but you MUST specify metalastic bushes. Whatever the supplier may claim, anything else is utterly rubbish, I have found, with a life expectancy of weeks, not years.


When you refit the arms, the small end must not be fully tightened until the car is on its wheels, or the small end will sheer the rubber bush in no time.
Greg

 

Thanks for the post. Another project for me this winter. Your pics will help

 

Good work,

What are your plans? Rear end looks pretty good. I did notice oil on the diff snout is that coming from the pinion seal?

 

Hi warren I'm not sure.
Plan to have a look and see. Waiting for parts to arrive, going to replace output seals as minimum for the diff. All parts should arrive this week. New rotors, I'm reconditioning the calipers with new ss pistons and seal kit. New brake lines all around. Speed bleeders. Reco kits for front calipers. New bushes for radius arms, new wheel bearings all four corners. check all other bushes and bearings in IRS, new handbrake and brake pads. General degrease and spruce up with some paint.

 

I Fully rebuilt my rear end 3 years ago and my car is the same model as yours.

If you replace the pinion seal you will need to replace the crush spacer and reset the pinion backlash.

I'd also get yourself a new set of rear cage mounts.

All the bearings are pretty standard, I used ABC bearings in Strathfield, this guy knows Jaguars. I used NSK as Timken are eye wateringly expensive.

The front wheel bearing seal yours will use the same as the XJ40, I had a bit of trouble with this as the part listed did not fit.

 

Thanks warren

I think the wetness on the pinion seal was because I'd been spraying penetrating fluid on the tail shaft bolts and the over spray was on the diff snout. it looks pretty good.

Advice taken on the cage mounts, I'll order some. Nice to know about the bearings there is a bearing shop not far from me so I'll try and use them where applicable.

Got both calipers out yesterday. The drivers (RHS) calipers did not want to come for love nor money with that lower bolt head catching on the diff. after numerous attempts and trying different approaches, gave it a jiggle and out it came!

The drivers side caliper was on the original rotor and its piston was full of gunk and the seals crapped out completely Piston not so bad but worse than the passenger side which had the newer solid rotor. Looks like that passenger side caliper got a reco when ever that rotor was installed.

Calipers and handbrake calipers are all now a nice caliper red. (means they work better doesn't it?)

When you took your rotors off any tricks as the bolts seem to be very tight on.

cheers

 

There is a procedure in the repair manual for fitting new seal only. I have used that method without any problems.

 

Patience, and a hammer to break the bolts loose. When you put it back together use Loctite as well as wire. I bought fencing wire from Bunnings to re-wire the bolt heads.

 

Yes you're right on that one, I didn't do it that way as I changed the ratio so pulled the diff completely down.

 

Well the last of parts arrived today! Just the spur I needed to start doing things with the IRS out.

I finished reconditioning the calipers.


and started pulling the IRS apart (bought a rattle gun and an air wrench what a difference that makes on hard to shift bolts!)

noticed this when I pulled the shocks, this one is the front passenger side shock from the IRS



the metal is gouged on the shock and has scored the lower part of the tube.