Finally installed my new rear springs and shocks. While I was in there I also replaced the radius arm bushings. The springs were from the drivenman.com, I used Bilstein shocks.


Thanks to all the good input from this forum it made the job doable, I have never done any of this type of work before. So, if I can do it, anyone can.


I used the rolling bar method to remove the radius arm, worked great. Since I did not have a rolling wedge I used a 12" crescent opened all the way and used the fixed end to pry on the large bushing, both arms fell off after a few tugs, and a couple of whacks with a rubber mallet, that was a great tip. Took the arms to a local machine shop, they charged 80 bucks to press out the old and press in the new.


The rear shocks and springs went in without a hitch, but the rear sits too low in my opinion.


So, I need some tips on what I can do to raise the ride height about an inch and a half on the rear. Thanks


The attached pictures: top down-before new springs and shocks
top up-after

 

Congrats on the job. The rear is too low in the pic. Are you sure the springs are correctly on the shock absorbers? The welded ring point on the shocker where the upper spring pan rests controls the rear ride height. You might even have been supplied with shocks for the wrong model, even. Can you compare this with where it was on your previous shocker? Has the Dm supplied you with lowering (ie shorter) springs?

Luckily, removing and changing them is straightforward!

Greg

 

I agree. Too low. Gorgeous Jag, though :-)






Good point; worth checking.

I can't remember the exact problem or resolution but I have a many-years-ago-foggy-recollection of getting some rear shocks for a Jag where the welded ring was in a different location....or perhaps they were sent with different/incorrect collets....something like that. I do remember putting old shocks next to the new shocks and thinking "Hmmmm. How is this gonna work?".

Cheers
DD

 

Yes that is dramatically lower!

As Greg states it could be the shocks but also it might very well be the springs. Are you sure you got the right ones from the driven man? Generally speaking it is the springs that determine the ride height.

 

Thanks all for the info. I sat the new and old side by side with springs installed, they were identical in height. I did not measure the height of the new springs before I installed them, I thought about it, then it slipped my mind until after I had them on the car. Oh well it is just time.

 

Another question. I searched but could not find it, what is the oem spec for the rear coil overs? What is the length, and what is the compression rate (lbs per inch)? Thanks again.

 

They would be (if the shocks have the same extended length) as even shorter springs will, after fitting when the spring clamps are removed, extended to the limit of the shock travel.

Whip one off and check the weld ring positioning against the old shocks. This should show the trouble, and if OK, then I think the springs "must" be the culprits. Either too weak or too short!

Greg

 

I whipped one off, the new spring is 9 1/2", the old spring was 12". There lies the problem. Even with the new springs being stiffer, there is no way to get it to the correct/desired ride height. Everything lined up fine with the new shocks, so those are good to go. Just need to figure out what direction to go to with the springs.

 

FWIW, buy OEM quality stock springs, say I ! Congrats on sorting the problem!

Greg