Quick question: Is it possible to replace the 4 shocks/springs without dropping the suspension cage?

Thanks,
Lou

 

Yes it is.

 

As said YES.

No need to drop that thing for that task.

Time consuming, YES. Hard to do, NO.

 

quick question - quick answer!

I also have an itch to rebuild my rear suspension / brakes etc.. Now, is it possible to do this with limited work space, a trolley jack, some axle stands and various sets of tools!!

 

Yep

take a look at my blog Jaguar XJS Restoration : XJS Rear end rebuild

It is easy to do the hardest part is getting all of those rusty old bolts out in one piece. Getting the inner fulcrum shafts back in can be tricky and needs more hands than I had.

 

Yes, I have done it just like that. Basically proceed as follows:

1. Unbolt the radius arms from their chassis end fixtures. Large whack with lump hammer and cold chisel just above the rubber bush top to separate the arm from the chassis cup.
2. Trolley jack under the central tie plate of the axle cage. Jack it up high and insert axle stands under rear jacking points. Tallish axle stands a big help.
3. Undo brake flexible from cage, disconnect handbrake cable from calipers (squeeze the calipers inwards and pop out the end of the cable).
4. Undo propshaft from diff (and unplug speedo sensor if you have one in the diff)
5. Undo exhaust at join in front of cage, and at join after the cage. Support the pipes from the engine so you do not crack the downpipes etc. Wriggle out the exhaust pipe that goes through the cage.
6. The axle cage unbolts from the chassis. Undo the two long bolts holding each rubber/metal fixing between the cage and the chassis (8 bolts in all).
7. Wheels still on the axle, carefully lower axle and wheel it away using the radius arms as handles! If the car is not up high enough, put something slippery under the wheels (eg two sheets of cardboard) and pull the axle out sideways.

Greg

 

Pay close attention at this step. A couple pics would be good.

You guys will laugh but I had a helluva time remembering how th pipes went thru the cage on reassembly. Wasted too much time figuring it out and felt very foolish. Not sure if it was fatigue-induced stupidity or what, but I felt like a real dumbass

Cheers
DD

 

Don't feel like Robinson Caruso there Doug - I have learned the hard way to take pictures of everything before I pull it apart. The ROM and Parts Catalog just do not help sometimes.

 

Beautiful job !.