Hi all.

I get a squeaking noise from the front end when I go over a bump and the steering wheel vibrates. There are so many joints and bushings up front I'd appreciate it if anyone has had the same issue and fixed it.

Thank you.

Stephen

 

Hi Stephen

Check the Top Shock Absorber Bushes, as once they have worn away the Threaded Rod can squeak in the Hole as it jumps up and down, especially when going over humps

That was a problem on both of my Cars which were fixed by fitting new shock absorber bushes, which is a very easy job to do

 

+ 1 BUSHES disappear on a regular basis......sounds like coins rattling

 

Have you checked for one of these?

 

Hi Jagman,


Certainly agree regarding top shock absorber mountings. A real PIA rattle / knock on irregular road surfaces.


Best way to check is look in the engine bay. You will see the top of the shock absorber as it pokes through the inner wing into the engine compartment. Square shaped end to the shock absorber with a nut below (may be a rubber nipple on top of the thread). Grab hold of the threaded end and if really bad you will be able to move it with your fingers.


I have just done this on my '90 XJ-S. As OB suggests, an easy job and didn't even have to take the wheels off but there are a few tricks and points to watch when ordering spare parts. Shout if this is your issue and I will post more detail.


All the above assumes, of course, that your squeak is not down to a lost Koala. If only I had checked for one of those before changing the bushes! (Nice one Steve).


Good luck,
LeeP

 

Hi NC Jagman

It seems almost certain that your squeaking noise is due to worn out Shock Absorber Top Bushes, which on my Car 'Cherry Blossom' seemed to make a sound like 'Broken China'

But what made matters worse was that my Car, which had been off the road for some 17 years, had just past her MOT with 'Flying Colors'

So surely they would have done a Check on these Shock Absorber Top Bushes? Well....er actually NO! it seems they didn't bother to Check them over

But thinking that they must have done, that was the last place I looked!

Where to my own 'Shock Horror' (pun intended) I found they had disintegrated to the point that they were very nearly non existent

Though replacing these is one of the easiest jobs you will ever do on an XJS where both sides can be done in under an hour!

Although I'll qualify that by saying that I hit a little snag! as the Previous Owner's Garage had used Locktite on the Nuts, which took me nearly 12 Hours to undo!

But this is very unusual as under 'Normal Circumstances' this job is 'A Walk in the Park'

And as for the actual Bushes themselves, I always make my own as then you can tune the handling for almost next to nothing, depending on the material that you cut them out from

Which ideally is around 14mm using a Standard Hole Saw which you may have got in your 'Shop'

I've cut these out of Nylon Chopping Boards and also Bits of Scrap Rubber, where after a little R&D 'Cherry Blossom' now goes round Corners on Rails

So worth experimenting until you get the Handling you like

You can see how I changed these Bushes, as well as how I made my own replacements on Page62 of my 'Cherry Blossom' restoration thread and here is a link to that page: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...122634/page62/