Boy, am I sore two days later. I'm 62!
You will need a few 3/8" drive extensions and SIX POINT SOCKET WRENCHES to remove the bolts, and some luck to hold the nuts while loosening them.
I had to use a sawzall to cut thru the right rack bushing bolt, rusted tight to the bushing, so I cut it on both sides to get the rack loose from the mounts so I could then drop the rack down a few inches.
Now, HOW DO YOU GET THOSE OLD BUSHINGS OUT WITHOUT REMOVING THE RACK??????
I drilled out the rubber bushings, allowing the metal cutting blade of the sawzall to fit inside the old metal sleeves from the bushings. They could NOT be driven out by ANY means!
Cut a slot lengthwise in the sleeves, and be CAREFUL to stop cutting the millisecond the blade speeds up as you cut the sleeve in two, DON"T CUT THE RACK! The sleeves can be pushed out with a screwdriver now.
I used the harder rubber Urethane bushings that do not need the original large fender washers on each side (on my coupe,), or a shim that takes the place of the 4 washers on the left side (on my convertible). They have the proper length metal tube, which will not squeeze the rubber bushings too much but put just the right crush on the bushings. The part number is CAC1635K, the box calls them Prothane (high performance urethane) Oil resistant, and much stiffer.
Now is also a good time to replace the high pressure hose from the power steering pump if you have not done so already. HIGH FAILURE ITEM!!! You need to lower the rack to get to the hose fittings.
3 hours to get the old bushings out, and about 30 minutes to bolt the rack back in properly, using grade 5, 2.5" X 5/16" SAE fine thread bolts, washers on the outsides of the rack ears, and nylon lock nuts, getting very hard to find now, but Home Depot DID have them. You may need a jack to help press the rack back into the mounts and line up the bolt holes.
Seems odd to feel that I need to say this here, but PLEASE remember, SAFETY FIRST !!!
This is the HEAVY end of the car. use 24" HEAVY JACK STANDS or equivalent!
You will need a LOT of headroom to do this job, unless you know someone with a lift.
Results: much tighter, PROPER response to steering inputs, better than the sloppy, spongy steering response from the rubber original bushings. WELL WORTH THE EFFORT!, cost: $30.00.

 

Sounds like a great upgrade. I also appreciate the part number as I expect to replace the ones on mine. My question is, are they Jaguar numbers, or something else? Auto Zone, Orielly's or ??? Thanks

Jack

 

Jaguar part number, found one here: https://www.jagbits.com/product/CAC1635K.html

 

OK, I'm going to date myself a bit. But when I first got an XJS, Kirby Palm (author of "the book") was active on the jag-lovers.org forum, and I sent him an e-mail and asked him if he could only do one thing to improve the XJS, what would it be?

His reply was that replacing the rubber rack bushing with polyurethane* is the single best/cheapest upgrades to the XJS. I didn't do it on my first XJS, but it was the first thing I did to my current one, and 20 years later [shudder] it's still like new. I even replaced the rack, and used the existing polyurethane bushing because it came with the rubber ones that shear because of the load. I was in the middle of the job when I opened the "new" bushings and knew they weren't going to be any better, so I just put the "old" polyurethane ones back in.

*I think this might be the only place on the XJS where polyurethane works significantly better than factory rubber (please correct if I'm wrong). I recall someone going through most of the car and using polyurethane and complaining about the end result.

 

I have all Poly (Superflex) bushings end to end on my car except steering rack which are JaguarSport and OEM lower rear bushings? I cant remember... 90% poly though. The Jag Wizard I go to said the sport bushings were just fine not worth switching to Poly at that time, but if you want super responsive handlng go with Superflex. Some front end stuff should be OEM rubber to better absorb the impacts but most bushings can go Poly for superior results.

I can say that the OEM bushings handle like a Yacht on a summer's day were as my poly system with uprated shocks is more like a twitchy racecar. Maybe the road feedback and super responsive (almost frighteningly) fast handling isn't everyone's cup of tea but I didn't buy the last true Grand Touring car to putter around town...I bought it to feel raw power and a certain grace under pressure. I can literally dive in and out or rocket up the highway at 90mph with 1 finger on the wheel, can't do so on 30 year old british rubber.

 

For the rack bushing there is a special tool to remove the old ones - makes it a 2 min job with no damage to the rack. You could mock one up with some sockets and threaded rod too

When I bought my car, the PO had put poly bushings on everything I have since taken them all out except for the rack because of the squeaks and groans. It was embarrassing to drive the car. First I took them apart and lubed them, made no difference after a few miles it was back to squeaking. Like this:

 

Poly bushings are not for everybody.

First thing, though, is to realize that not all poly bushings are created equal. There is plenty of low-grade s**t out there.......being foisted-off as an 'upgrade'. Low quality poly bushings are probably responsible for at least some of the bad press. Some of the offerings for Jaguar steering rack bushings are junk...turning to goo after just a couple years.

That said......

Jaguar was hyper-concerned about NVH---Noise, Vibration, and Harshness. If/when compromises had to be made you can bet that Jaguar leaned towards reduction of NVH versus long bushing life and/or steering/handling crispness. "Poor quality British Rubber" is oft ballyhooed but, IMO, it was never a matter of quality, per se. It was Jaguar's conscious decision to specify bushings to reduce NVH over other considerations.

Experiences vary greatly. My own experiences with poly bushings on Jags and other cars have not been good. Excessive noise has always resulted. Maybe I got some lousy products, I dunno. It's certainly possible, given the myriad of choices on the market. But, in most cases, bushing replacement is labor intensive so experimenting with different products become an unattractive thing.

IMO, go with known high quality poly bushings for the steering rack. Be very careful and selective elsewhere.

Cheers
DD

 

Will I need to support the engine overhead?

I'm thinking of doing this on jackstands, with a hydraulic jack to help me with the rack.

 

No, the rack is bolted to the back of the subframe, just like the engine and the suspension is bolted to it. You can undo and remove the rack from the car without affecting or needing to remove or support anything else. All you need to do is get the front up high enough, and safely supported enough, to be able to work under the car comfortably and safely.

 

Neoprene rack bushes here. I’d say they are between OEM rubber soft and poly hard. Nice compromise imho.

 

About 30 or 35 years ago I bought a tool to remove/replace the bushes. I don't remember where but this looks exactly like the one I have.

https://xks.com/i-6920042-jaguar-xj-...l-17-2502.html

bob