XJS Front Spring Height
#1
XJS Front Spring Height
New to the site so advance apologies if this has been covered before - I did search but nothing popped up.
I'm rebuilding a 1989 5.3 XJS and now onto the front suspension. Nothing too drastic so far, dropped the frame, dismantled and now rebuilding with mainly new parts. My question is...just how big are the springs supposed to be?! I've got new ones and they are quite a bit bigger than the old ones. Part number is OK, same number of coils and the metal diameter is the same, so do old ones just compress this much over time? Take a look at the picture....
Thoughts gratefully accepted.
I'm rebuilding a 1989 5.3 XJS and now onto the front suspension. Nothing too drastic so far, dropped the frame, dismantled and now rebuilding with mainly new parts. My question is...just how big are the springs supposed to be?! I've got new ones and they are quite a bit bigger than the old ones. Part number is OK, same number of coils and the metal diameter is the same, so do old ones just compress this much over time? Take a look at the picture....
Thoughts gratefully accepted.
#2
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I don't know the spring length/height measurement.
Was the ride height OK before disassembly?
Some sag is inevitable but the difference in the tow springs you have seems too dramatic.
There are any many cases where new springs yield incorrect ride height....to the extent where I went with good used springs rather than take chances with new ones.
Are the new springs from Jaguar or an aftermarket supplier? My opinion is that spring manufacturers are playing things fast and loose with specs and part numbers....trying to sell a single spring to fit too many different applications.
Cheers
DD
Was the ride height OK before disassembly?
Some sag is inevitable but the difference in the tow springs you have seems too dramatic.
There are any many cases where new springs yield incorrect ride height....to the extent where I went with good used springs rather than take chances with new ones.
Are the new springs from Jaguar or an aftermarket supplier? My opinion is that spring manufacturers are playing things fast and loose with specs and part numbers....trying to sell a single spring to fit too many different applications.
Cheers
DD
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dclsteve (10-30-2017)
#3
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dclsteve (10-30-2017)
#4
Thanks for the replies. The new springs are 310mm and the old ones 250mm. I didn't measure the ride height before disassembly but after I replaced the IRS it was certainly low in the front end! Appreciate the measurement Greg. I was not sure about the packing washers. The original set up had one, and I did wonder if it was needed at all. I've done a couple of springs before and neither had washers. Thanks all.
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#6
Thanks for the replies. The new springs are 310mm and the old ones 250mm. I didn't measure the ride height before disassembly but after I replaced the IRS it was certainly low in the front end! Appreciate the measurement Greg. I was not sure about the packing washers. The original set up had one, and I did wonder if it was needed at all. I've done a couple of springs before and neither had washers. Thanks all.
Greg
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#13
Certainly on a facelift with 16" wheels and 225/55 tyres, set to factory spec, you can't put a finger horizontally across the rear tyre under the lip of the wheelarch. I bet that if the ride height is measured, it would be nearly 2" higher than spec.
Paul
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Greg in France (11-03-2017)
#15
Yes! The IRS has new shocks/springs and as far as I'm aware there is no adjustment? The old shock/spring units the same size as the new ones. Other than its just been gently dropped back to ground level (all work done while sitting on a 2-poster ramp) the suspension has not moved. I suspect if I bounced the rear end it may move, but have I missed something? All shafts move freely....
#16
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Once the car has rolled a bit the rear will settle. The reason is that as the car is raised, the wheels droop and move inward. When the car is set back on the ground the tires contact the ground and stay in position and then the wheels can't move outward.
When I am doing wheel alignments I have 2 pieces of plexiglass and I put grease in-between them. I put those under the tires as the car comes down and that lets the tire slide sideways as the car comes down. It lets the wheels move quite a bit sideways, often in the region of 2" per wheel and lets the suspension settle to normal ride height.
When I am doing wheel alignments I have 2 pieces of plexiglass and I put grease in-between them. I put those under the tires as the car comes down and that lets the tire slide sideways as the car comes down. It lets the wheels move quite a bit sideways, often in the region of 2" per wheel and lets the suspension settle to normal ride height.
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dclsteve (11-03-2017)
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