Hi all
I am new to this forum! I have a 2007 XK Convertible.

Looks like time has come to replace my suspension (details below). Any recommendations to upgrade ( if any) or should I just replace?

I enjoy the way it drives/handles stock, but just wondering if there are any upgrades recommendations

Details from Inspection from my mechanic:
Rear Shock/Struts: Rear struts are leaking. Recommend replacement struts
Ball Joints: Front upper control arm ball joint boots are torn. Recommend replacement front upper control arms
Control Arm Bushings: Rear control arm joints are torn. Recommend replacement rear control arms
Sway Bar Links/Bushings: Rear sway bar link boots are torn. Recommend replacement links
Tie Rods: Front tie rod dust boots are split. Recommend replacement tie rods

 

Hey Nightshift, welcome. Not sure if it's an upgrade or not. Depends on your preferences I guess but the guys who ride their Jags hard or race have done some replacements. Give this a read:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...inally-215664/

Also, though you're not asking, depending on the mileage of your car and whether the joints are actually worn, sometimes you can just replace the boots on your suspension joints. The OEM boots are junk and wear out. Here's a read on that.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ighlight=boots

 

Those issues are common at this age. If you like the way it drives now, standard replacement parts are the way to go.

You can go with the polyurethane bushings - but they are more expensive. From what I've read, they give a much stiffer feel that is geared more towards track use.

I am replacing a lot of those same parts/bushings over the next few weeks, and I will be going with standard/OEM replacements.

Rear shock/struts: once disassembled, check the top strut mount for cracking/damage. Replace as needed.
Ball joints: read the reply above. If the bushings are bad also, you can either replace the whole arm or just the 2 bushings and then the ball joint boot. Same with the rear upper arms.
Control arm bushings: upper or lower? On the lower, all the bushings can be replaced without buying the whole arm.
Sway bar links: cheap enough to replace, not worth trying to replace just the joints/boots.
Tie rods: same as sway bar links. You can also replace the inner tie rods at the same time. If replacing tie rod components and/or rear toe links, you will need an alignment when finished.

Actually, Jaguar recommends an alignment after upper arm replacement also. So you should get everything done, then get the alignment.

 

Not all polybushes are hard IIRC the blacks are the hardest with an sha rating of 95 and the yellows are the softest with a sha rating of 70 usually on exhauat mounts. A halfway house is purple with an 80 rating. Natch different manufacturers use different colours

I had the complete set of purple fitted to my old x100 and it transformed the car back in 2007.

My X150 already has blacks when I bought it and the ride is a little unforgiving at times...you just have to keep your top and bottom set of (your own) teeth apart when going over speed bumps. If you've falsies then take them out!

 

If you like a smooth, comfortable GT tourer as Jaguar intended, then stay with stock parts. But if you'd like to improve handling performance and make the car sportier AND you intend to keep the car from some time, then poly is the way to go and yes there are softer versions of poly. I have black where available and purple everywhere else. After 4 years from new, I had to have all of the factory arms replaced under warranty for failed bushes and then 4 years after that they'd gone off again so for the third time round I went with poly. However, the ball joints are stock and I reckon nearly 4 years on them again.