2000 XK8 Ragtop Rams / Rear Hoses Replacement
#1
04-11-2015, 12:21 PM
2000 XK8 Ragtop Rams / Rear Hoses Replacement
2000 XK8 Ragtop Rams / Rear Hoses Replacement
Wayne Tate / Jon Gibson . . . . . . March / April 2015
This document is intended as a guide to assist the DIY owner in removing and replacing the leaking convertible top hydraulic rams and rear hydraulic hoses that are very common in the 1996 through 2006 Jaguar XK8. It is not intended to be the only resource utilized when attempting this repair. Consult all appropriate resources before attempting this repair, including the Jaguar JTIS system.
The original rams were sent to Top Hydraulics in the state of Washington for complete refurbishment, then returned to the owner for reinstallation. The original rear hoses were discarded and replaced by much more durable rear hoses, also supplied by Top Hydraulics.
Note that more than 100 parts, bolts, nuts, clips, fasteners, etc. must be removed and properly stored in order to successfully complete this repair. Take good notes throughout the process and store these parts in an orderly fashion so reinstallation can be completed with a minimum of difficulty and time lost wondering what part goes where.
- Lower the convertible top.
- Front Seat Removal: Remove both front seats. Each seat is held in place by four Torx-40 bolts, and may have four spacer washers under each bolt. There is a yellow connector for the seat belt sensor that is attached to the upper rail in the front under the seat by a clip that can be pried out. Now would be a good time to disconnect the negative side of the battery.
- Rear Seat Bottom Removal: Two 10mm hex nuts under the rear seat’s bottom edge hold the bottom in place. Remove the black rubber caps from the bolts and you will see the hex nuts. The center seat belts are covered by a sleeve that has snaps on them, a little push and shove gets them clear of the seat.
-Rear Seat Back Removal: Two Phillips screws at the bottom of the rear seat back hold it in place. Remove them, then lift the rear seat back straight up off the top lip that holds the rear window area carpet piece in place.
- Side Panel Covers Removal: Remove the 9mm hex Tonneau cover male end snap-bolt. Remove the two Phillips screws, and note that the long screw goes in the front of the panel and there is a spacer in the framing. We took it out because it’s right in the doorway where it can get knocked and broken. Remove the seat belt anchor with a Torx-50 and note the spacer behind it. The fitting has a cap that just snaps out pulling up. There is a strap for the headliner attached at the rear that can be pried out with a screwdriver, be careful. Lift the bottom front of the panel out of the seal plate and the rear has a long pointed black plastic locator which fits in a hole in the rear seat support. Pull the front seat belts out as far as you can, and set the panels in the front floorboards, out of your way as much as possible since you will need to get inside the cabin in order to continue to remove various components.
- Frame Reinforcement Metal Bars: Remove the four 13mm hex bolts holding the bar in place, then carefully remove the metal bar from over the top of the speaker enclosure. Note that of the four hex bolts, three are black and one is silver. Note which hole the silver bolt goes into.
- Speaker Enclosures: Remove the two gold 10mm hex nuts holding the bottom of the black plastic speaker bracket in place. Remove the two Torx-30 bolts holding the top of the black plastic speaker bracket in place. Unplug the speaker wire audio connector, then gently remove the speaker enclosure from the car.
- Hydraulic Rams: A black metal plate with three Torx-30 bolts hold the ram in place via a pivot point. The bottom one has one more headliner hold-down, hold the material securely as you take out the screw. A “wavy washer” is located on the stationary pin on the car. Remove the three bolts and watch out for the “wavy washer” falling to the floorboard below. Do not lose it. The electrical connections are covered by a black rubber shield. A 6mm hex nut holds the wires in place. The yellow/black wire is the top, and the red/black wire is the bottom. The solid black wire is the ground and is held in place by a Torx-10 bolt. It has a starred washer on it. The top hydraulic hose is a 14mm fitting. A 12mm box wrench will hold the stud on the ram to allow a 14mm box wrench to unscrew the hose fitting. We found out later that a 12-inch Crescent wrench has a wider jaw for gripping and torque. The bottom connector on the right side needs to have the clip pulled away with pliers, don’t lose it because in spite of the indication from Top Hydraulics that the new hose will have a different fitting, ours did not. Once the hoses are disconnected, do not pull them through because you will use them to help pull the new hoses into position. Be sure to store each disconnected hose end in an empty milk jug or similar catch vessel to capture any hydraulic fluid that may ooze out while your rams are away for refurbishment.
The ram hoses go through a panel hole on the right which has a foam rubber stuffing that can be carefully removed and then provides a lot more room than you expect to route the hoses. The ram hoses run under the top compartment carpet and under the wiring harness on the left side, and there is a plastic tie right there. The hoses will be taped together running across that area.
- Trunk Carpet Panels: Pull out the back panel and right side panel to gain access to the hydraulic pump and its four rear hoses.
- Hydraulic Pump: Remove the two Torx-27 bolts that hold the front of the pump in place. The rear of the pump sits on two black rubber bumpers that fit down into their matching holes. Lift the rear of the pump to free it. The pump motor wires are one connection, a black side and a white side that come straight out. The sensor plug down by the CD player system connector plug is yellow and has a small lift-snap that pulls apart. This clears all wires for moving the pump. There is sufficient hose length to allow for maneuvering the entire pump assembly. It must be turned on its side with the top plugs facing the inside of the trunk. Move it forward until the front part is over the bracket, then move it at a 45-degree angle until it is clear. There are several zip-ties which will need to be cut. All of the hose fittings were 14mm on the pump and the 12-inch Crescent wrench makes it easier to hold the connector.
These are the basic instructions that should get you to the point where you are ready to pull the new hoses, install the newly-refurbished rams, add the proper amount of fresh hydraulic fluid to the pump tank, reinstall the pump, test the convertible top system operation, and then move on to putting the interior of the car back together. When doing so, follow these instructions in reverse order. We used the old hoses to help us pull the new hoses into place by taping the ends of the new hoses to the ends of the old hoses inside the cabin, then pulling them through into the trunk. One hose will be labeled wrong from Top Hydraulics and caused a little confusion back at the pump. It will be obvious when you get the hose packs if you already know there is a labeling problem.
Having two people doing this job is a significant advantage to doing it alone. With two people, one can work on the drivers side while the other works on the passenger side during disassembly and reassembly, mirroring each other while taking notes and verifying where each and every component goes. And when pulling the new hoses, one person can work from the cabin while the other person works from the trunk, making it much easier and faster to complete this part of the job.
Keep in mind that no matter how much description you read here and from other sources, some steps within this job cannot be completely understood until you are right there doing it yourself.
We took our time, documented as best we could, and most importantly we made sure we had the necessary space to properly organize and store the more than 100 various parts that we had to remove from the car in order to restore convertible top functionality. This particular car’s top latch hydraulic hoses had already been replaced, therefore we did not replace them again.
We were pleasantly surprised that the convertible top system functioned 100% normal on just the third time it was cycled after we had the refurbished rams, new hoses, and pump back in place. Not until we were satisfied with the operation of the top system did we resume reassembly of the rest of the car’s interior.
All told, we spent approximately 10 hours on this job over the course of two days, more than three weeks apart. As previously stated, we took our time and got it right.
We hope this tutorial can help those of you who decide to tackle this job yourself. With the right tools, plenty of parts storage space, and a can-do attitude, it can indeed be a successful DIY project.
The best of British Luck. Don’t vacuum up until after the job is over because the old hoses’ black plastic insulation will fall apart into hundreds of pieces all over the place. Wayne cleaned the carpets, seats, and panels, but they got marks on them during the reinstall process and required some touch-up cleaning as a final step.
The pictures show how much the hoses fall apart when you start moving them and Jon had already cleaned up the trunk before the wife took the picture. Oh, and the location of the famous wavy washer. Thanks, hope you didn't go to sleep.
Wayne and Jon
Wayne Tate / Jon Gibson . . . . . . March / April 2015
This document is intended as a guide to assist the DIY owner in removing and replacing the leaking convertible top hydraulic rams and rear hydraulic hoses that are very common in the 1996 through 2006 Jaguar XK8. It is not intended to be the only resource utilized when attempting this repair. Consult all appropriate resources before attempting this repair, including the Jaguar JTIS system.
The original rams were sent to Top Hydraulics in the state of Washington for complete refurbishment, then returned to the owner for reinstallation. The original rear hoses were discarded and replaced by much more durable rear hoses, also supplied by Top Hydraulics.
Note that more than 100 parts, bolts, nuts, clips, fasteners, etc. must be removed and properly stored in order to successfully complete this repair. Take good notes throughout the process and store these parts in an orderly fashion so reinstallation can be completed with a minimum of difficulty and time lost wondering what part goes where.
- Lower the convertible top.
- Front Seat Removal: Remove both front seats. Each seat is held in place by four Torx-40 bolts, and may have four spacer washers under each bolt. There is a yellow connector for the seat belt sensor that is attached to the upper rail in the front under the seat by a clip that can be pried out. Now would be a good time to disconnect the negative side of the battery.
- Rear Seat Bottom Removal: Two 10mm hex nuts under the rear seat’s bottom edge hold the bottom in place. Remove the black rubber caps from the bolts and you will see the hex nuts. The center seat belts are covered by a sleeve that has snaps on them, a little push and shove gets them clear of the seat.
-Rear Seat Back Removal: Two Phillips screws at the bottom of the rear seat back hold it in place. Remove them, then lift the rear seat back straight up off the top lip that holds the rear window area carpet piece in place.
- Side Panel Covers Removal: Remove the 9mm hex Tonneau cover male end snap-bolt. Remove the two Phillips screws, and note that the long screw goes in the front of the panel and there is a spacer in the framing. We took it out because it’s right in the doorway where it can get knocked and broken. Remove the seat belt anchor with a Torx-50 and note the spacer behind it. The fitting has a cap that just snaps out pulling up. There is a strap for the headliner attached at the rear that can be pried out with a screwdriver, be careful. Lift the bottom front of the panel out of the seal plate and the rear has a long pointed black plastic locator which fits in a hole in the rear seat support. Pull the front seat belts out as far as you can, and set the panels in the front floorboards, out of your way as much as possible since you will need to get inside the cabin in order to continue to remove various components.
- Frame Reinforcement Metal Bars: Remove the four 13mm hex bolts holding the bar in place, then carefully remove the metal bar from over the top of the speaker enclosure. Note that of the four hex bolts, three are black and one is silver. Note which hole the silver bolt goes into.
- Speaker Enclosures: Remove the two gold 10mm hex nuts holding the bottom of the black plastic speaker bracket in place. Remove the two Torx-30 bolts holding the top of the black plastic speaker bracket in place. Unplug the speaker wire audio connector, then gently remove the speaker enclosure from the car.
- Hydraulic Rams: A black metal plate with three Torx-30 bolts hold the ram in place via a pivot point. The bottom one has one more headliner hold-down, hold the material securely as you take out the screw. A “wavy washer” is located on the stationary pin on the car. Remove the three bolts and watch out for the “wavy washer” falling to the floorboard below. Do not lose it. The electrical connections are covered by a black rubber shield. A 6mm hex nut holds the wires in place. The yellow/black wire is the top, and the red/black wire is the bottom. The solid black wire is the ground and is held in place by a Torx-10 bolt. It has a starred washer on it. The top hydraulic hose is a 14mm fitting. A 12mm box wrench will hold the stud on the ram to allow a 14mm box wrench to unscrew the hose fitting. We found out later that a 12-inch Crescent wrench has a wider jaw for gripping and torque. The bottom connector on the right side needs to have the clip pulled away with pliers, don’t lose it because in spite of the indication from Top Hydraulics that the new hose will have a different fitting, ours did not. Once the hoses are disconnected, do not pull them through because you will use them to help pull the new hoses into position. Be sure to store each disconnected hose end in an empty milk jug or similar catch vessel to capture any hydraulic fluid that may ooze out while your rams are away for refurbishment.
The ram hoses go through a panel hole on the right which has a foam rubber stuffing that can be carefully removed and then provides a lot more room than you expect to route the hoses. The ram hoses run under the top compartment carpet and under the wiring harness on the left side, and there is a plastic tie right there. The hoses will be taped together running across that area.
- Trunk Carpet Panels: Pull out the back panel and right side panel to gain access to the hydraulic pump and its four rear hoses.
- Hydraulic Pump: Remove the two Torx-27 bolts that hold the front of the pump in place. The rear of the pump sits on two black rubber bumpers that fit down into their matching holes. Lift the rear of the pump to free it. The pump motor wires are one connection, a black side and a white side that come straight out. The sensor plug down by the CD player system connector plug is yellow and has a small lift-snap that pulls apart. This clears all wires for moving the pump. There is sufficient hose length to allow for maneuvering the entire pump assembly. It must be turned on its side with the top plugs facing the inside of the trunk. Move it forward until the front part is over the bracket, then move it at a 45-degree angle until it is clear. There are several zip-ties which will need to be cut. All of the hose fittings were 14mm on the pump and the 12-inch Crescent wrench makes it easier to hold the connector.
These are the basic instructions that should get you to the point where you are ready to pull the new hoses, install the newly-refurbished rams, add the proper amount of fresh hydraulic fluid to the pump tank, reinstall the pump, test the convertible top system operation, and then move on to putting the interior of the car back together. When doing so, follow these instructions in reverse order. We used the old hoses to help us pull the new hoses into place by taping the ends of the new hoses to the ends of the old hoses inside the cabin, then pulling them through into the trunk. One hose will be labeled wrong from Top Hydraulics and caused a little confusion back at the pump. It will be obvious when you get the hose packs if you already know there is a labeling problem.
Having two people doing this job is a significant advantage to doing it alone. With two people, one can work on the drivers side while the other works on the passenger side during disassembly and reassembly, mirroring each other while taking notes and verifying where each and every component goes. And when pulling the new hoses, one person can work from the cabin while the other person works from the trunk, making it much easier and faster to complete this part of the job.
Keep in mind that no matter how much description you read here and from other sources, some steps within this job cannot be completely understood until you are right there doing it yourself.
We took our time, documented as best we could, and most importantly we made sure we had the necessary space to properly organize and store the more than 100 various parts that we had to remove from the car in order to restore convertible top functionality. This particular car’s top latch hydraulic hoses had already been replaced, therefore we did not replace them again.
We were pleasantly surprised that the convertible top system functioned 100% normal on just the third time it was cycled after we had the refurbished rams, new hoses, and pump back in place. Not until we were satisfied with the operation of the top system did we resume reassembly of the rest of the car’s interior.
All told, we spent approximately 10 hours on this job over the course of two days, more than three weeks apart. As previously stated, we took our time and got it right.
We hope this tutorial can help those of you who decide to tackle this job yourself. With the right tools, plenty of parts storage space, and a can-do attitude, it can indeed be a successful DIY project.
The best of British Luck. Don’t vacuum up until after the job is over because the old hoses’ black plastic insulation will fall apart into hundreds of pieces all over the place. Wayne cleaned the carpets, seats, and panels, but they got marks on them during the reinstall process and required some touch-up cleaning as a final step.
The pictures show how much the hoses fall apart when you start moving them and Jon had already cleaned up the trunk before the wife took the picture. Oh, and the location of the famous wavy washer. Thanks, hope you didn't go to sleep.
Wayne and Jon
Last edited by cjd777; 04-11-2015 at 02:39 PM. Reason: adding
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#2
04-11-2015, 06:46 PM
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#4
04-13-2015, 10:44 AM
Junior Member
Thanks guys
Thanks for the great write-up and pictures. I have a 99 and the timing of your article is amazing as I'm having issues with my top. I've had my XK8 for just a couple of years, and fortunately the original owner took very good care of the car, it only has 35K miles on it now. The top is moving slowly now and will sometimes stop moving unless the engine is running adding a little extra voltage to the pump. Add the squealing sound to the equation and I know I should be spending some money before everything stops or worst yet starts to leak hydraulic fluid everywhere! My questions to you guys: What parts are located inside the car that require basically removing the interior of the car? I've replaced the rear speakers so I familiar with that area, but I didn't see any hydraulic systems while I was doing that. If I'm going to do any repair of the system I want to replace everything so it will be trouble free for the next 15 years. So my second question: Is this a job you would trust a reasonably good Jaguar shop could do? I live in San Francisco and we have a good independent shop, but if I ask I'm sure they'll say "sure". And what should I expect to be charged? Thanks again. Bill
#5
04-13-2015, 12:13 PM
Bill, first off, thank you for the compliment and now to your questions.
If you have leaking rams there will be fluid under the rear seat, so the only way to mop it up, is get the rear bottom seat out of there. The top of the rear seat is two screws and needs to be out of way to get under the carpet in the top storage section to replace the rear hoses. Gus has a great write up on the front hoses and if you follow that it will be very obvious the whole interior needs to come out. The seats being out saves getting fluid all over them as your hands will be covered.
The rams look like shocks, tubes a little over 1 inch wide. The one picture showing the wavy washer has the ram showing with the pivot point exposed, that hole in the ram fits on the wavy washer and the plate that fits on the outer side has a plug that fits into the other side of the ram. It is free floating and does move around some in the opening and closing process.
For the front and rear hoses plus rebuild on the rams, $2500 has been quoted by members and higher. The hoses from TH will be close to $800 and the rams and latch $450. Not for the weak pocketbook.
Have a look on the bottom of your car behind the doors and see if it's wet, that would be the rams more than likely.
Not a bad job, just take time, so any good shop will be able to handle it.
You might want to check your fluid is between the lines on the pump, if not is does not work very well.
Good luck, Wayne
If you have leaking rams there will be fluid under the rear seat, so the only way to mop it up, is get the rear bottom seat out of there. The top of the rear seat is two screws and needs to be out of way to get under the carpet in the top storage section to replace the rear hoses. Gus has a great write up on the front hoses and if you follow that it will be very obvious the whole interior needs to come out. The seats being out saves getting fluid all over them as your hands will be covered.
The rams look like shocks, tubes a little over 1 inch wide. The one picture showing the wavy washer has the ram showing with the pivot point exposed, that hole in the ram fits on the wavy washer and the plate that fits on the outer side has a plug that fits into the other side of the ram. It is free floating and does move around some in the opening and closing process.
For the front and rear hoses plus rebuild on the rams, $2500 has been quoted by members and higher. The hoses from TH will be close to $800 and the rams and latch $450. Not for the weak pocketbook.
Have a look on the bottom of your car behind the doors and see if it's wet, that would be the rams more than likely.
Not a bad job, just take time, so any good shop will be able to handle it.
You might want to check your fluid is between the lines on the pump, if not is does not work very well.
Good luck, Wayne
Last edited by cjd777; 04-13-2015 at 12:16 PM. Reason: adding
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#6
04-13-2015, 12:54 PM
Great write-up!
I changed mine out a couple of months back and although there are a million parts and pieces none of the steps themselves are overwhelming. Also, I can't recommend enough two accessories for the drop top. 1) Gus's relief valve. I think this well engineered relief valve will add years to the hoses by not stressing them as much and 2) Go to thejagwrangler.com and get the remote open and close. Out of all the tweaks I've made to my car, this one may be my favorite. Now that I know I don't have to sit and watch for the dreaded green shower, I can hit the remote and watch the top go up or down while I'm walking toward it or away. Use it all the time. Lot's of times the top is half way down as I get to the car. Even the wife things it's cool.
I changed mine out a couple of months back and although there are a million parts and pieces none of the steps themselves are overwhelming. Also, I can't recommend enough two accessories for the drop top. 1) Gus's relief valve. I think this well engineered relief valve will add years to the hoses by not stressing them as much and 2) Go to thejagwrangler.com and get the remote open and close. Out of all the tweaks I've made to my car, this one may be my favorite. Now that I know I don't have to sit and watch for the dreaded green shower, I can hit the remote and watch the top go up or down while I'm walking toward it or away. Use it all the time. Lot's of times the top is half way down as I get to the car. Even the wife things it's cool.
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wmappleton (04-14-2015)
#7
04-18-2015, 09:43 AM
Veteran Member
Trending Topics
#8
12-21-2015, 12:52 PM
#9
12-21-2015, 01:43 PM
Veteran Member
Yes you are missing a few parts. This illustration shows the cover you are missing look and see if it fell off in the car
Link JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource
And please post one time.
Link JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource
And please post one time.
The following users liked this post:
Orthodixie (07-14-2019)
#11
04-08-2016, 09:30 AM
Wayne and Jon,
Thanks for the great write up on changing the hoses in the xk8. I getting my hoses, latch, and rams back from top hydraulies next week and just have one question. Do I need to remove the kick panel (under the dash) on the drivers side to pull the hoses down or will they pull down with the panel in place. Thanks again for all the useful posts.
Butch
2002 XK8
Thanks for the great write up on changing the hoses in the xk8. I getting my hoses, latch, and rams back from top hydraulies next week and just have one question. Do I need to remove the kick panel (under the dash) on the drivers side to pull the hoses down or will they pull down with the panel in place. Thanks again for all the useful posts.
Butch
2002 XK8
#12
04-08-2016, 09:52 AM
Veteran Member
#13
04-11-2016, 07:02 AM
Great write-up, makes the whole process seem a little more doable.
If anyone is interested I have the entire ram/actuator assembly still mounted to the brace including a newer set of hoses (2009) to the pump for sale for $500 or make me an offer. The hoses are factory and in nearly perfect condition with no coating missing whatsoever. The ram/actuator has a date of 2005 on a tag from Jaguar on the mounting brace. Let me know if anyone is interested, I will send pics of the assembly, PM me.
Thanks, Neil
If anyone is interested I have the entire ram/actuator assembly still mounted to the brace including a newer set of hoses (2009) to the pump for sale for $500 or make me an offer. The hoses are factory and in nearly perfect condition with no coating missing whatsoever. The ram/actuator has a date of 2005 on a tag from Jaguar on the mounting brace. Let me know if anyone is interested, I will send pics of the assembly, PM me.
Thanks, Neil
#14
07-13-2019, 11:00 AM
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