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I have a 2001 XKR coupe 70K miles (California car) and I see excessive wear on the inside of the front tires. The ride height is 15 inch front and 16 inch back (1/2 tank of petrol measured from center of the wheel to wheel arch).
What is the tolerance?
Do I need new shock mounts and springs. Mounts look ok top of shock still centered and I still see a gap there.
Wheres the best place to buy oem springs? I see H&R lowered sets 4 for $320 or OEM ones for $250 each!!
Simon, the good to go height for the front is 15 1/2 inches, so you are close. The gap between the plates at the top of the shock mount should be in the 3/8 range. The bottom bushing in the shock is the weak link on all I have seen. If you have the self adjusting shocks I would go with that first. The top "A" arm bushings are suspect and are not for the faint at heart. Lots of write ups on these and some videos.
Good luck, Wayne
IIRC the height all around is 15.75". You are close at your measurements. Have you had the alignment checked?
Best way to tell if suspension bits are the problem is to get it on jack stands with the wheels off and look. Check the top mounts (usual problem area) and the bottom shock bushings.
You do not have your mileage listed, but if you are over 90k miles your springs might be beginning to sag. Not sure your sagging is enough to justify the cost/effort yet. Jagbits is a forum sponsor and has the OEM front set for $309 for forum members.
BTW, lowered springs won't solve this problem. They may make it worse as your camber will be off.
So took the wheels off and yes shock mounts top gone on passenger side bits all over the strut also on both sides the shock bushing are gone, you can see bits of rubber coming out the sides.
I see shock bushing for $177 seems high! Anyone find good ones cheaper?
I have to take it to bits to check the other bushing i.e upper/lower on A arms and ball joints e.t.c. As I will have it to bit which bushing usually fail?
I'll keep the springs for the time being unless I find a good pair.
No I have not had it aliened since 2004. But wear is even except for excessive inside tire wear. Roads in my area are more like dirt tracks full of holes they would not be acceptable over in Europe.
It is often cheaper, or about the same price, to buy new shocks vs. just their bushings. This was true when I replaced mine. A lot easier to change just the shock than to pull the shock and install the bushing. The correct Bilsteins can be had thru most of the forum sponsors for decent prices. RockAuto or PartsGeek too I think.
Check youtube for videos on how to test the various suspension bushings. Tons of them online. Works the same for Jags or Chevys. Basically if you can wiggle the wheel side to side while on jack stands, holding the tire at 3 & 9 o'clock, you need the A-arm bushings as well.
Parts Geek has the top shock mounts for $116 each and free shipping.
If you have Adaptive Suspension (r there wires plugged in the top of the shock?) if yes the shocks are very pricey, you can put non-adaptive ones in and disconnect the module in the trunk to prevent any codes, this is what I've done, i can't justify $1500 on shock for the car, I'm in the process of putting it back together now. Lower shock bushing went bad, looks like it caused the shock rod to flex and shock was leaking fluid from the seal. I have another post I put a photo of springs, you'll see my 02 spring has lost it's tension and expanded (yes a spring will be longer off the car but the car will be lower due to this loss of tension. Good luck it's not that difficult a job if you research first and take your time.
The upper A-Arm comes away when you pull the shocks from the upper pivot, pop the ballJoint and you can replace the bushings if needed. Compressing the springs to get the top mount on/off is the tricky part, many take it to a shop and have it done, or you can rent compressor tools from a autoparts store. Here I used a HaborFreight scissor compressor, works very well, safe and easy.
Simon, As you observed, pretty straight forward, all but that bottom ball joint. Couple of guys have made the shim work necessary to get a straight shot at getting it in and out. Just a heads up on that.
A video or two on the shims at the top "A" arm, care must be taken.
OK I replaced the upper shock mounts they were not in to bad condition still in one piece not squashed. Also replaced the lower shock bushings as they were completely shot.
Problem is I now have Suspension Fault on the dash I checked the plugs in the top of the shocks strut they are clean dry and seated OK. Also checked fuses in the boot/trunk and under the bonnet/hood
May be one of those things that take a couple of driving cycles to get off. Jags are famous for that.
Did you spray some de electric cleaner on the connections. Always a good idea when taking any apart.
Ensure you didn't bend on of the pins on the shock they are quite thin even if you think the plug is seated. No driving cycles required but a hard reset was a good idea.
Checked the pins and the resistance on the shocks. Drivers side has no impedance the one that had a bit of a leak so ordered a new one. Will fit that when I do the wishbone upper bushings.
I also checked first at the control box in the trunk/boot. Once I get the new one I check again before install (by connecting the new one up)
Both back ones show 6.8 ohms Front right was 7.2 and Front left nothing!! Then checked at the shock itself still nothing and no bent pins + depth of pins on L/R the same so it was not the plug.
Last edited by LedZepplin; 01-25-2016 at 09:30 PM.
When you tightened the shock top nut did you use an allen key to stop the shock turning? Not doing so can mean the shock turns and breaks the CATS wires inside the shock.
This photo shows what I mean. Rear shock in this case but the same applies to the front shocks.
Yup wish i had seen the allen key b4 I started. I used an impact driver per the video (but thats a non CATS XK8) should have read the JITS. Only one is damaged and Im lucky its the one that is leaking.
Ordered a new one for $340 inc S/H and no tax expensive mistake
Having only owned a Jag a week, I'm no expert, but their doesn't appear to be much that can be "aligned" on an XK8.
The washers set the caster (I always go max caster) and then the toe gets set with no apparent adjustment for camber to worry about.
On my other cars I have good success setting the tow with parallel strings and plan on this for the XK8. The rear steer makes it a little harder to get to the tie rods, but I have long wooden ramps.
Ok I got new shock mountings for the back and upper pads. I also changed the lower shock bushings on the back. So now I have new shock mounts front and back and new bushings on all 4 shocks. The back shock bushings were gone at 71K miles !!!
0/ Loosen wheel nuts jackup BOTH side of car and put axel stands under the car.
1/ I used the undo the four bolts on the plate under the diff at the back (19mm i think) Bend the plate down from the back about 2 inches, use a block of wood to hold it down. This allows the lower arm to come down enough to get the rear springs/shocks out. That way you don't need to attach spring compressors.
2/ Remove the brake caliper (2 15mm bolts) and speed sensor (1 8mm bolt clean it while its out WD-40 and brass brush it) hang them out the way.
3/ Remove lower hub bolt the concentic one 18mm header and nut is 7/8th I think. Mark the position of the head of the bolt as it is used to adjust Camber angle.!! Important!!
4/ Remove 4 1/2 inch nuts that hold the top cup of the shock.
5/ Remove bolt at the bottom of the shock its inside the bottom spring cup.
6/ With a bottle jack on the bottom of the shock at an angle, push the shock up until you can put a screw driver through a spring loop/shockbushing and hold that shock compressed.
7/ Leaver the spring out just enough so that you can get ur hand to the top of the shock and disconnect the CATS wire plug that is connected to the top of the shock.
8/ Yank the spring out while pressing down on the bottom arm.
NOTE THE BRASS NUT ON THE TOP OF THE SHOCK WHERE THE CATS PLUG IS ATTACHED FITS AN ALLEN KEY INSIDE. DO NOT TURN THE NUT WITHOUT THE ALLEN KEY TO HOLD THE SHOCK STRUT. IT MUST NOT BE TURNED AS THIS WILL BREAK THE WIRES THAT GO DOWN INSIDE THE STRUT!!!
Note to push the bushing out I just used a vice. To get it out I had the old casing from the front bushing or u can rent a ball joint press to press the middle out and then a hack saw to cut through the casing and tap that out. To get it in use a socket and hammer to get it started then the vice to get it 90% in then the old casing to recess it. Or easier find someone with a press LOL
9/ To get it back in put the shock in first attach the plugs for CATS and attach just one nut 1/2inch (the one closest to the side where the spring came out) tighten just a few turns so the strut is hanging down.
10/ Slide the shock mount and spring cup holder onto the shock. Then slide the spring in.
11/ Put the rubber pad on the bottom cup spray with WD40.
12/ Then leaver the spring in while pressing down on the A arm.
13/ Add other 3 1/2 inch nuts and tighten
14/ Use bottle jack to jack lower arm up into position to get the 18mm concentric bolt back in add nut but do not tighten yet.
15/ Put the shock bolt back in and jack the hub up a little then tighten the two bolts back up to torque.
16/ Remove block on diff plate jack splate backup and replace the 4 19mm bolts.
17/ Replace brake caliper and speed sensor + new tie for that.
Whole job take 5 hours but it was my first time and I did it all on my own. Fronts are way easier.
01-16-2016, 10:19 AM
2001 xkr coupe ride height springs mounts
I checked the plugs in the top of the shocks strut they are clean dry and seated OK. Also checked fuses in the boot/trunk and under the bonnet/hood
