I finally got around to dealing with the power steering leak at the Norma connection right above the passenger side anti roll bar bushing.

the passenger side rubber bushing was pretty much in pieces due to the power steering fluid leaking on it

Following a couple of how-to’s posted on the forum I was able to get rid of the Norma connection with my Dremel cut off wheel.

getting a 3/8” hose over the bubble flare was a challenge. Heating up the hose with a heat gun (just a little) softened it up enough that I was able to muscle it over the flare just enough for a hose clamp to have something to cinch down on. I did use a hose clamp on both sides of the flare for a little extra insurance.

On the other end, the existing hose was hard enough with age that it didn’t want to accept the 3/8” brass hose barb connector. So some heat was required again to soften it up before the brass barb could be muscled in.

Getting the passenger side anti roll bushing in was pretty straightforward. I cleaned off all steering fluid residue so the new bushing will have a fighting chance to last.

Going over to the drivers side was where I ran into a brick wall.

Access to the bushing bolts from the top was very limited. I did manage to get out the rear bolt. But some large hoses, transmission maybe, were preventing access to the front bolt. They were solidly in the way and no amount of levering could move them substantially.

Removing the wheel and wheel liner did allow me to get a slim wrench on the front bolt but I could only turn it about a 1/4” at a time. Access
was so tight that I had doubts that I’d have the room to get a new bushing in place even if I managed to get the front bolt out.

Since the driver side bushing was still in one piece, I just left in place and put the rear bolt back in.

New end links on both sides were also installed without a hitch

I don't know if the XK8 has the transmission lines in the same place as
my XKR (MY 2002) . But it looks like to me that they are going to need removal, or at least the front attachment point of them will need to be removed so they can be slid over enough to allow some better access to the front bushing bolt.


I dislike having a job 80% done, but time ran out before I could investigate a better approach for the driver side sway bar bushing removal.


But the most pressing leak repairs were accomplished with moderate effort so I’ll have to be happy with that, for the time being.

My OCD won’t let me just forget about the 20% of this job that’s still up in the air. I’ll revisit it when I’m regenerated.

Hopefully someone who’s “been there - done that” will post some specific tips regarding the access to the driver side sway bar bushing. I’m sure I’m not seeing the big picture and there must be a technique I’m not seeing.

Z

 

It's been a while, but l have replaced those bushings a while back. From memory l accessed the bolts from above with 1/4" drive socket extensions and then lifted bar a little from below and slide bushings toward centre or outside of car for removal. It was fiddly but Don't recall it being too bad. Certainly no hoses or other fittings needed removal though some of the work requires access from wheel well area.
l made up poly bushings to suit the R performance bar fitted to my 2000XKR. Not sure the rubber ones up to it, judging by the shape of those removed.

 

Hi Z,
That LHS clamp is well obstructed. It's the trans cooler lines blocking proper access - particularly to the front bolt.

I managed with a small ring spanner finagled from underneath: - disconnected both drop links which allows the front of the bar to be lifted for better clearance.

You might be able to loosen the lower cooler pipe and move it slightly sideways as its connection to the radiator is cranked? I think the plumbing is pretty similar at this end on both trans variants:


NB No AC compressor here so the view looks rather better than it is.

 

I used a 24" long extension on a 1/4" socket wrench. Easy peasy. Pics of it all here.