I will be attempting the subframe and Vee-mounts R&R this weekend, if I can find a c-clamp press with a large enough adapter to press that front subframe bush in. However, I need the bolt thread and dimensions so that I can attach support the engine with my engine support bar. Does anyone happen to know this information?

 

not sure of the thread size but will say when l did mine in situ l simply used a trolley jack on the engine sump pan along with timber cut to size and shape of pan. This was more than adequate for the job.
I suggest you make certain to remove intake tube since this will contact front spring mount stud when assembly is lowered.

 

Well, I already have an engine support bar, so I'm using it. Thanks for the tip on the intake tube.

 

do you mean for the engine lifting bracket special tools that bolt to the engine?

Not sure that you need them?

 

Don’t want the bracket per se, but some way to attach the support bar to the engine.

 

The 2003 W/S manual shows hooking the bar to the eyes on each head:



Good luck with this. I have the same to do this year (hopefully). Just need to source the support bar.

Did you go OEM for the parts?

 

Yes I did go with OEM. My engine support bar has chains. You’re supposed to use a bolt at the eyes in the head for the chains to hold on to.

 

I seem to have the same engine support bar as RaceDiagnostics. I’m going to have to use bolts the same way he did, as seen here.

 

I was able to find a bolt that works and got started on the project today:
A grade 8, 7/16" diameter x 14 thread bolt.

I think an M11 x 1.75 bolt could also work.



Also, despite copious use of PB Blaster penetrating fluid, I still had 3 torx bolts snap. Tomorrow, I will go ahead and extract them. I will replace with hex bolts. I still haven't found a tool to press in the front subframe bush. The ones you can rent at the part stores don't have an adapter large enough for that bush. I may have to completely remove the subframe and take it to a Jag indy mechanic to have them press the bushes in.

More details regarding this will appear in an upcoming thread in which I might make a guide. We'll see.

 

I used M12 bolts, and for XKR, you don't need the special engine brackets.
See this thread: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...st-xkr-234603/

 

Yes, I’m not using any brackets. Just the bolts. So far, I have got the rear of the front subframe loose, I only sheared 3 bolts from the Vee-mounts, but was able to get them all out. I’m currently removing the struts, brakes and tie rods to be able to remove the front of the subframe.

I found a shop that will press in the front front subframe bushes. I was considering just doing the Vee-mounts, but saw that the front right bush is absolutely knackered. My engine support bar and my motorcycle jack are the real MVPs here. They have made this safe for me to do.

Unfortunately, intermittent rain showers are delaying my progress.

 

If you are interested in pressing the bushes yourself, then I can vouch for the 'DAYUAN 27pc Press Kit' or similar. These tools are versatile for any vehicle. I've used mine for both front and rear sub-frames and all damper bushes.

 

If you remove the single lower bolt for the shock,,, then remove the caliper and hang it from the shock,,, then pop the upper and lower ball joints the entire hub/knuckle can come out in one piece. Actually, you don't even need to pop the upper ball joint, and in that, you don't need to remove the caliper. All of it will hang off the upper ball joint and control arm which is WIRED to the shock coil so the upper control arms don't sag,,, and from there you can lower the subframe and remove it all together pretty painlessly.... It's pretty awesome and taking allllll of that out can take as little as a half and hour (or less) per side.

I am super impressed with your removal of the Vs with such little pain after the torque bolts sheared/stripped. Maybe shearing is preferable to stripping where the head then has to be drilled out. I was faced with one stripped torx (I'm still bitter about the choice of faster by Jaguar) and it got very painful for me... Anywho
I think PK is onto something about using a heavy bolt threaded thru the front bushings to drive them in,,, maybe even pull/drive them out. Might be easier to manage and fit then a C clamp...

Great work! If you have them I would LOVE to see a few more pictures,,, especially of the shot front bushing...

 

Thanks for the tool tip PKWise, will get them for the rear subframe. Given delivery times to PR, and the fact that I need the Jag on the road by President’s day, I will have a local indy press out the bushes. My Mini will be at the body shop having the passenger side re-sprayed by the 23 of February. Some low-life keyed my entire passenger side. Thank goodness I have full coverage insurance on the Mini.

I agree with you, stripping is so much worse than shearing. The subframe has no threads for the Vees, the threads are in the Vee mounts themselves. I only sheared 3 torx bolts and managed to salvage two more from shearing. Shearing makes it easier than stripping because you can just lower and pry on the subframe to have it come loose. No drilling required. I am replacing all the bolts associated with the Vees and subframe bushes with new Hex bolts.

I finished removing the subframe today. I did remove the shocks and the brake caliper but left the hub in place. Here are the requested pictures.



Engine support bar being awesome



Motorcycle jack doing god’s work.



I didn’t want to let the steering rack hang too low, so I did this.



Entire subframe and hub assemblies are out. This was pretty painless. Also, degreased the entire thing.



This one seemed good; it wasn’t.



This one had come apart. Possibly it was the source of my clunk.



Both Vee-mounts have seen better days.



Debonded vee mount



Debonded Vee mount



God bless the weather in PR. No rust.



Look ma, no rust!


I bet that when I am done with this, the improvement will be so great that I will want to do the rear subframe bushes as well.

 

Good stuff... Yes, my vee mounts looked a lot like that once I got them out of the car. I also used hex bolts on reassembly.

I was driving later and rethought my last post. What I suggested is impossible as the upper control arms need to come down as the are connected to the doggone subframe. Anyways...

Good stuff and when you get there, I would be very grateful to catch a glimpse of what works to drive in and out thos front bushings... Never done it.

 

I’ll see what I can do. I can’t guarantee that I will be present while the bushes are being pressed in.

 

So I finally finished this odyssey. I wanted to take pictures to make a guide but at some point I got too frustrated and stopped taking the pictures. This was one of the toughest and longest jobs I've done on this car, however it was mostly straightforwards. The machine shop I mentioned earlier had to fabricate an adaptor for his 30 ton press in order to press in the front subframe bushes. All in, he charged me $30 for those bushes.
Among the tools required/recommended are:

• Engine support bar
• Torque wrenches
• 10 mm, 13 mm, 15 mm, 18 mm, and 19 mm sockets
• 17 mm spanner
• Vice-grips may come in handy but are not required.
• 2 or 3 foot ½" drive breaker bar or a cheater pipe
• ¼" impact wrench (I used a Milwaukee M12)
• ½" impact wrench is recommended
• Anti-seize and thread-locker
• If you don't have a lift, jack and jackstands, a motorcycle jack and wood planks
• Pry bar
• Penetrating fluid
• Ability to bench-press about 80 lbs
• Patience

Other things that I took care of was that I cleaned the abs reluctor ring with brake cleaner and a wire brush attachment for a drill and cleaned the wheel-speed sensors with contact-cleaner. I also modified all my bushes to allow for grease channels, I greased all my bushes, I changed my tie-rod ends and I also used a drill and tap to fit grease nipples to my lower control arms because I have an all-poly setup. I accidentally broke a tap on the driver's side front lower control arm. The only way I was able to get it out was using a surgical #8 round carbide bur (yes the same ones the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, Periodontists, and Dentists use to grind down bone) which I adapted to my Dremel. This allowed me grind out the tap from the inside-out and caused it to cave in. I was then able to use a new tap to finish making the threads and fit the grease nipple.

The hardest part of the entire job was removing the u-joint from the steering rack pinion splines and then refitting them back. During this process, the marks I made were erased and I realized it when fitting this damn awful thing back. Now my steering wheel is cocked nearly 90º to the right. Dealing with this was so tough that I decided I'm just going to have the guys at the alignment shop fix that. Because of my bad alignment, I haven't really test driven the car to feel if there has been an improvement to how it rides and handles. All I have done so far is driven it around the neighborhood to ensure that I have no clunks, and to that end, this was a success! Hopefully tomorrow I can get it aligned. I hope the alignment techs don't go on Holiday tomorrow just because it is President's day.

To anyone who attempts this, the JTIS is very well written with regards to the Vee-mounts. From there, getting to the front subframe is as easy as unbolting the front brackets and then the front subframe bush. You will want to have popped the Tie-rod ends before unbolting the steering rack.

Was this hard? Not particularly. Was it long and tedious? You bet!



Clean ABS reluctor rings



Clean ABS reluctor rings



New Vee-mount mounted on subframe with new hex bolts, thread locker blue, and anti-seize.



New Vee-mount mounted on subframe with new hex bolts, thread locker blue, and anti-seize.



New Vee-mount mounted on subframe with new hex bolts, thread locker blue, and anti-seize.



New front subframe bush



New front subframe bush