The mailman finally arrived with: outer tie rod ends, steering rack bushes, lower ball joints, and powerflex lower control arm bushings. Given that I don't have C-clamps and presses, I was thinking about removing the control arms myself and then taking them to a local shop to have the bushes and ball joints pressed out and having new ball joints pressed back in. Then I planned on slipping the new powerflex bushings on them myself and then reassemble everything.

As I read forums posts about the procedure and finding the pdf instructions Rothwell shared, a recurring theme came about. Most everyone says this job is hard. I was left wondering, what's the hard part? Is it removing the control arms from the car, pressing the bushings and ball joints out, or is it reassembly? How much time should I expect this to take?

Finally, what are the torque spec for all the involved bolts?

 

The work you need to do or get done is similar to what I carry out at the moment. I do it myself except for pressing out old ball joints and pressing in new ones. That I left for a local workshop who did it a good job and not expensive either.

​​​​What I have to do still is to mount everything back to the car. Right now I am stripping control arms from rust and painting them. I also change other parts like engine mounts and springs

The worst so far was the driver side engine mount. The rest of the work has'nt really been any real issues. From the work you plan I would say getting the fulcrum bolt out is the hardest work. Except pressing out ball joints of course, but that someone else took care of and I am happy with that decision

I would also like to get hold of all torque figures for the re-assembling!

 

Is the fulcrum bolt the one that requires some movement of the steering rack because it may be in the way?

 

Specs attached as requested. Happy torquing.

2003 XK8 Front Suspension Torque Spec's.pdf

 

One more important point we should review. Let me rephrase: please help me remember. Which front suspension components must be torqued under load (wheels on ground)?

I remember Jaguar instructions were unequivocal about this in several cases at least. Can anybody recall, is this true for all the bolts or just certain ones?

I'm preparing to put new upper mounts in soon. Cant say I've always been good about that rule, never too late to start.

Thanks,

John

 

Glen Daniel, FWIW, changing the tie rod ends are an easy job. Do try to make where the old one was , but your going to probably have to get a proper alignment when done.

John

 

No, the fulcrum bolt of the upper control arm is the one that for me was the hardest one to drive out. But it dont require messing with steering rack. But removal of lower control arm do. In contrary, those bolts are easy to undo, at least on my car

 

Thank you Rothwell!

 

This document is a godsend! Thank you!

I have already bought a year's worth of alignment from Pep Boys in anticipation of this.

I'm confused, what is a fulcrum bolt? Does it look any different from a regular bolt?

 

The name itself I dont know the origin of, but thats what Jaguar names the long bolt through the upper control arm where it mounts to the subframe

 

Oh, so it's the long bolt. I think I can figure out why it's called a fulcrum bolt. Thinking back to primary school, do you remember simple machines? Among them, the levers. There are three classes of levers, irrespective of which you consider, they all have the same 3 common elements. The element that provides force or work, the element that provides resistance, and the element that serves as a fulcrum though which the lever moves. The long bolt, or fulcrum bolt must be the one that functions as an axis of rotation or fulcrum, through which the control arm can move up or down.