My first step in figuring this out would be to find a mechanic familiar with a Jaguar. The XK8 doesn't have a strut assembly. It has a dampener ( shock absorber) an upper dampener mounting bushing and a coil spring with an assortment of dust boot and bump stop. Unlike most foreign McPherson suspensions.
First measure the distance from the center of the wheel cap to the lower edge of the fender on both sides and let us know what that measurement is.
Next does the clunk occur going over a speed bump, pothole etc, or does it occur turning. When you push down on the fender does the front end bounce? Do you hear the clunking pushing up and down on the fender?
The possibilities are deteriorated upper shock mount, deteriorated sway bar bushings or a broken/deteriorated sway bar link.

Give us a little more info and we can work from there.

 

Welcome to the forum Peter,

I've moved your question from General Tech Help to XK8/XKR forum. This is the place to post technical questions about your model.

Front suspension clunks are not rare on the XK8. Regular causes are worn damper upper mount, lower bush or worn wishbone bushes. I think you may need to replace your mechanic.

Please follow this link New Member Area - Intro a MUST - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to the New Member Area - Intro a MUST forum and post some information about yourself and your vehicle for all members to see. In return you'll get a proper welcome and some useful advice about posting to the forum.

Graham

 

Wow that's low mileage Peter. Maybe you could be more descriptive on when it happens, how loud it is, what it sounds like?

you will hear a clunk noise if the shock nut on top was loose, but you'd have told us if any one was touching that. I too have a 1998, worn upper control arm bushes can make some really scary noises. Worn lower ball joint clunks at parking speeds when turning the wheel.

let us know some more mate.

John

 

 

The upper shock mounts go over age not use. They are a foam, if not at least 1/2 inch thick where the two plates come together, you need new ones, not shocks, but lower shock bushing would or should be done.
Welch makes the best kit for the upper shock mounts, (Poly), lots of info in the Search area of this Forum. Not a bad job.

 

For front end clunks, start by replacing the (cheap) anti-sway bar bushings. They collapse with age and let the bar hit the cross member. They are a bit tricky to reach, but is looks way worse than it really is.

Best of luck, keep us posted.

 

+1 on the sway arm bushings.
My 1997 XK8 clunked all over town. Metal to metal sound over speed bumps and even small road imperfections.
Changed the bushings ( about a 2 hour job ). Runs smooth and solid

 

+1 sway bushes. Peter there are 2 sets of sway bar bushes that you have to deal with here. There are 2 (one on left/ one on right) bushes in front that hold the sway bar on the car. These are 3 inches long with a groove cut in them to hold the sway bar. Very unlikely IMO that these are the noise makers.

There are also bushes in the sway bar link that hold the end of the sway bar to the left or right wheel's suspension. IME these wear out much faster than the others. Since there is a bush pressed into the vertical bolt hole, I'd just purchase and replace the entire sway bar link (I found it makes a surprising improvement in handling). The New links are typically sold 1 at a time, about $30 or $40 each.

Looking ahead - You will receive the unit with a 1.5 inch long black bush. If you're like me you've already disconnected the old one and would be scratching your head wondering where this new long rubber bush goes . Well I cut the bush in 1/2, place one above the sway bar end, and one below the sway bar end (now the link is isolated from metal to metal contact).

Here's another idea. Many of us purchase Power Flex brand bushes to improve handling. In my expereince they don't last much longer that the black rubber ones though they are an imrprovement. Years ago autopart stores had racks of "high performance / poly" bushes for sale. I once bought a bunch for another task. Last weekend I had to replace the bush in my rear links, the good news is I was able to reconfigure these poly bushes for the Jag.

a) the hole was too small for the sway bar link. Solution: I grabbed a plain old pair of slip joint pliers, grasped the bush in them and drilled out the hole. (super easy)

b) the bushes were too thick (couldn't fit 2 on the link). Solution: I grabbed my belt sander, used rough sandpaper and turned her on. Just held one side of these poly bushes against it, it whittled her down to 1/2 thicknes. They fit perfectly! (Don't do this next to your wife's car, lots of dust )

This was an idea how you may get cheap / readily available bushes at your local parts store and make them work. Oh yeah - always use a lubricant between the bush and the link. You don't want squeaks later on.

These should be set to final tightness under load, not with wheels dangling in the air (but I'm not sure that we all haven't done that once or twice and never realized).

Hope it helps, I'd start here with the sway bar links.

John

 

I had an undiagnosable clunking from near one of the the front wheels - many mechanics over many weeks. I was eventually sent to a mechanic who had a shaker plate and they found it within half an hour.

It turned out to be a loose bolt.