So after doing some research on here and discovering that the wheel bearings would be a hassle type job... I figured I'd make the call to a few dealerships.

I called the one near my school and one in Michigan (equal distance away). These are the prices. Craziness. Still waiting on the Canadian labour charges though.

London, Ont
Parts
Wheel Bearings - 157.30 x2
Sir Clips - 5.88 x4
Spring Pan Clips - 26.95 x2
Total: $392.02

Labour
TBD

Troy, Mi
Parts
Wheel Bearings - $124.58 x2
Sir Clips - $5.03 x4
Spring Pan Clips - $23.23 x2
Total - $315.74
Labour
$120/hr - 6 hours
Total - $720

Grand Total: 1035.74

 

Make sure you get quality bearings...I am replacing - again - both front bearings. The second round were "POS" and lasted barely a year...

 

6 hours labour seems a bit much, I,m not a proffesional car mechanic but I can do both sides in around than 3 hours easy, even with a stubborn . Quality bearings in UK would cost around £25 each

 

Update:


I completely forgot about a local guy who has four Jags and his own shop. He blew my Camaro off a few times so I just kind of put him on the backburner and forgot about him until yesterday (amusing story below). I'm bringing the car to his shop on Tuesday morning and he'll give me a quote. He laughed when I told him what the dealers had to say. I hope he's got better pricing.

But yes, I agree, 6 hours for bearings seems a little much. On the Camaro it took my neighbour 40 minutes for each wheel.

How many special tools are needed? I've heard anywhere from one to three.

Amusing story.
I was driving home from downtown when I remembered about the guy's shop so I automatically did a hard turn without even thinking. I was just on autopilot. I knew where the shop was so I just turned for it. Halfway down the street I clued in as to where I was, I was driving past the place of an ex (plenty bad blood, lesson in life, don't ever see a girl who is engaged with kids and still living with her fiance, especially in his house... or make sure he doesn't find out...especially if they are stereotypical low income) and it was too late to turn around as the shop was in sight at the end of the street. Of course it was my luck the entire household and extended family happened to be outside. I got a pretty good earful as I drove by. Apparently my green cars are pretty distinctive in that end of town where broken down Buicks and Oldmobiles are considered luxurious.

 

Hope his workshops got good security if you have to leave it there!
Anyway, the only non standard tool is the rotor nut removal/replacement tool, everything else is pretty much normal workshop gear, as long has he has a press for the bearing.
Bob

 

Oh nearly forgot! There are two bearing outer diameter sizes that were fitted and it,s not uncommon to have the vertical links different.
Bob

 

You're scaring me Bob. I've heard horror stories about the bearings being hard to press and of things breaking.

Can you please elaborate a little on the vertical links bit? I'm not too skilled with this stuff... yet.

 

Hi, Nothing scary about it, the verical links are what you in the New World call "Knuckles" or hub carrier, the two different size bearings come about when some previous owner has had bearings replaced, and whoever has done the job has fitted the "whole" refurbished unit- Hub/Knuckle all in one. The Knuckles are different part numbers but the hubs are the same so they look the same and they fit the same.
I have come across this a few times, first time on my first XK but its not easy to measure before the whole unit is removed. But on the plus side both the 75mm and 80mm bearings are a common size and any good bearing supplier should stock them, and far cheaper than any Jag dealer or motor factors. If your man has the rotor tool and a press the job is strait forward.
Don,t Worry!
Bob

 

So the indie shop guy flaked out on me. Put it up on the hoist, gave me a list of crap. Said the place he gets parts from can have them to him by the next day. I asked him to get me some prices and he wanted me to leave the car with him.

As it's my only (drivable) car, I couldn't, especially with school going on. He said he'd have some prices for me the next day. Next day rolls around and no call. Ah well maybe he's busy. The next afternoon I called without an answer so I drove by. He got some prices for me and he'll call me back later on in the afternoon. Again, no call. Waited most of the next day before I went back to see him.

He didn't forget, he's just been too busy with all of his customers and he's not taking new ones at the moment. It's a waste of time for him to put a car up on the hoist like that and take it down again when he has customers waiting. If I had left the car with him that night he would've done it the next day and I would've been happy with the price because that's how he does business. He figured I knew what I was getting into because he was British and I've seen him with his own Jags. If I want, I can go back to see him in a few weeks.

I don't think I can repeat what I told him in reply. But I did thank him for wasting my time and assured him he would not get a cent from me for it.

Anyways, neighbour finally agreed to do it if I can get the rotor nut socket tool. Is the one up for grabs on the ebay any good?

 

Tool came in. Car hits the garage Monday morning.

 

Let us know how it goes...good luck.

 

Be advised that there is a Picture in the Thorley Book that shows a Mechanic loosening the Rotor Nut using that tool.

The Spindle is off of the Car and mounted in a very sturdy vise and he is using a 6 foot extension on the wrench.

 

I tried to buy that You and your Jag book twice from online vendors and both times they came back and said sorry no book in stock. Any suggestions?

 

They show up from time to time on eBay.

Like This:
You & Your Jaguar XK8 Buying, Enjoying, Maintaining, Modifying by Nigel Thorley | eBay

 

I have done wheel bearings many times, it can be a real pig of a job, and have spent up to 5hrs doing just one side!!

The ABS nut/ring is what you need to remove with the special tool which has a 3/4 drive, I use a 4ft breaker bar with a 6ft scaffold pole over the top to remove it.

You can tell what bearings you have without removing the hub or vertical link, look at your hub from the back, if it looks like it is cast you have the smaller bearing, if it looks machined from billet then its the larger. I do have both under a bench at work if you want to wait and see on Monday I will post a pic.
One of the PITA jobs is removing the rotor backing plate, held on by 3 X 6mm torx bolts, 8/10 always round up and you end up trying to chiesel them off, the next PITA is removing the ABS sensor, they rust in, you cannot remove the bearing easy with it left in place.

Good luck

 

Thanks, Paul, bought it just now!

 

I have done this using Aerokroil (Kano Labs) on the corroded parts, an hour with this and all comes apart without issue. I have never had anything resist this stuff, and my hobby is restoring classic bikes. By the way, the labor time in Alldata is 4.6 hours for both bearings. Doing this just about requires the hub holding fixture to get the ABS/hub nut loose and reinstalled. If you are adept at fabricating tools, maybe you can make one. This tool is available from SPX Jaguar tools for $112. Teh rest of the tools are bushings for pushing out the hub and bearings and visa versa so if you have a lot of press fixturing, you can probably come up with them.

 

Bearing are done. Well were done a while ago. Apparently it was a bitch of a job, things were seized, stuck, rusted and fuzed. Glad I didn't take it to a dealership. The new bearings have a made an incredible difference. The car almost feels like brand new again. Some new rubber will complete the feeling.

Just one thing to note... the bearings are the same as similar vintage Ford Windstar, except triple the price.

 

Only $200 used on Amazon! Ebay is much cheaper.

Amazon.com: You & Your Jaguar XK8: Buying,Enjoying,Maintaining,Modifying (You and Your) (9781844252244): Nigel Thorley: Books

 

After being presented with an unexpected opportunity to do my vertical link ($550 dealership quote, Brembo), I researched this website and discovered the way to get parts cheaper than the locals dealers could provide. It isn't that I don't like going into their fancy, nice smelling, leather lined, wood paneled dealerships. I just don't like paying for all that stuff.

Electronic Jag parts catalog that can be installed on a home computer - JPEC: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...ed-xmas-48052/

Once part numbers are identified, Gaudin Jag parts online can be used to search for the parts - they are cheap, and a site sponsor:

Direct JPLV Porsche Parts.com

I also used these folks for my brake parts - talked to Mike.

SNG Barratt - USA | Jaguar & Daimler classic parts, spares & accessories

Here are other parts suppliers to check price and availability as well. I have not used these, as of yet:

Jaguar & Rover Parts > New, Rebuilt & Used > Jaguar Salvage, Land Rover Salvage > Jaguar Accessories
Jaguar Atlanta - Nalley Jaguar - New and Used Jaguar Dealer - Jaguar Service, Repair - Marietta, Duluth and Roswell GA
Jaguar & Rover Parts > New, Rebuilt & Used > Jaguar Salvage, Land Rover Salvage > Jaguar Accessories
JaguarParts.com :: Original parts for your Jaguar

And lastly, the JTIS is the electronic Jaguar shop manual, in electronic form. It is the holy grail of Jaguar docs, the ne plus ultra of reference material, and that whose full name shall not be spoken. I personally pray to the JTIS whenever I work on my car.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ht=jaguar+jtis