I just picked up my "new toy" yesterday. I rented a car carrier from uhaul and towed it down from Ft Worth to Austin to minimize any issues before I give it a good inspection. I did drive it for roughly 200 miles before buying it and had the engine and transmission checked out twice (test drive & codes).

The car runs and drives very well, the front upper strut bushings are totally shot (literally metal on metal). I had two separate alignment inspections done. Both said the control arms are "shot" and recommended replacement. I know (from this forum) that there is a kit that provides new bearings and all the "soft" parts.

My current thoughts are to replace upper strut mountings + front end kit as well as rear bushings. Struts seem perfectly fine but if I'm reading the forums correctly bliskens all around are only ~$400 or so....is that correct?

Will order tensioners and electrical resistance kit for top....

Anything else I'm missing???

A couple of images I pulled from the dealer website....

 

If I didn't know my car was in the garage I would have report a stolen vehicle!

Okay, looking at it closer I see that your wheels are chrome and you have a pinstripe!! So I will remember that if we ever park side by side! I too have some front end work to be done and will probably do it myself using this forum!

Welcome to the Jag World and the Forums!!!

Great car.. Great Forums!!

 

I can't be of much help on the technical questions but wanted to congratulate you and say what a sweet looking XK8 you've acquired. I like that color a lot. What year is it?

Cheers -Terrapin

 

Congrats on the new ride, looks great!

 

It's a 2000. To be honest it looks a bit better from a distance. It was good enough that the dealership initially wanted to keep it on the lot vs wholesaling it. Whoever did the appraisal apparently missed a few things (my understanding is the previous owner was well known to dealership)....or of course they played me well. So far I'm more then impressed with the car.

I ordered the basic stuff from part geeks....
Shock Mounts
Lower strut bushings (front)
Struts (front) {W0133-1911283}
Shock bellows
Shock bump stops
Upper timing chain tensioners
Thermostat

Should I get upper/lower spring seats??

Anything I missed??

 

Make sure you get the correct tensioner bolts, they are a different size than the old ones. You can get them from a Ford dealer:

Ford PN W500301S300 Bolt (4 required)

I would also recommend new gaskets when you do the tensioners: Felpro (Part # VS50724R) ($37.09 last I checked) from Rockauto. http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,ca...parttype,10710

You need the tools to do the tensioners also (unless you use the shadetree, a.k.a zip-tie approach). You should read everything on the forum on the secondary tensioners and decide which approach suits you.

 

i don't think you'll need the spring 'seats', they're not beaten or degrade like the rest of the rubber.

If you get new front shocks, why the lower shock bushings also, you planning on doing the rears only for a bushing swap?

Also, might as well get new front sway arm end links and tie rod ends, that'll snug it up good, and those parts aren't that expensive...rockauto has them aftermarket.

Upper A-arm bushings, and the lower control arm bushings would be theonly ones left, the upper arm rubber goes quicker than the lower arms, so take a good look at them, it will still ride and act twitchy if either of them are allowing movement.

 

Hi,
If the previous owners have neglected the car so much that shock bushes are "Metal on metal" then it,s probably prudent to closely inspect all the front suspension/ steering componants. Is the tyre ware even on all corners of the car.

 

It needs the entire front end worked over. My understanding is that the control arm refurbishment and strut related work don't really overlap much. My intention at the moment is to break things up into a couple of projects. The tensioners, thermostat and front struts 1st as the most critical. Then after I get both front and rear suspension inspected I'll finish up both the needed front and back refurb as well as change the water pump out if its not already been done.

I'll have a better idea of everything it needs in a couple of days.

 

That looks a decent car from the pics and very clean as well .
I wish you incident free driving

 

Regent,

All in all it is. Significant wear on drivers seat and normal wear on inner door "handle" on drivers side. A handful of minor cosmetic dings on the paint, most of which should buff out with little problem. Biggest "issue" looks like the last owner polished the top and ignored the car itself. Rebuilt trans has roughly 4,000 (11 months 21,000 on warranty) {not sure if its transferable}, engine sounds and runs very nicely.

Suspension guts are all in need of either refurbishment or replacement. Whats funny is almost every other one I looked at had similar issues. Most were on original suspension's...Funneling what I saved in purchase price back into refurb....at the end of the day should be a much better car then anything else I looked at for the same $$$ or a bit less.

 

Nice looking car in the correct color! Sounds like you will enjoy working on it also which is required of these cars.

Welcome to the forum!

 

did you get a cover for your convertible top while in the 'down' position?

 

yes

 

I believe you need to remove the upper control arm to replace the strut (shock), so you might as well replace the upper control arm bushings at the same time. Getting the bolt out is the tough part - once it's out the bushings are a real simple press out, press in.

 

correct, upper bolt does have to slide out (don't lose the order of those shims/washers!! ask me how I know) to get the shock out. You might as well do them, they're one of the first suspension pieces to degrade on these cars.

 

Guess I'll put in another order....can I use the bearings from parts geek or do I need to use OEM bearings on upper control arm??

 

Just FYI, OEM parts at Gaudin Direct JPLV Porsche Parts.com is often cheaper than Parts Geek.