Congratulations on getting back on the road. It was a tremendous effort and very well done.

I noticed that your front end sits higher than mine, based on gap from top of front wheel to bottom of fender (wing). I do have worn top shock mounts, but doubt they account for the perceived difference. Do you have 18" wheels? Does your front end sit at OEM height? Or is it just the angle of the pictures?

My fear is that maybe I have more to look at than just shock mounts.

 

From "The Zen and Art of Sports Car Repair" ... a polite round of applause is in order

Umm... what was the root cause of the clunk again?

 

Congratulations!

 

Kudos to you!!!!!

 

The car was sitting very high in the pic in the garage after I let it down off the jacks, however it has always sat pretty high all round since I we first got it.

I measured it a while ago and found it to be between 5mm and 10mm too high at each corner.

I dont know why this should be the case.

The wheels are 19inch.

 

This has been an excellent saga to follow. Your pictures and unique solutions (along with others) is very useful. Hopefully I will not face quite as much work replace the cross-member mount and the shock mounts to get rid of my clunk. However your perseverance will hopefully serve as a prod to get me going and not while about it

Thanks again to you and the others that helped you along the way.

 

Congrats on this long and arduous ordeal! So in the end what is the bottom line? Was the clunk attributed to one thing in particular or a variety of things?

Doug

 

I think the most likely cause was the near side upper wishbone bushes, the fulcrum bolt had welded itself to the bush inserts.

Other parts that were faulty/disintegrating were.

Missing shims from both upper wishbones.

Near side wheel bearing.

Nearside shock bush.

Both cross-member V mount supports.

Nearside cross-member front bush.

Both drop links.

Charcoal canister mounting bracket.

Off side chassis arm (the rust hole)

Various headlamp repairs.


The various parts, tools, epoxy paint, refinishing paint and consumables I purchased cost about £1000 but I expect to have a trouble free front end for many years to come.

If I had asked the jag dealer to do this I think it would have cost the same as the car cost me.

 

Way to hang in there RaceD, I commend you on a job well done. Thanks for the play by play from the start and don't be surprised if you are helping countless people in the future. It's one thing to read about it, but an entirely different animal when you are turning every bolt on the front end yourself.

Nice job!

Bruce

 

Your commitment and perseverance has impressed all of us.

 

We are heading off on a 2000 mile road trip on Monday so I thought I would have a check on all the nuts and bolts from this job.

Everything was tight except both the lower ball joint nuts, it took about 3/4 of a turn to take each back up to 80Nm.

Pics to come.

Edinburgh - Newcastle - Amsterdam - Ruedesheim - Lucern - Grinwald - Tux - Zell am See, then back home.

 

Have a great time!

 

That looks like a nice trip !
Have fun.


b.t.w. can you post a ebay link for the c-clamp you used ?
Thank you!

 

I actually got it from a UK source but cant remember exactly where, but this is the kit. Forged Clamp 19 Piece Ball Joint U Joint C Frame Press Service Set Kit in Case | eBay

If I was to do the job again I would buy a cheap bench press.

 

How was the trip? Photos??

 

The trip was fantastic, great locations and weather, pics still to be sorted out.

The car was also great, not a single problem over the 2000miles. I took it up to 130mph but the speed limiter in the passenger seat would not let me go any faster.

But, yesterday when I started up, I could hear an exhaust blow from the front right of the car, I need to get under it to see where it is coming from.

 

I do understand the speed limiter I have the same model! All these Jags want is to be driven and they will treat you right. Hope to see a few photos when you are ready.

 

Thanks for the link !

(little late but just came back from holidays without any internet ... i barely survived )

 

On the ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam getting in the holiday spirit. Luckily I did not have too much to drink as the Amsterdam police were breathalysing everyone driving off the ferry the next morning.



There was not much to see on the roads out of the Netherlands except lots of windmills.



Finally we reached the Rheine valley.



And crossing the Rheine on a small ferry.






At last we reached Ruedesheim, German wine country.



It all looks like this.






Then on to Lucern in Switzerland.






On the road up to Grindelwald.



Heading up the Jungfrau.



Looking back down to Grindelwald.



There were a few learner skiers a at the top but the run is only about 100m long.



The glacier, I think it is the longest one in Europe, about 10km?



Awesome.



Next day we stopped in St Anton for lunch, the village was pretty dead.



Then on to Mayrhofen, which was jumping.



Looking over to the Schneekar Hutt, its a great run down the from the Hutt down the front of this hill.



Up Tux glacier the next day, great conditions again.






Then over to Kaprun.
Up some Gondola on our bikes we found a man and his mate.



Then cycled down.



View up the Kitzsteinhorn glacier.



Then onto Zell am See.



The view down to the village.



We stayed in the "Romantic Hotel" really nice.






On the way back home we stopped off for the last night at the top end of the Rheine valley and found this nice walled village.




Finally back in Scotland just outside where the golf open was to be held a week later for some lunch.

 

With envy and appreciation for your efforts to make your trip come off trouble free, thanks! Well done on all fronts.

Steve