Hello All,
So new to the 2005 XK8 coupe and wanted to know what roads to not go down as much as "you really need to do this" for ride height and cool factor. Lets be real it's a fun use car but love to sport it. Not track or cone usage so I do not want to ruin the grand turismo ride just to look cool. (as if there is still such a thing)

Any advice is welcomed. I live in Phoenix AZ so weather is not so much an issue. Snide remarks and comedic input welcomed. Open to used parts also if anyone has any.

Cheers, Mike

 

Look on YouTube for To the Garage. John has just lowered his early XK8 and has lots of video tips and opinions on lowering the cars.

 

+1 for watching To The Garage on YouTube.

My 1998 came to me with lower front springs. Made the handling too stiff for my roads and driving style, but it is a subjective thing.

 

I've got a set of front shocks and H&R 1.5" lowering springs that were used less than 8000 miles if you're interested. My listing is also up on the marketplace here on the forums if you want to take a quick look. If you want a nice drop in ride height that won't risk you bottoming out or sacrificing ride quality, these are great.

 

Thanks guys, I looked at To the Garage and now cannot help talking with a British accent LOL. Great site and thank you for the feedback.

Riley, I'll check out the marketplace and PM you.
Cheers, Mike

 

recommendation is do the suspension all at once, unless you want practice tearing it apart and reassembling!!! I lowered mine - Mina Gallery front springs, H&R rear springs, Powerflex Poly bushings all around, replace upper shock mounts - contact @baxtor or @cjd777 and get their solution, new bumpstops [(MOOG PN: K90460 is equivalent to Jag PN: MJA2150BA for the front spring assistors (bump stops)], new upper/lower ball joints if needed - just know lower are a joy to replace - have fun

 

I have Nitron coilovers available, they are true front and rear coilovers.
The pictures of the car are a conservative lowered height, the coilovers can go much lower.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/325281023180

 

Very nice set up but may be way over the top for what I am wanting.

 

Great advice thank you. What I've started with.




Welch is out of stock, found mounts comparable at Summit Racing and Shocks on Ebay of all places set of four saved me $45 each.https://www.summitracing.com/parts/U...5/applications


Will be taking the car apart and see what else lies dried out. Arizona is hard on Bushings and rubber. At least it's a dry heat LOL.

Keeps you guys posted on progress -Cheers, Mike

 

Mina Gallery lower front and rears ore on their way. Will do everything at once like advised. Thanks guys.
Cheers ,Mike

 

At least you don't need to worry about rust.

 

Those dampers are certainly the way to go but l worry the top mounts may need to be revisited sooner than you may like.

 

Because of the AZ heat or the units I purchased? Do they go bad often? Any advice is welcomed of course.
Cheers, Mike

 

Genuine mounts have half a chance of doing the job but l gather they are not genuine. The current crop of aftermarket mounts will have you redoing install in quick succession. (Full disclosure, l sell a solution but this is not about selling anything ) "Bad top front mounts" would have to be one of the most common thread subjects on this and other forums.
Unfortunately many owners find out themselves rather than from others before them.

 

I appreciate the input and since I have them I'll let everyone know how they hold up. PM where I might find alternatives if you don't mind.
Cheers, Mike

 

Just from experience, they will get you 12-18months of use and then start to look like your old ones - how do I know - have replaced mine 5 times in 11 years - went with OEM style twice, Welsh poly twice and this last time was a set of OEM style I had purchased as a spare set. My next set will be from our forum members (still have the carcass from the recent replacement for reuse)

 

Advice :

sell the mounts you bought, on eBay or wherever. If you can get 50 cents on the dollar for them, that’s still way better than installing them and then having to do it over again in a matter of months, not years. The quality of the retail mounts is uniformly poor at best to abysmal at worst. Doesn’t matter if you buy the genuine Jaguar part , or aftermarket , they are all junk .

theres only one way to get a decent mount and that’s to buy them from the forum member who makes them himself.

Z

 

Forum members Wayne (cjd777) here in North Carolina and Steve (baxtor) in Australia both custom-create the best front upper shock mounts on the planet for our XK8s / XKRs. Many owners all around the world have been running them for the past couple of years (including me). Wayne or Steve are the only smart way to go here....

 

Thank you guys for the advice. I am in conversation with Steve just this morning. I do allot with Summit Racing, they may refund me at no charge. Springs are in, excited to get started.

Cheers, Mike