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OK, I talked to Tech Support at URO.
I understand they are trying to improve, and the object was to find mounts that would last for a resonantly period of time. Remember, it's still a wear item that will need replacement from time to time.
Don't know how far it will go but I did try to lead them in the right direction. My bad if they take the lead on this, leaving all the molds, equipment and stock setting on the shelf for those of us that have been in the process of keeping the XK8's with decent mounts.
I guess there is still a place for us that rebuild the cores and correct all the problems with the sharp edges that all of the ones I get in have.
I have not talked to Steve yet but feel sure he would or has given them a bit of leadership.
Now, if they will listen, maybe some other things will improve.
I could be wrong in helping but this was an adventure in us trying to help. Pretty sure we did that.
URO don't last as long as Welsh and when the URO fails it usually takes the tire with it unless you are lucky enough to notice the failure before excessive wear happens.
I've order the welsh parts and hope they do better than some of the reports.
thank you everyone
wj
I believe that as long as you don’t hit very big potholes at speed, they should last. I have hit large potholes that I couldn’t see when it was raining. I think that is what ruined mine.
I did some research after a facebook post regarding the URO shock mounts because the material looked an unusual yellow. It seems URO upgraded their material to what they call “a high elastomere rubber”. If anyone has the latest URO mounts, installed please keep us posted on how they hold up.
I have been working on my front suspension a little at a time as time allows. For the live of me I couldn't get the spring compressed enough to get it back together. I tried several technics to no avail. My local tire stores are too afraid of their lawyers to do customer struts carried in. So screw them, I just bought a stand up spring compressor that should do the job and I'll be able to do some for others.
Those URO top mounts will be on soon. I'll report back. TM
I continue to hear always buy Welch but I've always wondered what is wrong with the stock ones that came in my XKR? Mine stock ones are still good and I can't find anything wrong with them and they have almost 110,000 miles on them......What am I missing here? Are mine different than others because I have the "R" Performance Package? What am I suppose to feel or see that tells me that I need to replace or buy new ones?
I continue to hear always buy Welch but I've always wondered what is wrong with the stock ones that came in my XKR? Mine stock ones are still good and I can't find anything wrong with them and they have almost 110,000 miles on them......What am I missing here? Are mine different than others because I have the "R" Performance Package? What am I suppose to feel or see that tells me that I need to replace or buy new ones?
I'm confused!
Billy Clyde in Houston
Crumbling foam bush, inner tire wear of the front tires, loss of ride height at the front of the car. Take a picture of your shock mounts and post it here. I can tell you quickly if you have the stock mounts or not or if they are a different material. It is entirely possible that a previous owner changed his and never documented it.
Here's a pic, in the wheel well, of my crumbling shock mount before I did the front suspension R&R a year ago. Just poke it with a screwdriver.
In my case, the material had turned to a "crumbly foam" rather than solid rubber.
Hey Puerto Rico, I have a Photo for you to analyze....Please tell me there is nothing wrong with it...….
Thanks!
Shock Mount 110,000 Miles
That is the stock foam mounts. If you notice, the inner bush has turned a reddish color (it was originally cream colored) and the shock is beginning to move askew. I think they have about a year before they go kaput. If you can snap a picture of the shock mount from the wheel well, we can see if the outer bush has started compressing, like in David's example. Is that dust from a dirty engine bay or is it the shock mount producing the dust?
Last edited by giandanielxk8; May 10, 2020 at 09:34 PM.
That is good old Texas dust.....I had to remove the Cover Caps in order to shoot the Photo....I'll look under there soon and send you another Photo from underneath the Monster! Bless it's little Heart!! But the point of all this was "What's wrong with Stock Jaguar Parts"? These Mounts have 110,000 miles on them! Answer that all you Welch Guys....
That is good old Texas dust.....I had to remove the Cover Caps in order to shoot the Photo....I'll look under there soon and send you another Photo from underneath the Monster! Bless it's little Heart!! But the point of all this was "What's wrong with Stock Jaguar Parts"? These Mounts have 110,000 miles on them! Answer that all you Welch Guys....
Billy Clyde
When the stock parts fail the outer bush becomes flattened like a pancake, this causes a drop of about 1 inch in ride height at the front, which then creates more negative camber, and producing inner tire wear. Welsh mounts use polyurethane instead of foam and are "supposed" to be longer lasting than the foam mounts and when they do fail, it's usually the inner bush that fails, causing audible clunking that will be heard. Ride height should not be affected, and neither should your tires. However, bad potholes have in my experience destroyed both types of mounts.
However, I suspect that the OE part may last longer than the aftermarket replacements, regardless of who makes them. The problem with the OE part is the price, at $253 each, $506 for the pair is a hefty chunge of money vs what Welsh ($149.95 for the pair), Rockauto (URO $60.79 each/ $121.58 for the pair), and others ask for the aftermarket parts.
Last edited by giandanielxk8; May 11, 2020 at 11:14 AM.
There is nothing wrong with the OEM part. It is just crazy expensive compared to aftermarket, about 3 times the price last I checked, and not known to last any longer though at this point we are lacking data on how long replacement OEM parts will last. It would be a welcome addition to the analysis if somebody wanted to spend the big bucks on OEM mounts and keep us informed on longevity. Won't be me though as I am too cost sensitive.
From the looks of the pic it is unlikely that those mounts in Billy's car are original when car has 110K on it.
The majority of us who have installed the Welsh front upper shock mounts continue to believe they are superior and probably longer-lasting than the OEM components. Serious potholes can and will destroy anything relating to a suspension, so always do your best to avoid them....
After my 3rd XKR was Totaled, by the Lady turning left across 3 Lanes of Traffic, I had to quickly find another. This was several years ago and this 2005 XKR Coupe was available in Dallas with around 45,000 miles on it. Since it was the only Black/Ivory one with the "R" Package available out there and I needed a Car, I quickly. bought it. As I found out shortly afterward, the Oil had not been changed in around 40,000 miles and I had to completely rebuild the Engine. My point is, I feel that if you haven't changed the Oil in 40,000 mile, why would you change the Shock Mounts. Sorry but I don't think they have been changed out! Ever!!
Billy Clyde
Rothwell,
...My point is, I feel that if you haven't changed the Oil in 40,000 mile, why would you change the Shock Mounts. Sorry but I don't think they have been changed out! Ever!!
Billy Clyde
Well, I said it was unlikely but I guess its possible.
In my case the first time I replaced mine there was under 45K on the car but it was 9 years old by then. That experience makes me skeptical that any mount of this type could go 15 years and 100K+ miles and not have even a bit of crumble in the pic.
Billy,
My mounts at 110K looked okay, not flaking and centered.
At 125K they started to show signs of disintegration and a slight off center lean.
At 130K I hit a huge hole pulling into a parking lot and when I got home i noticed the car was leaning, the left front was lower and the shock was off center.
These were the original mounts on my car.
I hope yours last forever.
wj
Rothwell I checked with my car's previous owner and the mounts had never been changed so I guess the oems do last longer but as you said...x3 the cost.
