XK8 front swaybar links
 

I ordered twice now, from different vendors, replacement stabilizer bar links for my 2003 XK8. Each time, the wrong part was delivered. The latest order was from XKS Unlimited. The links that were sent have the correct connection ends, but the shaft is an inch too short ! Has anyone else run into a similar problem? The shaft of the link on the car is 5-1/4" long versus 4-1/4" long for the item I received. Of course I am sending it back, but I'm out the expedited shipping cost and have to pay for the return shipping to boot. I looked up the part on the XKS Unlimited again to confirm part number, etc. ... no difference. It was ridiculously inexpensive, so I should have suspected trouble.
Comments?

I am not able to measure mine at the moment to confirm your quoted lengths but are you sure those currently fitted are the correct original parts. I don't know that a slight variation in length would be a huge problem provided it was same each side.

Just changed mine so easy 2 check . A bit closer to 5 and 5/8 inches but you are right.
John

Just reread your request. I should note that I measured longest outside edge to longest outside edge (top / bottom). You haven't responded so I'm not sure if you're even reading this, but if you want me to remeasure just ask.

J

I have just measured the links on my car which l know are correct and the "shaft" measures 83mm and overall total length is 145mm.
This would indicate somebody has been into your car before you.

Measurements from my original 2004 link.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...f66b6bd9ee.jpg
2004 XK8 front sway bar link

Rothwell - is that seriously a wooden ruler - I haven't seen one of those in years!

Flydutch, What is the part number that you've been ordering?

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...711cc4dd7c.jpg
Thanks for all your replies - my apologies for being off-forum for a few days.
The part number for the front link I ordered (and seems to be the correct# based on looking at different parts houses) is : MJA2105AG.
I just went out and measured the installed (worn) links: bolt center to center distances is about 140mm - it looks exactly like Rothman's picture with ruler (nice ruler!).
See picture attached, comparing installed link with new part sent by XK'S Unlimited (now Moss).
The installed (worn) links I put in myself with O'Reilley's-provided parts four years ago; install was no problem, so I assume the sizes were correct then. Besides, it doesn't seem reasonable that the car would accept a substantially shorter shaft length of the link. I am still trying to get XK'S Unlimited to admit their vendor is sending them the wrong part to sell.
Thanks for any further insights.

Just what I thought; you have exactly the reverse situation of what I had. I bought a pair of new front links to replace the worn ones on my 2005 XK8 off of eBay a couple of years ago that turned out to be too long! Unfortunately, they sat on a shelf for several months before I found the time to install them and could not return them.

Though your XK8 is a 2003, your stabilizer bar is the same size that fits a 2000 model XK8/XKR, (or a 99-03 Jaguar Vanden Plas, XJ8, or XJR). You need a pair of JA-L601 (140mm center-to-center) links, which I just happen to have (new and unopened). Apologies for the hasty pics; please PM me if you would be interested in these.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...e720a14245.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...ddc9a028e7.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...e413531be0.jpg

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...24ff79ca1f.jpg
The fitted link shown in your pic looks way too long. Centre to centre length of part number MJA2105AG is 115 mm.
It appears to me you are being supplied the correct part but have an incorrect part already fitted.

I just received a nice and informative email from the general manager at XKS Unlimited in which he apologizes for the apparent muck-up but he is running into dead ends also ...

["I have double-checked the application information in Jaguar’s Electronic Parts Catalog. (We have the same software the dealers use.) The vendor confirmed that what we sent matches their stock and matches their OE Jaguar sample. I’ve even checked other Jaguar models from around the same time, but to no avail. (Oddly enough, the 2003 XJ8 used a 140mm link, but it’s a cast alloy part and completely different.) So, I called in a favor from a friend in England who has good factory connections. My hunch, based on the XJ part, is that Jaguar shortened the part during one of the many part supersessions, or there could be a version that Jaguar hasn’t documented, which is not entirely out of the realm of reality. My friend will be able to find out. He's very responsive, so we should know something Monday."] - his response.

If anyone else agrees with baxtor about my having the incorrect link fitted in the first place, please let me know... does anyone want to speculate how such a mistake install would affect the handling or safety of the car? I've driven the car over 45,000 miles with these links !! I know they're shot 'cause they sing like chain birds ... rattle rattle rattle ...

Thank you, Redline, for your offer - I will PM you after I find out a bit more confirming information on this little mystery.

Absent any physical contact with engine pulleys or the like due to slightly different stance along the bar's length l can't see why there would be any change in the handling or safety.

Slight change in preset torsional stiffness
 

From my limited understanding, the sway bar/anti roll bar is to limit body roll roll through hard cornering.

The link height would preset the value of the torsional resistance of the anti roll bar ie initial set. As the resistance is a function of the main torsion bar diameter and centre line distance to the link bar position , relative changes to the wheel hub position (LHS compared to RHS) this would put torsion load on the sway bar and reduce the different of height independent of the springs.

So long and short of it, the minor variation to the link heights shouldn’t change handling characteristics as the torsion bar material should be within the EY elastic range. However putting a shorter link on, you’re dealing with a higher torsion preset and probably installation will be a bit more of a struggle. Also it’ll marginally shorten the life of the parts as they are dealing with more load consistently (considering fatigue in the EY elastic range)

Found this on google
 

This makes interesting reading
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-roll_bar

I wonder if there’s an engineer out there with the equation values of our car?

All I can say is that the pic I posted is of the part I removed from my 2004 XK8 and is the original part. I have had the car since it had 38K and am the only one to ever work on the suspension.

I bought replacements in 2015 from Welsh and they matched my originals. I went back and checked my receipt to confirm they were sold under the same part # MJA2105AG.

I believe the short ones are not the correct part.

I think we are having a problem with camera angles and rulers more than anything else.
Rothwell, as far as l can tell your link pictured with the now famous wooden ruler seems to be 145mm overall length, Johnken's measurements were 5 and 5/8th inches (close enough) and mine comes in at 145mm overall as well so the odd one out appears to be those fitted to Flydutch's car, they are too long.

Thanks again for all your comments.
I am going up to the local (Cincinnati) Jaguar dealer next week and query their parts/service department about this.
DavidYau, thanks for your insight; you may be right that somehow I ended up with over-long links.
It occurs to me that since the stabilizer bar rotates semi-freely on its mount-bushings, as long as I have the car in the air with both old links off, installing the shorter links will be no problem; the new links should transfer torsion inputs no differently than the longer old links. My only minor concern is that the stabilizer bar ends remain clear of any other suspension components (i.e.: lower control arm) through full range of motion. Thoughts?
One more thing: the product from XKS Unlimited cost $16 each plus shipping; from Jaguar, the part is about $116 each; most other vendors are in the middle ($35-55 each). Am I missing something here? Or is this the usual whateverthemarketwillbear situation - though $16 seems pretty "cheap".

^^+1
There have been two revisions to the part # during the car's production run, but MJA2105AG is now valid for all years.

The measurement from the drop link I've just retrieved from the replaced parts museum is in accord with Baxtor's measurement. I am 99.9% certain that it is factory original. The non-Jaguar-sourced replacements I obtained matched exactly - at a price similar to Jagbits, although I'm sure paying the extra $100 for the OEM Jaguar part will allow you to sleep better at night...

The manager at XKS Unlimited reported back to me with information from his contact in England. Here is the quote:

"Yes this is definitely one of ‘those’ questions!
OK, working on the principle that this vehicle is a 2003MY XKA (Chassis A30645 onwards) MJA2105AG is the correct part number – this is 115mm Centre to Bolt.
IF the vehicle isn’t A30645 onward and is A00083 – A30644 chassis it uses the same ARB link so again its 115mm Centre to Bolt.
Even if the vehicle was all the way back to 1998 it still uses the same ARB link so again its 115mm. I’ve checked this on TecDoc to see what other manufacturers list this link as and all list as 115mm.
So, there is ONE possibility – maybe this vehicle is a X150 2006MY on? Because if it was it would have C2C18573 (now C2D24220) ARB links in and these are listed as 140mm"

Since my XK8 is chassis A31189, it falls right into the 115mm link requirement. SO .... at some point after it left the factory, someone changed the stabilizer bar links and fitted the incorrect part. I know the vehicle likely had a hard curb encounter or shoulder drop on one of the front wheels - this could be when the bad parts were installed initially. Then, when I changed them five years ago I was sold the same, incorrect, parts. Happily, the car seemed to behave fine even with the incorrect part installed. I am going to install the short, XKS Unlimited links shortly and will report if there are any noticeable differences in handling - I don't expect any.

Hope this information will set aside any questions about the topic.