Hi there,

As I've just done the axle on my XJ-S, I want to do the X308 axle. New bushes, ball joints and steering arms. Shocks and springs look fine.

Differing from the XJ-S, the X308 has the long shaft on the upper wishbone rather than lower. Can this shaft still be removed with the axle in place? Are these - like in the XJ-S - a PITA to remove (mine required a FBH and also decided to attack me)?

The upper shock mo ts are of course going to be changed...

Cheers

Damien

 

Are you speaking of the spindles or am I being a naïve American?

 

The upper pivot shaft as per your drawing. Used to be called fulcrum shaft (in the XJ-S world).

 

The ball joint in the spindle comes out with a bit of a fight if original. I highly recommend a 'pickle' fork to separate the ball joint in the control arm (or shaft as you describe it) from the spindle. The thing with this fork is it almost for sure will destroy the ball joint boot, but you say your replacing those anyways. They may come apart by simply using a BFHammer (I use a 4lb maul) on the sides of the spindle housing, but quite unlikely if its original. You can then remove the top arm and replace parts and reinstall, then go to work on the bottom.



For the lower wishbone, it is a 2 piece item and can and should be removed individually, bushings replaced and reinstalled and remove the other to do the same without compressing the spring. If I recall correctly, there's the bolt at the join point on the side and 2 bolts under the spring cup on each L & R arm.

 

The balljoints aren't my problem... It is the screw/shaft/rod/metal pipe/... which the upper wishbone pivots around. Not the balljoint! How I can get them a part is obvious... I've done enough of them in my life.

What the red arrows point too... THAT is what my question is all about. Will that screw/shaft/rod/... be easy to remove? On ALL XJ-S' they are rusted in and require a f*ck*ng big hammer to remove. CAN it be removed WITHOUT taking the subframe out?

 

Ok, now that we have the definitions specified....that depends on your climate and anti snow products for your bolt condition. But I took mine out with a pry bar and it came our with a bit of a fight only because of the length of it and the rather tight fight with the body, but it will come out. Since they put that area together with the body off, that's makes a totally different world.

 

Daim,

Hopefully you can document and take photos of the process as you undertake this job. I hope to do mine soon and can use the guidance!

Thanks.