I am about to change out my rear shocks on 2003 X-type. The originals are still in the car and there is almost 90K on the car.

Bilsteins are recommended but there are two types... comfort suspension and sport suspension. Which would be the appropriate type to use that will match the original or is it strictly preference.


Has any one changed to these and if so would you please share your experience?

Lastly, is there another shock company that you would recommend?

Thanks

David

 

I'd not recommend to go for something else than Bilsteins unless it's Koni (which does not make anything for the X-type).

I guess you've got non sport package, so if you're changing only the rear get comfort ones. An OEM Bilstein costs ~ $80-100 which is very modest I have to say.

There is another option to switch to the Bilstein B6 struts/shocks but they are much more expensive (but they are worth it).

Check this thread https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-review-79346/ You can find a lot of useful info in there.

 

Thanks Nardoswiss!!

 

ddrdnaga, I just did the rear shocks on my car. Super easy. Just get the rear of the car up in the air. You will need a 10mm socket with a 6" expension and an 18mm wrench/socket with a good size handle on it. Make sure to spray everything really good before you go to tear things apart. But, undo the 2 nuts up top holding the top of the shock in place, then undo the lower bolt and the shock will fall out of the car. Putting in the new one is the reverse process. May need to lift up on the wheel slightly to compress it slightly to allow everything to fit.

 

Thanks Thermo,

Which shock did you use? I am going to get the Bilstein....which did you use?

 

drdnaga, I went with the comfort Bilstiens. You also have the choice of the sport shocks and also the heavy duty shocks. So, if you go with Bilstiens, you have 3 choices to choose from. The sport and standard shocks run about the same (I paid like $350 for all 4), but you can go with the heavy duty ones, but they are going to run you up around $650.

The cheapest place I could find them is at eshocks.com: Shocks and Struts: X-Type. This will show you the options and what they cost. Some members have footed the extra bit and got the heavy duty ones and they say the difference is night and day. I will take their word for it.

 

Ok...I've read a lot...a little more info please...

I am going to replace rears only at this time...is it OK to use Sport or HD while I keep the Oem struts up front.??

I also read that the order of increasing stiffness is... comfort, HD then sport.

Thanks everyone.

David

 

I'd not use different front struts and rear shocks...:/

They get stiffer in this order: Comfort-Sport-HD.

 

drdnaga, the order of stiffness is as Nardo says. As for whether to just do the rear shocks then wait awhile to do the fronts, that is a tough call as I see it. When it comes to body roll and whatnot, you are going to be making the rear shocks work a little harder and will lead to their wearing out sooner, but the amount of "abuse" that the shocks are going to see I think will be very minimal. So, overall, I think you will be just fine putting on the slightly stiffer shocks in the rear to run for a little bit like that.