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I can't believe this. After two weeks of silence, THE CLUNK has returned and its angry. It sounds like it's the sway bar bushings again but it doesn't sound like typical poly bushing noise. No squeaks or squishes, rather rattles and bangs. It sounds like what the regular rubber bushings are like when they're worn out. I think the marine grease might've just squeezed out. Looks like Mark SF was right. I'm about to get a tub of Energy Suspension grease from Amazon.
I can't believe this. After two weeks of silence, THE CLUNK has returned and its angry. It sounds like it's the sway bar bushings again but it doesn't sound like typical poly bushing noise. No squeaks or squishes, rather rattles and bangs. It sounds like what the regular rubber bushings are like when they're worn out. I think the marine grease might've just squeezed out. Looks like Mark SF was right. I'm about to get a tub of Energy Suspension grease from Amazon.
Thats a shame, nothing worse than ongoing issues, i have some real sticky teflon grease made by quicksilver, but looking at the issue, maybe most greases will squeezed or worked out by movement by the sway bar inside the bushing.
That being said, its funny how you can fix one issue then the next component down the line fails as well and you end up doing one thing after another.
Last edited by Lightspeed; 02-25-2020 at 07:04 PM.
Is there any way possible to drill the bushing and mount to thread in a small grease nipple for ongoing maintenance?
Probably a terrible suggestion.................
You could also dremel a thin and shallow channel from the hole in the bushing along the swaybar but not beyond the length of the bushing to provide a small reservior for the grease to help prevent it all from being squeezed out. Sounds drastic but seems logical if it is indeed the issue.
Last edited by Lightspeed; 02-26-2020 at 06:24 PM.
I've read of that being done with some success but I think I would just end up ruining everything. Hopefully using the silicone Energy Suspension lube does the trick.
So I tore into it yesterday AGAIN. Cleaned the old grease and teflon tape off the sway bar and the bushings, and applied the super thick super sticky Energy Suspension lube. So far so good. We'll see if it lasts more than 2 weeks this time.
I had a front end clunk that was due to both the sway bar bushings and the upper control arm. First I swapped the sway bar bushings (also for poly), clunk dampened but didn’t go away. Then I changed the upper control arm, now clunk is gone.
Sorry to hear XJ8JR, like you know I have the same powerflex bushings. It fixed my clunk and I do have some minor poly squeaking. I don't really care about that though. I might lube it up after I close on my new house next week and have more space to work on stuff. I have pretty much a new front suspension, my extended warranty covered replacement for torn boots for all components minus the upper shocks and rear shocks. Most people claim that warranties aren't worth it, in my case it's paid out about 5k above sticker.
wondering which busings you used, were they the powerflex brand and which colour, purple or black?
They're the Powerflex bushings listed further up the thread. They're black or a very dark purple perhaps.
Originally Posted by Nedoerr
I had a front end clunk that was due to both the sway bar bushings and the upper control arm. First I swapped the sway bar bushings (also for poly), clunk dampened but didn’t go away. Then I changed the upper control arm, now clunk is gone.
I've been considering swapping out my upper control arms but the bushings and ball joints appear fine. But its on my radar. Might as well replace the shocks since they have to be removed anyway.
Originally Posted by dmchao
Sorry to hear XJ8JR, like you know I have the same powerflex bushings. It fixed my clunk and I do have some minor poly squeaking.
I don't see why it would be clunky for me and not for you. It must be something else in concert.
For me it was primarily the bushings of the upper control arm. Though the ball joint boot was torn, the joint itself was fine. The bushings, however, were starting to crumble and presumably they would clunk around when I hit bumps in the road. The bushings were harder to diagnose until the arms were off.
Now that I'm quarantined and working from home, I figure there's now plenty of time to do some heavy maintenance on the Jag. I've been pricing out replacements for the front upper control arms and front shocks. The struts themselves aren't too bad ($233 each) but when you throw in new springs, mounts, etc., it gets pricey. Maybe spark plugs is a better idea for now since the car can be down for multiple days.
well I did not do this mod to my XJ today, but the purchase was made a few days ago on the bay( No affiliation with partslink) tell you what though I am hating the AUD exchange rate at the moment, and have stopped purchases from O/S due to it.
These are going to take a little work to get back into a condition acceptable to me ready for fitment and will require some dismantling to work out some dents and I will re finish to eradicate scuffs to bring back to new condition, will be a while I guess before delivery owing to C-19 screwing with border protections and delivery times.
Nice to have a set though.
02-25-2020, 12:13 PM
