Hello all...been watching the forum since I picked up my 97 XJ6 last fall, but this is my first post. The car has about 105k miles on it, and rode badly when I first picked it up. I have changed all 4 shocks (using KYB)..the rears were a pain to get to! I think the car still needs some suspension work, but can't pinpoint the cause. Couple of issues I notice: steering is a little numb at center and needs slight correction sometimes to keep it on center. Feels like the steering box needs to be tightened a little, but not sure if that's the cause, or if that is an adjustment on these.

Second issue: the rear seems to hop slightly when going over certain bumps. The front end also seems to follow grooves in the road a little too much. Tires are fairly new Pirelli's the previous owner put on and seem to be in great condition. When replacing the rear shocks I noticed some of the rear bushings looked pretty worn, specifically the short bars that connect rear end to middle of chassis (I think they are stabilizer bar links?). Reading some other posts, it sounds like those bushings, along with maybe the front and rear subframe bushings, may be the cause. Are those the likely culprits? Any other bushings that usually cause these issues?

I'm also getting a little clunking in the rear since changing the shocks, but not sure if it has anything to do with my work on the shocks. May just be worn out bushing causing the clunking that I just didn't notice before. Thanks.

 

following grooves in the road and vague steering at center is very often a tire problem in these cars

 

Pirelli's were put on by previous owner (I'm guessing 2-3 years ago) and probably have less than 5k miles on them.

 

Being realistic, your car is 23 years old and has 105K miles. Any piece of suspension rubber that old is way past it's useful life. What you need is a full suspension rebuild, front and rear.

You can try replacing things that you think may be won out, but you will waste time and money, especially if you are paying someone to do the work.

So, as a minimum replace

Front
Top Wishbone bushes
Lower Wishbone bushes
Anti Roll Bar Bushes and Drop Links
Subframe V mounts

Rear
Subframe (A Frame) Bushes
Shock Top Mount
Hub Pivot Bearings
Anti Roll Bar bushes and Drop Links (if fitted)


then check very carefully
Front Subframe Rear Bushes
Front Upper and Lower Ball Joints
Track rod ends, and inner track rods
Steering Rack mountings and bushes
Front and Rear Wheel Bearings
Driveshaft Universal Joints

Then get full 4 wheel alignment and see where you are.

 

Thanks for the response. Right after I posted this I realized more of what you are saying...it's 23 years old and rubber doesn't last that long. I think I can do all of the work myself, except for the re-alignment. Jacked up the front end last night and had my wife wiggle the tires while I looked at suspension. Tie rods have play in them, so that's likely the main cause of the loose steering.

I'll probably replace all of the bushings and such in phases...doing tie rods and roll bar bushings and links first. Do you know if the two rear subframe bushings are difficult to replace?

 

Some useful info for rear subframe bushes here

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...shings-132485/

 

To Brendan's excellent list I would add the front subframe rear pivot bushings as a priority. Along with the rear subframe large bushings, these have a surprising impact on steering precision and tramlining because when they develop excessive play, they allow the subframes to twist in response to road surface irregularities.

Replacing the front subframe rear pivot bushings is easiest with the subframe out of the car, which requires supporting the engine from above. The rear pivot bushings or "mounting bushes" are Part 2 in this diagram:



You can see all of the part descriptions and numbers at this link:

https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.../brand/jaguar/

Replacing the large rear subframe bushings, Part 14 in the diagram below, requires dropping only the lower plate or "A-frame" (Part 13):



You can see all of the rear subframe part descriptions and numbers at this link:

https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.../brand/jaguar/

The large hex on the pinion housing of your steering rack can be turned clockwise one graduation at a time to reduce lash between the rack and pinion, but you should resolve the tie rod issues before messing with that adjustment. It is easy to go too far and lose the self-centering when coming out of turns.

Cheers,

Don

 

Working on replacing the rear subframe bushings now (#14 in the diagram) and having a hard time getting the lower A plate off (#13). It looks like there are 2 bolts holding the plate to the main bracket (#1) from the top side. I circled those in red. I have no idea how to access those because the mufflers are right in front of that and can barely get a wrench on the bolt head. They are on the top side of the bracket and not facing down like bolts 15 & 16.

I assume those have to be removed for the bottom bracket to separate from main bracket #1? I read through the description and pictures from the link in the previous response and it doesn't mention those bolts. It does however mention removing bolts in the positions I circled blue. Do those need to be removed instead of the ones circled red, or both?

 

All of those have to be disconnected in order to get the plate off. Some of the bolts go in from the top, with nuts on the bottom, and some go in from the bottom, with the nuts on top. Access to some of them is tricky.

Also note the spacers, Parts 12, that fit on the bolts (Parts 11) for the diagonal braces (Parts 8). Don't lose the spacers and don't forget to reinstall them between the folded sections of sheet metal in the main frame.

Cheers,

Don

 

I think I may need to lower the rear end a few inches to get access to the bolts circled in red. Will try that tonight or tomorrow night and see how that goes.

 

I don't recall ever having to do that. I think with a combination of open-end and box-end wrenches/ring spanners, I've been able to access those nuts/bolts.