Lately I've heard hard clonking sounds when hitting bumps. I suspect the bushings.
The bushings on the front shocks are worn out on my XJR. Is this easy to replace yourself? What parts do I need if so?
Front left

Front right

 

Lots of threads on how to replace the upper shock mounts: there are replacements available now, instead of dealer supplied OEM and repair kits. But be sure you get the one for the CATS suspension -- the bore hole for the shock is different sized.

 

Hi Svalbard,

You can look up the part numbers for the mounts for your VIN at this link:

Jaguar Land Rover Classic Parts

There are aftermarket mounts available, but you may need to order them from Australia or the U.S. - I don't know how readily available they may be in Japan.

Cheers,

Don

 

Thanks guys, I ordered from RockAuto.com and replaced. It took about 1 hour.
The black plastic dome shaped covers that protect the CATS connectors are very loose. Any idea how to fasten them?

 

I put some silicone caulk on the fins inside the cap and pressed it in place. Once set they won't come off

 

So 5 years has gone by and clonking sounds are back again.
It's mostly the left side looking as it's worn out. The right side doesn't seem to be as worn out actually.
I tried to tighten the middle a bit but turning it clockwise several times seemed to have no impact.
I guess I just have to order new shock mounts again?

Left side shock mount

 

5 Years? You must have some pretty rough roads.....or the bushing
was not the greatest quality. It looks like it is much smaller diameter
than the impact area, however it may have just worn away.

 

Hi Svalbard,

The ÜRO Parts mounts that I and others have installed have often lasted only 2 to 3 years (or less), so 5 years is actually pretty good. ÜRO Parts claims to have upgraded the rubber material in their mounts (a darker-colored yellow/orange rubber), but we do not yet have any long-term trials of those.

A better option is available from our member cjd777 (Wayne Tate) in North Carolina, who rebuilds original mounts with a more durable rubber. Search "Wayne mounts" and you'll find info, or send a PM to cjd777.

Cheers,

Don

 

Thanks guys, I realized it was 4 years ago since I last ordered from RockAuto.com
I put in another order. Of course prices are up 50% since then.

Anyway this is a kind of simple job I can do myself. Are there any other simple ways I can fix clonking sounds?

 

Yes, Don gave excellent advice on who to get in touch with. Rubber > foam?

When we used those ÜRO brand and a few other aftermarket shock mounts, we’d get maybe a year out of them before the customer was right back with the same problem. If the car had a relatively new set of front upper shock mounts and we had to perform an oil change at its next visit, we put the car in the air to do the service, bring it back down and the customer would take the car. Sometimes the same day or within a week, the customer would call up and talk to the boss about front end noise. The car would come back and it’s those squishy, completely collapsed yellow or white foam mounts. I called them marshmallows. It was because we put the car in the air for the service and the….. whatever material it was would collapse under the immense pressure on them. Maybe if you contact the aforementioned forum member, perhaps he can do an exchange so there’s no down time? We used to rebuild the factory shock plates with rubber or an oem rear upper shock mount bushings from an XJ40 about 10 years ago.

This was just some thoughts and I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but, I really do enjoy spreading knowledge to the rest of the jag community so that people can have options.

Edit: I just realized that you’re from Tokyo and that completely changes my answer. My bad! Just get what you can in a reasonable amount of time because it could be a couple of weeks before you get them from the forum member. Unfortunately there’s no easy, quick, fixes that will net you a longer term repair.

 

@Don B
@Addicted2boost
Thank you very much for the advice.
Yes I'm in Tokyo and it would take too much time to have them rebuilt overseas. Ordering them would just me quicker.
If I can get 4 years out of them again I guess it's ok.
Any other advice is much appreciated!

 

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...2169af-266115/

 

THREE years? Well that makes me glad mine have lasted this long.
Or perhaps....I don't drive mine as much as you. I remember when I
replaced them, it did not seem like much work.

 

When ordering, try Amazon, as well as Rock Auto. Look for MEHLE instead of URO. On my 2001, I bought URO for one side and MEHLE to the other: MEHLE was better. First off, though, I rebuilt the original with neoprene (search forum for BFH fix; a post from Old Mike ten years ago); in cold weather the neoprene got hard and banged -- thus, to URO and MEHLE when they became available. Having lived in the Kanto Plain, years ago, it gets cold . . . when I was there, in 1982, bought a '73 BMW 2500 from a Yakuza . . . and took it home to the States.

 

Hi Jim,

I assume you are referring to the Meyle mounts? PartsGeek show they have them:




Cheers,

Don

 

The replacements should get here next week.
As far as I remember the steps for replacement should be?Steps for replacing the front upper shock mounts (with CATS, Adaptive Control):

1. Raise the car just about so that the tires touch the floor

2. Undo the CATS connector plug

3. Put an Allen key inside the retainer nut and wrench off the top shock shaft nut

4. Wrench off the 10mm bolts holding the mount

5. Pull off the mount

6. Put on the new mount

7. Tighten the top shaft bolt

8. Tighten the 10mm bolts holding the mount

9. Lower the car

 

So you're not tightening the top nut against the spring pressure, it's better to drop the car on stands and then jack the hub up slowly so the tube pokes up through the shock plate, then the top nut can be tightened by hand, then torqued up. If the clonking is still there after fitting new bushes, it could be engine mounts.