As I wait on parts from Rockauto, and others, Im getting a head start on removing parts. The drivers side came apart fairly easily after some PB Blaster and a breaker bar. Using a floor jack, under the control arm, helped the process of slipping the shock out. It appears the upper mounts have been replaced before based on manufacture dates. The drivers side says 9/16, and wasnt in horrible shape, but, its getting replaced. The passenger side says 5/14, and looks blown out. Might be the rattle source. The beehive bumpers are toast also, and being replaced.. Sway links have wear, and will get replaced. So far, no surprises. I am a little miffed about every nut and bolt being a different size. Somebody was drinking. I opted for the sport shocks, front and rear, and parts will be arriving this weekend. I will keep posting to this thread.

 

Passenger side apart now. Not too bad. The shock rod kept spinning, but, some clamps on the top took care of it. I might as well replace the sway bushes too. Heck, its already hanging. I will tackle the rear after I get the front back together. I will need my jacks!

 

I like the shocks on my 03 Sport. Not the most cushy ride but it corners like it's on a rail. Especially for the size of the car.
Good choice in my opinion.
If I wanted cushy I'd by a Cadillac or Buick. My Bonneville SLE had a nice cushy self adjusting air ride but didn't corner near as well.

 

Here is something interesting. The front and rear shocks came yesterday, along with front upper mounts. When I opened the shocks, I noticed the fronts were black, and the rears were green. I was under the impression that the "sport" shocks were all green. I, initially, thought that Rockauto sent the wrong front shocks, or, I ordered the wrong ones. I went back to their site and double checked. The site lists the xxx740 as Sport fronts. They are black. The xxx733 are Sport rears. They are green. Then I checked Bilsteins site. Low and behold, they list it the same way. Weird. Why black on the front, and green on the rear? Seems easier to make them the same color. From Bilstein:

 

Well, lookey here. Seems as if the "sport" shocks were already on the front of this car. I could not find anything about shock replacement in the history I have of it for the last 7 years. However, the rear absorboers are black, not green. The bushings are in horrible shape (probably source 2 and 3 of rattles), and the upper coil isolators are junk. This leads me to believe the fronts had been replaced at sometime with "sports", and the rears are original.

 

Rear shock bushing

 

Alright! Got the upper absorber mounts, front absorbers, anti-roll bar links, beehive stoppers, gaiters, and anti-roll bushings installed. Pretty straight forward. 4 good jack stands, a scissor jack, a floor jack, and a solid breakfast are required! It was tough compressing the absorbers and hurrying to get the bottom bolt in, while keep the top aligned. Took about an hour. Now the rears.

 

Here's a quote for replacing shocks from my local independent import specialist. This doesn't include the front upper mounting plates that I'd already replaced.

Front struts - Parts: $541.24, Labor: $492.00, Taxes and supplies: $123.99 - Total: $1,157.23
Rear Struts - Parts: $456.00, Labor: $984.00, Taxes and supplies: $127.80 - Total: $1,612.80

I had the car in for road force balancing the tires. The front shocks work fine and don't need replacing, rears did need new isolator donuts and bushes.

Their hourly rate is $135/hour but I can't see any way that they could justify that labor charge for the fronts. They mentioned pulling carpets and interior to do the rears. Didn't inspire confidence that they knew what they were doing and left me thinking this isn't a company I'll be using any time soon.

I'm guessing you replaced the fronts for about a quarter of this price plus the hours work. I was able to do the rears in about 5 hours for about $300 following instructions from this site - that scissor jack step makes all the difference.

 

So, I think, the total cost on all the front parts listed was about $600, and a couple hours of labor. I know the rears will be more difficult, but, parts for the rear was about $400. Rear absorbers and donuts.

 

Maybe you have already done it, but the rubber gaiter should be pushed up into the socket. Maybe a bit of silicone adhesive to hold it there.
The gator protects the rod in that position.

 

Thank you!

 

Whew! Not gonna lie. Getting the rear absorber, and spring, out was tough. The scissor jack method helps, to a point. I found the small yellow bushing to be completely missing. The other was falling apart. The coil spring isolator/donut is in terrible condition. The lower absorber bushings are destroyed. Made the right decision to replace everything here.

 

Well, not horrible, but, not easy either. Got one side in. A bit difficult to get top plate into position, then "screw" coil spring up into place. It would have been easier from a lift, with a second person hanging off the control arm, for sure. Got the lower part of spring clocked into correct position. Reattached brake caliper after sanding the pads a little. How does it look?

 

Wow. Those were in horrible condition. Good job gettin' 'er fixed up. I need to have a closer look at mine but initial quick inspection looked pretty good on my '03 Sport.
Still, it will be good to have this write up on your repair as an aid on what to look for come spring here.
Much appreciated. Thanks for the detailed write up w/pics.

 

Pretty bad shape. Now I have to do the other side, and not looking forward to it. I had all four wheels rebalanced yesterday too. Trying to get it all fixed up for my wife when she comes home at Thanksgiving.

 

I hated every minute of this. Lol. Tough job without a lift. I finished the rears. I realized, when I got up this morning, I put the bushings on wrong. So, I pulled out the rear assembly, put the top bushing on correctly, and put it back together. Then the other side.

The bolt that held the absorber thru the control arm was completely seized. Basically rusted together. I heated it, I banged on it, I air gunned it. Finally got it to spin, but it would not come out. I beat on it with a hammer, mushrooming the end of it, until it moved. Then with a sawzall, cut it off and pounded it through the other way. Found a bolt at the hardware store, and reassembled.

A few things to remember:
Dont forget to hook back up ABS sensors
Dont forget the brake pad retaining springs
Dont forget to remove wedge, and tighten subframe bolts.
Start car, pump brakes a few times to reseat pads.

Here are some pics of the other side, and correctly assembled rear mount. Now door handle gaskets...ugh

 

I'm going to assume this car has been driven in salt most of it's life because my 03 with well over 100,000 miles has none of this decay and appears ready for another 100,000. With winter right around the corner here in Iowa and having just settled a lawsuit after being in a semi rollover after a cager pulled out in front of me on a 4 lane hiway almost 3 years ago, I'll be buying a 4wd or awd vehicle in the next week or 2 and parking the Jag for the winter along side my Harley like it obviously has been it's whole life and avoiding this decay.

 

Actually, No. Spent first 13 years of its life in Southern Cali. The second owner lives in Indy, but only drove it in the summer. 7000 miles over 7 years. So, no salt.

 

I did the fronts myself for like $200, the bushing plus plates cost next to nothing and I got 2 apx $75 sensens from China. I paid the mechanic to do the backs because it’s a little more dangerous and he charged me about $500 parts and labor for bilsteins.

 

Very reasonable!