Replaced Lower Shock Bushings....WOW
#1
![Default](/forum/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Hello all,
I know there are a few threads(many?) on the lower shock bushings. I wanted to relay what symptoms I had and what I looked for.
I have had a knock/rattle from the front end since I don't know when. I had the end links replaced under warranty some years ago at 60k miles(the car now has 89k). When I had the lower ball joints replaced 8 months ago the mechanic said the end links were bad and needed replacing and everything else looked great. Needless to say I have taken way too long to address something that has been driving me nuts.
SO, I put the car up on jackstands and removed the wheels as I have mentioned in other posts to see this...
![](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/attachments/xj-xj8-xjr-x308-27/86405-replaced-lower-shock-bushings-wow-887e55ca-96e8-445c-9baa-9e49c91b41e7.jpg?dateline=1401654849)
Wow, I cant believe what I see. So I ordered new bushing from Patrick Jaguar and get them the next day.
After seeing this thread https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...estion-117507/
I make my own "press". It worked like a charm. Just as an FYI the above photo is with the wheel removed and the car on a jackstand. If you were to look at the shock under normal compression/ride height, you would not see any reason to replace it as you would not see any void.
This is what a new bushing and the old one looked like..
![](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/attachments/xj-xj8-xjr-x308-27/86406-replaced-lower-shock-bushings-wow-47b21871-d3c7-49a0-bb41-4c36583fe1ca.jpg?dateline=1401654849)
It took about a 1/2 hour to replace each one on the car. I also checked the sway bar links. They are fine.
This is what a new one look like under the same condition(essentially being the limiter of the spring and suspension)..It looks worse than it is because I had to put a light behind it to show there is still more deflection than I would like but must be there for some comfort factor..
![](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/attachments/xj-xj8-xjr-x308-27/86407-replaced-lower-shock-bushings-wow-5fe33cfa-3b3a-4ed1-b2e2-d52f3e48eaf2.jpg?dateline=1401654849)
Once it was back together, I am in AWE how much of a difference it made. NO MORE NOISE!!
Too the handling has improved quite a bit. If you have not done it yet, I know a lot of you already have, take a look at yours. This was an easy and cheap repair that made a world of difference($33 including the "customer puller/press". ![Smile](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Chris
I know there are a few threads(many?) on the lower shock bushings. I wanted to relay what symptoms I had and what I looked for.
I have had a knock/rattle from the front end since I don't know when. I had the end links replaced under warranty some years ago at 60k miles(the car now has 89k). When I had the lower ball joints replaced 8 months ago the mechanic said the end links were bad and needed replacing and everything else looked great. Needless to say I have taken way too long to address something that has been driving me nuts.
SO, I put the car up on jackstands and removed the wheels as I have mentioned in other posts to see this...
![](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/attachments/xj-xj8-xjr-x308-27/86405-replaced-lower-shock-bushings-wow-887e55ca-96e8-445c-9baa-9e49c91b41e7.jpg?dateline=1401654849)
Wow, I cant believe what I see. So I ordered new bushing from Patrick Jaguar and get them the next day.
After seeing this thread https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...estion-117507/
I make my own "press". It worked like a charm. Just as an FYI the above photo is with the wheel removed and the car on a jackstand. If you were to look at the shock under normal compression/ride height, you would not see any reason to replace it as you would not see any void.
This is what a new bushing and the old one looked like..
![](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/attachments/xj-xj8-xjr-x308-27/86406-replaced-lower-shock-bushings-wow-47b21871-d3c7-49a0-bb41-4c36583fe1ca.jpg?dateline=1401654849)
It took about a 1/2 hour to replace each one on the car. I also checked the sway bar links. They are fine.
This is what a new one look like under the same condition(essentially being the limiter of the spring and suspension)..It looks worse than it is because I had to put a light behind it to show there is still more deflection than I would like but must be there for some comfort factor..
![](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/attachments/xj-xj8-xjr-x308-27/86407-replaced-lower-shock-bushings-wow-5fe33cfa-3b3a-4ed1-b2e2-d52f3e48eaf2.jpg?dateline=1401654849)
Once it was back together, I am in AWE how much of a difference it made. NO MORE NOISE!!
![Smile](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif)
![Smile](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Chris
Last edited by Badbenz94; 06-01-2014 at 08:08 PM. Reason: Added additional explanation
The following 5 users liked this post by Badbenz94:
DJ-Roy (06-01-2014),
Graham Royls (06-02-2014),
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Porsche407 (06-02-2014)
#2
#3
![Default](/forum/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Hello all,
I know there are a few threads(many?) on the lower shock bushings. I wanted to relay what symptoms I had and what I looked for.
I have had a knock/rattle from the front end since I don't know when. I had the end links replaced under warranty some years ago at 60k miles(the car now has 89k). When I had the lower ball joints replaced 8 months ago the mechanic said the end links were bad and needed replacing and everything else looked great. Needless to say I have taken way too long to address something that has been driving me nuts.
SO, I put the car up on jackstands and removed the wheels as I have mentioned in other posts to see this...
![](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/attachments/xj-xj8-xjr-x308-27/86405-replaced-lower-shock-bushings-wow-887e55ca-96e8-445c-9baa-9e49c91b41e7.jpg?dateline=1401654849)
Wow, I cant believe what I see. So I ordered new bushing from Patrick Jaguar and get them the next day.
After seeing this thread https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...estion-117507/
I make my own "press". It worked like a charm. Just as an FYI the above photo is with the wheel removed and the car on a jackstand. If you were to look at the shock under normal compression/ride height, you would not see any reason to replace it as you would not see any void.
This is what a new bushing and the old one looked like..
![](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/attachments/xj-xj8-xjr-x308-27/86406-replaced-lower-shock-bushings-wow-47b21871-d3c7-49a0-bb41-4c36583fe1ca.jpg?dateline=1401654849)
It took about a 1/2 hour to replace each one on the car. I also checked the sway bar links. They are fine.
This is what a new one look like under the same condition(essentially being the limiter of the spring and suspension)..It looks worse than it is because I had to put a light behind it to show there is still more deflection than I would like but must be there for some comfort factor..
![](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/attachments/xj-xj8-xjr-x308-27/86407-replaced-lower-shock-bushings-wow-5fe33cfa-3b3a-4ed1-b2e2-d52f3e48eaf2.jpg?dateline=1401654849)
Once it was back together, I am in AWE how much of a difference it made. NO MORE NOISE!!
Too the handling has improved quite a bit. If you have not done it yet, I know a lot of you already have, take a look at yours. This was an easy and cheap repair that made a world of difference($33 including the "customer puller/press". ![Smile](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Chris
I know there are a few threads(many?) on the lower shock bushings. I wanted to relay what symptoms I had and what I looked for.
I have had a knock/rattle from the front end since I don't know when. I had the end links replaced under warranty some years ago at 60k miles(the car now has 89k). When I had the lower ball joints replaced 8 months ago the mechanic said the end links were bad and needed replacing and everything else looked great. Needless to say I have taken way too long to address something that has been driving me nuts.
SO, I put the car up on jackstands and removed the wheels as I have mentioned in other posts to see this...
![](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/attachments/xj-xj8-xjr-x308-27/86405-replaced-lower-shock-bushings-wow-887e55ca-96e8-445c-9baa-9e49c91b41e7.jpg?dateline=1401654849)
Wow, I cant believe what I see. So I ordered new bushing from Patrick Jaguar and get them the next day.
After seeing this thread https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...estion-117507/
I make my own "press". It worked like a charm. Just as an FYI the above photo is with the wheel removed and the car on a jackstand. If you were to look at the shock under normal compression/ride height, you would not see any reason to replace it as you would not see any void.
This is what a new bushing and the old one looked like..
![](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/attachments/xj-xj8-xjr-x308-27/86406-replaced-lower-shock-bushings-wow-47b21871-d3c7-49a0-bb41-4c36583fe1ca.jpg?dateline=1401654849)
It took about a 1/2 hour to replace each one on the car. I also checked the sway bar links. They are fine.
This is what a new one look like under the same condition(essentially being the limiter of the spring and suspension)..It looks worse than it is because I had to put a light behind it to show there is still more deflection than I would like but must be there for some comfort factor..
![](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/attachments/xj-xj8-xjr-x308-27/86407-replaced-lower-shock-bushings-wow-5fe33cfa-3b3a-4ed1-b2e2-d52f3e48eaf2.jpg?dateline=1401654849)
Once it was back together, I am in AWE how much of a difference it made. NO MORE NOISE!!
![Smile](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif)
![Smile](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Chris
#4
![Default](/forum/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Here you go! I can't take credit for this novel idea, I did link where I stole someone else's idea.
![Smile](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Here is all I grabbed, a 5" and 6 1/2" 3/8 bolt(you will need the longer bolt for pressing in the new bushing), two large washers and a nut. I used a 12pt 27MM Craftsman socket(I think if it were a 6 point, the bushing may go in and never come out lol) and a 18mm Craftsman socket.
![](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/attachments/xj-xj8-xjr-x308-27/86622-replaced-lower-shock-bushings-wow-fed1091c-4ac9-4f3f-9c9b-4d9f77cacc44.jpg?dateline=1401717766)
![](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/attachments/xj-xj8-xjr-x308-27/86623-replaced-lower-shock-bushings-wow-c8e73107-1c97-4e48-bde6-1675edc76e4d.jpg?dateline=1401717766)
As you can see them "assembled and not". The large socket is going to fit around the opening of the shock and be the receiver of the old bushing, while the smaller socket will be used to press out and press in the new bushing and will fit inside the opening of the shock. I lubed up the new bushing before pressing it in, and it slid in very nicely.
Hope this helps!! If Im not clear please ask.
Too, while the shock is in the loaded position, thats when its best to break the bolts loose as one bolt semi froze in the bushing. Then place your jack under the control arm and raise it to "unload" the shock and sway bar and it all comes apart very easily.
Good luck!! You will love the results!!
![Smile](https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Chris
#5
![Default](/forum/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Hello all,
I know there are a few threads(many?) on the lower shock bushings. I wanted to relay what symptoms I had and what I looked for.
I have had a knock/rattle from the front end since I don't know when. I had the end links replaced under warranty some years ago at 60k miles(the car now has 89k). When I had the lower ball joints replaced 8 months ago the mechanic said the end links were bad and needed replacing and everything else looked great. Needless to say I have taken way too long to address something that has been driving me nuts.
Chris
I know there are a few threads(many?) on the lower shock bushings. I wanted to relay what symptoms I had and what I looked for.
I have had a knock/rattle from the front end since I don't know when. I had the end links replaced under warranty some years ago at 60k miles(the car now has 89k). When I had the lower ball joints replaced 8 months ago the mechanic said the end links were bad and needed replacing and everything else looked great. Needless to say I have taken way too long to address something that has been driving me nuts.
Chris
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