I would like to start the project next Saturday (July 30th). That way I can possibly get done in time to leave for the beach Monday night.

If it can't work out that's ok. I can do the project another time. If I wait until the weather cools down I can just put the car on stands and work here and there after work while I use my E30 for a daily driver. It runs great, but the A/C is not so good and I have to wear a shirt and tie to work.

 

Vacation is here!!

As of five O'clock today I am officially on vacation until August 8th! Very exciting....

Thanks to my new best friend dwgates I received a very sturdy looking homemade set of spring compressors in the mail this past Thursday. I plan to re-do the suspension AND go to the beach, I'm going to have it all!

I plan to take the car apart over the weekend, spend a few days during the middle of the week at the beach, and come back at the end of the week and put it all back together. I would like to have it done in time to schedule an alignment on Friday.

 

I am off to a slow start. It appears I need a T60 Torx bit and no one locally has one. Something else to order and wait for... That is my chief lament with this car, I am always waiting for something in the mail because NOTHING is available locally for a Jaguar. Ok, this is not a Jaguar specific tool, but it is true that most of the gaskets and various parts that I need have to be ordered.

Plus, it seems it will be a bit of a challenge getting the car far enough off the ground for the spring compressors. My jack stands are tall enough, but I usually use a bottle jack to raise the car so there's room enough at the jacking point to slide in the jack stand. If I use my floor jack it doesn't leave room for the jack stand. The bottle jack didn't go high enough, so I'll have to put some wood underneath the jack and try again.

dwgates sent some very detailed instructions on using the compressor. I want to say how much I appreciate the time it took him to draw out diagrams of how to use the tool, and written directions as well. Very generous.

It seems the compressor works very differently than I suspected. Just the little dowel holds the top of the spring assembly and ALL of the washers etc. go underneath the assembly just above the nut. I envisioned half going above the spring and half going under, I completely misunderstood.

 

Yep, its just that top piece in the thread the holds it to the tower in the cradle and the rest goes under the spring cup.
You can get a set of 1/2" Torx sockets from Harbor Freight.