Might I make one additional observation- I performed the replacement of the upper/lower ball joints, upper control arm bushings and the shocks over the weekend and found one issue the took approximately 2 hours to overcome. When I put everything back together I could not seem to get the upper control arm to line up with the upper ball joint to bolt it up. There were two bumpers keeping that from happening. I tried everything. Finally I went to the local parts store and rented a spring compressor and compressed the spring to the point where it lined the control arm up with the ball joint. The other side of the the vehicle went much quicker with that little tidbit of knowledge. Hope this helps someone else out there trying to tackle this repair. Other than that I would definitely recommend doing this repair on your Jaguar? Saved me $1,000.

 

I dont remember having that problem. However my car was on a lift and the wheel assembly was on a trans jack so maybe I used the trans jack to lift the assembly into place so the holes lined up on that top ball joint.

 

This sounds like a really good "trick" to tame the spring during suspension disassembly!

I'm getting ready to replace all the rubber bits in the front end, and having bought the lower control arm bushings along with everything else, I'm determined to get them replaced too, while everything's apart.

Question: do the four threaded rods need to be any particular size or thread? Do they actually thread into the spring pan, or just pass through a hole in it? (I admit I am not feeling inclined to go under the car and look as it's rainy and blustery lately, and the hardware store sounds much more inviting).

Thanks for your advice!
Andrew.

 

First off, you need to be very, very, careful if you release these springs, they are very powerful and can cause serious injury if released unbounded. The four long bolts you refer to, screw into the lower wishbone via the spring pan. These bolts have to replace the existing ones that secure the spring pan to the wishbone. However the correct Jaguar spring release tool goes through the middle of the spring and is secured at the top of the spring tower.

Frankly, if you are unsure what to do, don't do it ! However, if you can get somebody who has done the job before to be alongside you and take you through it, then you might try. You can, of course, replace upper and lower ball joints without releasing the spring. Essentially you take the full car weight onto the spring pan, (and lower wishbone it fixes to), via a jack or stand. This keeps the spring compressed, and then allows the upper and lower ball joints to be removed and replaced. You can also replace the upper wishbone Slipflex bushes too at the same time if they are seized up, and they usually are !

Replacing the lower wishbone inner bushes cannot be done without removing the spring, basically. You may manage this with the 4-bolt trick, but I have no experience of such a method. Main problem with the lower inner bushes is removing the long through bolt. It rusts itself into position and is difficult/impossible to remove without taking the whole subframe off. Needless to say, it was assembled by Jaguar with the subframe off !!

 

Fraser, I appreciate your concern, which is well-founded. Springs can be very dangerous.

Doug's post gives me the impression that, if done carefully, this method might be a safe means of lowering the seat and relieving tension. My intention here is to solicit clearer and more detailed instructions so that I AM sure what to do. Considering the wealth of information on this forum and in its members, I'm hoping that someone who has done this before will chime in.

Be assured, I have no intention of proceeding with lower bushings until I am absolutely sure I can do them safely.

So it seems the way to proceed would be: to remove and gauge one of the spring pan bolts in order to know what size threaded rod to purchase, and then replace one bolt at a time with rod, bolts and washer. Additional details and tips appreciated.

Suggestion on how to remove the often–stubborn lower wishbone pivot bolt?

Thanks,
Andrew.

 

Here are some pics.

Welcome to Jag-lovers - Members Photo Viewing Page

This method works fine. And reinstallation is easy because the rods acts as positioning guides to locate the spring pan correctly

You can also use the threaded-rod-inside-the-spring method, which basically duplicates the factory compressor tool....but IMHO there's no particular advantage in effort or safety by doing so.

Cheers
DD

 

If Doug says it's OK then it will be, as he has to be the most experienced poster on this forum on these XJ saloons. As for the bolt sizes, they will be UNF, but diameter, I'm not sure of, it's probably 3/8", or 7/16". You can loosen one off, and get a caliper gauge on it. These four short bolts have to take the spring tension for years on end, so I am fairly certain they will be a high-grade bolt, not common mild steel. Of course the very long bolts to remove the spring will only be used a few times so don't have to be particularly high grade, just well lubed when removing and replacing. I suspect Jaguar developed the expensive spring tool for its dealer mechanics to shorten the labour time to swap over a set of springs. It will take ages using four long studs.

Doug hasn't mentioned removing the lower wishbone fulcrum bolt. It has always been my understanding that this is a difficult job due to corrosion and access for hammers.

PS: You might find one or two springs are broken about 1-1.5" near the bottom end of the coil

 

Too many bad memories of toil and misery......I must've subconciously avoided saying anything

At minimum it'll require swearing and pounding....after undoing the steering rack mounts so the rack can be repositioned for clearance.

In extreme cases it'll have to cut off with a Sawz-all and replaced with a new bolt.

Cheers
DD

 

Thanks again for the good advice, guys. I'll try to remember to let you know how it goes.
Andrew.

 

So the first (passenger) side went flawlessly – I now have new upper and lower ball joints, new upper (and lower) control arm bushings, new tie rod end, new sway link bushings. I took the time to clean and de-rust and repaint things and to replace hardware where I could, and everything is solid and tidy.

Now I'm halfway through the other (driver's) side, and I find after taking almost everything apart, including lowering the spring, that I cannot fully withdraw the lower fulcrum bolt. I was lucky in that both bolts slide with very little persuasion, but this one on the drivers side only comes out about three quarters of the way, before it fouls on the catalytic converter.

Has anyone seen this problem? I haven't noticed the catalyst mentioned as a problem before, as an obstacle to surmount or even as an item to move in the course of doing this work. Am I missing something obvious? The catalyst bolts are so well rusted to the exhaust and the exhaust manifold that, if removing the catalyst is the only solution for getting the bolt out, I think I will just leave the old bushings in place! Can anyone help?

Thanks, Andrew.

 

Having got this far, I would persevere, because you're very lucky the lower fulcrum bolts are not rusted on. So it seems the Gods want you to succeed !
Clearly the instructions were written before these damn catalyst thingys were put onto the car. Can't you release the exhaust manifolds at the head ports and raise the assembly up/out a bit ? Yes, I know the lower nuts are hard to get at, but it means you don't have to attack the rusted bolts you mention.

PS: were the springs OK ?

 

I am replacing my lower control arms on both side of the front. I started tonight but stopped when the lower ball joint bolt would not come out. Is it threaded into the hole or will it pop out? I took the nut off but I did not want to mushroom the end? Thanks

 

I don't recall it, no. But it's been years since I did lower bushings so I might've forgotten. I'm doing a set on a Ser III this weekend, though....so we'll see waht happens.

I agree with Fraser. You've come this far. Do what's needed to finish off the job. You'll kick yourself later if you don't.

Cheers
DD

 

The ball joint stem is a taper-fit in the hole. You need a ball joint separator...either the pickle fork type or the expanding jaw type.

Or....

Do you have a big sledge hammer?

If you can whack the area of the upright *right in the area of the hole where the ball joint stem fits* you can often break the grip of the taper fit and the stem will pop free. It might take several big whacks...and it won't work at all unless you can really get a good, direct hit.

No matter what method you should install the ball joint nut a few turns so that everything doesn't fly apart when the stem breaks free

Cheers
DD

 

So the new suspension bushings and everything are in on both sides, top and bottom control arms.

Thanks again for the encouragement, Fraser and Doug. Fraser, your suggestion of dropping the exhaust manifolds was great. Problem was, I couldn't reach the bolts on the underside of the manifolds. In the end, what worked was to fight (and beat) the rusty bolts on either end of the catalyst, and remove it entirely to do the work. At first I thought I could lower it still connected to the rest of the exhaust, but the 3-D puzzle of the steering rack the catalyst and the fulcrum bolt couldn't be solved that way.

I REALLY REALLY do not care for that steering rack. Could have been the bushings I bought, but that thing fought me every step of the way.

The four threaded rods method for lowering the spring worked perfectly. It was quite tedious, as you pointed out, Fraser, but quite safe I think, as long as the spring was lowered evenly. I used grade 8 threaded rod and nuts, and kept everything oiled. By the way, the springs were not broken, just a bit rusty. I cleaned, derusted and repainted them along with the spring pan.

The car feels quite a bit tighter, particularly steering response, but still tramlines like crazy on grooved highway, which I am chalking up to the 13-year-old Michelins now on the car. Those will be replaced in the next months, and along with an alignment, I expect good things.

Doug, how did your similar work go this weekend? Did you pull the converter ahead of the fulcrum bolt?

 

Lostwagon, when I changed my ball joints, I used an expanding-jaw ball joint separator from Harbor Freight (http://harborfreight.com/3-4-quarter...tor-99849.html) instead of a pickle fork. It was almost like magic. Worked every time, very quickly and dependably. For my money (15 or 20 bucks) there is not a better way to split ball joints or tie rod ends without damage. I'm never going back to a pickle fork!

Andrew.

 

About as expected

All was easy until it came to the big fulcrum bolt.

What happened was this: The front position bushing was virtually coming apart and the rubber had separated from the inner metal sleeve. The metal sleeve was well and truly rusted to the big fulcrum bolt....so the fulcrum bolt couldn't be drifted thru the subframe. I tried chiseling the sleeve off to no avail.

By now the end of the fulcrum bolt was pretty well ruined from all the pounding....so I cut the fulcrum bolt on both ends, very close to where it goes into the subframe. Even then considerable pounding was required to drift it loose.

So....new fulcrum bolt on the way !

No interference with cat convertor but on this car the original cat converter was replaced with an aftermarket unit which looks to be smaller than the original

Cheers
DD

 

Amen.

However, the jaw type I have wouldn't work on the Jag, darn it. I simply couldn't get it into a position where it would work. I looked at the HB separator and it looks to be a more usable/flexible size and shape than mine

Cheers
DD

 

Gentlemen you are all heroes !!

Having worked on an XJ6 in the late 80s and early 90s, I know "what it is like". I never replaced the inner lower fulcrum bushes, but I do remember replacing everything else, and how much better the car felt on the road afterwards. I have to say I never got any tramlining, but always had British tyres fitted, Avons, I think. 205/70 VR 15 they were. Here in the UK one can still get the right tyres, but I'm not sure about the US. Dunlop developed their tyre specifically for the 1968 XJ6, I remember reading all about it.

 

Some memories linger on, huh ?

The lower bushings are a big job no matter how you slice it, even if the job goes reasonably well. I just resign myself, at the very beginning, that it's gonna be a dirty, heavy task.....but knowing it all get done, eventually. No point in letting the car beat me up, mentally or physically

Cheers
DD