Hi forum, i have been working on my jag for a year now, prior to that i didn't have any mechanic experience, even though im quite handy more or less
i did rebuild entire cooling system, all gaskets, entire fuel delivery, ignition, rewired injector harness, replaced each and every sensor, basically everything around engine has been replaced. However i never worked on the suspension and was just wondering, can i do it myself in the garage (i have jack, jack stands , but dont have any specific suspension tools. )
i know i better drop subframe by holding the engine with a special bar, sounds a bit scary also removing springs is not a walk in the park job. But other than that, i dont know what to expect.

i have around 2 hours/day and more on weekends. Yes, i do have a mechanic who can do it(and money is not an issue), but so far my jag didnt ever seen a professional mechanic and i would prefer keep it that way, unless you say its not worth it.

What do you say?

 

I would start by seeing how much needs to be done. While you could do everything just on principle, you might not need to. So put the car up on stands, take the wheels off, and have a look. I was lucky in that my subframe bushings, lower control arm bushings, and springs were all in good shape. Those are the hardest to do.
The rest of it is just nuts and bolts.

 

i have been under the car entire year, i can say that everything is just gone! literally every bushing is good bye, you can feel it on the road even more, every small hump hits hard, steering shaking like crazy, car is scary to drive, my mechanic drove the car today for a test drive and confirmed without seeing underneath that suspension doesnt exist.

car has 70k miles, its uk car, but was parked last 10+ years

steering rack is leaking, bump stop is wobbling inside coil completely broken in pieces.

So yes, everything should come off and replaced, probably brakes as well.

 

There was a first time for all of us.

This is ugly, dirty, grunt labor work. And dangerous, in some respects. But....the Jag suspension isn't really any more challenging than others. Easier, in some respects. Not a bad car to learn on, IMO.

Ideally you'd have a pal experienced with suspension work to look over your shoulder, or swing by if you get stuck on something. But the internet can be your pal, too.

How's your tool selection? You might need to buy some things

Cheers
DD

 

Thanks got it! Should i better drop a subframe or replace everything keeping it in?
I have more then enough tools, i might miss some heavy duty extensions to work on bigger bolts, like brake bar and some other big tools, but apart from that i have everything (i suppose)

 

It is a pretty tough job for a novice, but can be done. Biggest issues are if the lower fulcrum shafts are seized and compressing/releasing the coil springs safely. If you plan on doing it yourself, acquire the parts beforehand, and plan on removing the front suspension complete. The specialty tools you will need include the engine support bar (available on Amazon at a reasonable price), a Sawzall with good metal cutting blades (for dealing with the lower fulcrum), and the correct spring compressor (or facsimile).
Parts you will need will be- upper and lower ball joints, upper and lower control arm bushings, lower fulcrum shafts (used ok), shocks, subframe mounts, sway bar cushions, and link bushings. And a remanufactured rack and pinion, and probably power steering hoses. You may want to be prepared to find a used subframe as they are prone to rust out. Also, the steering column intermediate shafts can stiffen up, good used are ok.
David Bogner at Everydayxj is a good source for the used parts in the US. Follow the factory service manual for order of disassembly. I have done my ‘88 which was rust free; still one fulcrum was seized. I have a ton and lifetime of auto repair, and I wouldn’t consider it overly hard to do.

 

Thank you!
I have sawzall, will need to buy a spring compressor (can you advise on what you mean by "correct", last thing i want is this thing shoot into my face)
i found almost all bushing and joints needes, as well as shocks and etc, thank you for giving a hint on lower fulcrum, didnt think of that.
used subframe is not an option, im from Cyprus, no way there is one waiting for me, so i will have to keep as much as i can.

 

It's actually not that hard to do alone, I did mine alone.
I had an advantage of having done it before with help, but still.....
See here:

All these major suspension components, front and rear, are the same for all Jags of this era; my Xj6 is the same as your Xjs.

The only thing I didn't specifically mention in that post is don't use impact tools on the spring compressor! It will take longer to use a socket and ratchet but there's far less chance for disaster.

And, when jacking the car, place the jack stands under the rear shock mounts to support the cage. Otherwise, that several hundred pounds is only suspended on 4 rubber bushings, which are intended to be under Compression not Tension as they would be if one put stands only under the body jacking points.

Working alone the job took me about 4 months beginning in February, and I was back on the road in May. I was working my regular duties also during that time.

Another thing, do Not tighten the fulcrum bolts until you have set the car on the ground obviously, but also, DRIVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK (preferably over a speed bump) to settle the suspension. Such a short drive won't damage anything. When you do that, you'll see the front drop about 2 inches before your very eyes. At that time the fulcrum bushings are in their correct positions, and if they're good quality, will last a few more decades.

Then, with the car still on the ground, tighten the fulcrum bolts to their specified torque.
As you're accustomed to twirling wrenches already, you'll do fine.
(';')

 

Mouserider
I would proceed as follows for the springs

1. get the vehicle well off the ground, eithr on a ramp, or on secure stands uder the front jacking points with the rear wheels on proper indented wooden squares stands, so the car cannot roll.
2. remove front wheels
3. remove brake calipers (use rattle gun on the bolts as they will be tight)
4. remove shock absorbers
5. remove hubs
6. undo anti roll bar drop link from the lower wishbone
7. undo the steering rack end balljoint from the steering arm
8. Now you have the wishbones and the upright with the stub axle on it and nothing else. All this work just needs an A/F socket set and a bit of work. take photos of everything before undoing each stage and carefully box and label everything you undo separately.
9. The bottom wishbone has a pan that supports the bottom of the spring, and this pan is held to the wishbone by 6 bolts.
10. four of these bolts go directly into the wishbone, two at the hub end, go through the wishbone and fix the shock absorber bracket as well.
11. The wishbone will be at full droop at this point. To safely undo the spring I advise either: 1) buy or make a strong compressor, a forum search will show you how people have made one; or 2) proceed as follows:
12. buy four 30cm lengths of 3/8ths UNF threaded rod, plus nuts to fit. You will need these anyway even if you have a compressor, as otherewise when refitting the pan it is impossible to get the pan in the correct place to refit the fixing bolts.
13. jack the full droop wishbone up a bit so the spring is more straight, rather than being bowed.
14. ONE AT A TIME undo each of the inner four spring pan bolts and replace it with the threaded rod WITH A NUT ON THE ROD up to the spring pan, so in effect the rods plus nut replaces the bolt you have removed.
15. remove the nuts from the outer two bolts. Now the spring pan is being held in place by the four threaded rods plus nuts.
16. SLOWLY undo each nut a few turns at a time so the spring pan gradually lowers off the wishbone and decompresses the spring.
17. Job done. You can now chnage the top wishbone bushes the ball joints safely.
18. In addition you can now easily chnage any other worn parts, brake calipers, discs, stub axles if they show wear indentations under the bearings, wheel bearings etc. Quite honestly, if funds allow it is worth renewing everything!

The bottom wishbone bushes can be a royal pain. Post a photo of them to get everyone's opinion before proceding is my best advice. They may be perfectly OK; but if not, changing them will be the subject of a separate missive! In which case it should be done before the springs are refitted. MOST important is that you must fit genuine metalastik bushes; any other type will last weeks not months if you drive the car as intended!
Again, we can help you find the correct bushes as they are becoming rarer.
Some parts diagrams
https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.../brand/jaguar/
some more
https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.../brand/jaguar/

and some photos

This photo show the four rod method as well as the central spring compressor in place.

Four rods on their own

 

thanks a lot, but I guess you describing method without removing subframe?

 

thanks! I see you removed the subframe to do that job, do I need to take steering pump out first or not? I don’t really see anything that needs to be disconnected except calipers

 

I haven't done my car yet, but i have all the correct bushings in hand, including all four frame to subframe mounts. the PO installed urethane bushing which are disintegrating, dunno if its because of the urethane, or they weren't tightened as LrnB suggested

My thought is it is best to remove the subframe unless you have a two post lift as pictured in Gregs post. Unless you are young and like working on your back for most of all that if no two post lift.

Plus having the complete subframe out means you can clean, de-grease, and paint everything and make it all pretty.



Doug

 

IMO it is best to remove the springs and other bits as I mentioned in my earlier post before removing the subframe. The subframe only needs to come out if the bottom wishbone bushes need replacing. If they do, then the subframe, minus all the front wheel stuff is far easier to remove.
As, if it does have to come out, you need to support the engine with a bar, I suggest, as I mentioned earlier that is considered as a separate stage.

 

I dropped the whole frame because I needed room and space to work around it. It was Much easier on the table than to try working under the car.

If the bushings aren't properly settled before torquing they might last as long as 3 years before disintigrating.



These bushings were 5 years old but had been clunking for 2 years at least. Not Metalastik either though.


This is the trash that came out.

As Greg mentions, but I neglected to include that step, if you decide to drop the whole unit, one must first support the engine from above for obvious reasons, with an Engine Support Bar. Someone says Amazon carries them now, I got mine from Harbor Freight.

These are almost Infinitely adjustable, have a weight capacity greater than any of us is likely to need and not that expensive. I didn't even remove the hood this last time I did this job.
(';')

 

The one on Amazon is that exact one, and cheaper…I think that I paid $60. I found it easier to deal with the springs with the subframe on the ground, upside down it rests nicely on the upper control arm turrets. I used a 18” length of 3/4” threaded rod with rod coupler nuts as a spring compressor, and made a pivoting saddle for the spring pan end, and a pivot for the subframe end. This is important so that there are no bending forces on the rod. I used a couple of 6” 3/8-24 bolts to guide the spring pan, also serve as back up if the rod fails.
Remove the calipers and rotors to save weight. I left the power steering pump in place and disconnected both hoses there- easy access. Once on the ground I removed the rack, again to make it easier to move around- I put it on a Harbor Freight furniture dolly ($12).
Did it all by myself and I am 68….

 

Since you are going this far I recommend pulling the front hubs and repacking the wheel bearings with fresh grease (the original stuff is over 35 years old). Also replace all the flexible brake line hoses and of course newfront shocks.