New to me 90K mile XKR. After removing a rear wheel to check condition of pads and such, I noticed several torn bushings on a lateral link and a vertical link. The control arms looked good, so before I go to ordering, let me ask your opinion; What arms should be replaced as a set? I see sets of bushings for sale, and wonder whether that's the way to go, or just get the whole arm?

Are there special tools for doing suspension work, like removing ball joints or bushings?

 

Are you talking about pressed in bushings, or ball joint covers, or both? My new-to-me 2008 XKR with only 19K miles had just about EVERY ball joint cover torn and in some cases completely obliterated. The pressed in bushings and the actual ball joints themselves were fine (not surprising for my miles, but may be different in your case).

Search the forums, the issue of the disintegrating ball joint covers seems to be well known. Replacement covers for some of the sizes are available on eBay, but for others (typically the sway bar links and the tie rod links) I bought the entire part. I had an indie replace all of this and now the car seems fine.

 

Heck, I'm not versed enough to know how to name the parts, so maybe some photos will help. I'll get on that in the morning.

 

My experience has been OEM bushes last about 5-6 years, simply because the dust boots fail, allowing the grease to leak out and dirt and water to grind away at the bushes themselves. After the second set of bushes, I switch to PowerFlex solid poly bushes which last forever to nearly forever and seriously improve the feel and handling of the car.

 

If the sway bars and tie rods are what I want to do at the rear, are you saying that I can exchange existing for PowerFlex bushings, or do I look for PowerFlex bars and rods? If it's the bushings, is there a trick to replacing them?

 

I'm going to get new sway bars and rod ends, but if I want to replace the bushings in the control arms, what is used to press the old out and the new in?

 

You'll have to press out the old ones to fit new ones. Either a specialist who has the equipment to do it, many independents do, or check some of the threads in this forum for DIY.

 

Getting the old ones out isn't a challenge since cutting is allowed, If ample lube and a vise can do the trick with installation, we're good. Otherwise there's an indi down the street that probably has those tools.

 

Has any body done their sway bars and tie rods at the rear? Any surprises or special tools?

Has anybody done control arms on the rear? Is there a process to remove the ball joint? Last one I saw being done was 50 years ago and it was an impact hammer with a cutting blade....have things changed?

 

It is not clear to me that you’ve determined what exactly needs to be done. You’ve noticed torn boots, I get that. Have you verified that the ball joints and/or bushings are actually worn? Is there any clunking or loose feeling in the suspension or steering?

Bushings on the control arms can be replaced but the ball joints are not separately serviceable, so if the control arm ball joints are actually worn (NOT just the boot torn) you have to replace the whole arm(s) so replacing the bushings is a moot point. Establish the condition of the ball joints first.

Suspension work is not rocket science but can be tedious if you don’t have a 2 post lift, and given the relative inaccessibility of some of the fasteners. Are you sure you don’t want to make a good assessment of what needs to be done first and then have the specific items addressed by an independent mechanic?

 

You're very correct in suggesting that I don't know what needs doing. Most of my cars have had less than 50K miles, and whatever I buy is treated as a project where I replace what seems to need replacing. The car has 90K miles, and the rear suspension is our focus. My diagnosis skills aren't good, so it's easier for me to replace things than to try to figure out what needs replacing. I will be replacing tie rods and sway links next week.

I don't have a lift, and at mid 70s age, it's nice to have an air conditioned and carpeted garage, but things are still tight under the car. I'll do the sway bars and tie rods first, and the brakes next.

To answer your other question, the drive from Houston was flawless. To compare, my last 4 toy cars have been 911s, and this Jag is just more comfortable, so that's a good thing. I don't want the Michelins on the rear to get hinky, so will do what I need to do in order to get them protected.

Is that a special tool or technique for removing a ball joint?

 

The procedure requires no cutting and is explained fully in the workshop manual.
Others have modified the procedure. What's helpful about the workshop manual version of events is that it allows for a good visual analysis of all of the components.

The bushings in the large arms are easily replaced. In the small arms, take care as to not inadvertently bend the arm while performing the extraction.
Double check the sway bar bushings, if you haven't yet!

 

The ball joints can be replaced and someone at sometime in one of the forums found a suitable replacement. However considering how inexpensive new arms with new bushes already fitted are, unless you’re converting to poly as I did, I’m not certain your endeavor’s worth the effort.

If not already obvious, don’t forget to have an alignment done after any suspension work’s done.

 

thanks, jahummer. The car had all new Michelins, but a look at the rear rotors and pads got me to remove the wheel and inspect, and glad I did. I suppose that Jags that reach maybe 75K miles are due for all new links and arms. At 90K, I saw just about every boot torn. The car drove as new, tracks straight, has no noise going over bumps, but that would be sure to come, along with expensive tires wearing pre-maturely.

A 4 wheel alignment will definitely be in order after the wrenching is finished.

 

Once the boots tear the grease leaks out and water and sand get it which quickly wears out the bushes. As I said previously, it’s more time than mileage. I got about 4-5 years on the first set of bushes and 40K miles, replaced in warranty and those failed after another 3-4 years and 10K miles. So I switched to poly.

If you do a google search for Jaguar XK and S-type control arm kits you’ll find all sorts of assortments for just a few hundred. Lemforder ZF was the OEM supplier to Motorcraft/Jaguar but there’s others such as Eurospare, Uro, etc. Will save you the trouble of sourcing the proper bushes and labour R&R’ing them.

 

At less than 20K, I saw just about every boot torn. I think it's a time thing, not a miles thing, at least for the factory boots. My car is also a 2008.

 

Since the car is new to me, I'm going to separate the jobs. Sway link and tire rods will be replaced along with pads and rotors on the rear. Alignment done. After several hundred more miles I'll know if the car is a keeper, and will do the rear control arms top and bottom, which will result in a new rear suspension.

Fronts will get looked at and done either sooner or later, depending on what I see when I look. So far, the car is everything expected, except for the exhaust note; it's awfully quiet, but I know that mufflers and resonators can change that.

One question:
How to know if my car is AWD? I see it in the parts house listings, but never knew that a XK was anything besides RWD.

 

Your 4.2 x150 is rear wheel drive.

 

Thanks, 007. My previous car was a C4S and you couldn't tell from looking unless you knew what to look for. IMO, AWD is great for up north, but here in the south, all it does is add weight to the front end.

 

For those that have cars with either higher miles, or original equipment that might have aged out, this is what the sway bar and tie rod looked like. All four ends were junk, but the ball/socket bushings were still doing their jobs. Chances are there was play in them, though, which would contribute to tire wear and....maybe...noise or more-vague tracking. I'm not the expert at how to notice wear during driving, but changing them before they disintegrated is a wise move, I think.

A nice DIY job that's worth doing when changing brakes.