Just got to replacing these falling apart strut mounts. Mechanic had never seen it like this before. Pictures are before and after.

 

That's what happens with the old style oem mounts... they disintegrate over time. And the rubber replacement ones ending up falling apart as well. I have had my car 13 years and replaced the mounts at least 4 times (and only 25k miles over those 13 years).. I JUST switched to the ones made by the forum member wayne and they are excellent and I do expect them to hold up longer than a few years

 

Yeah I recently went through the same thing and put it off longer than I should have. Whatever crap they used in the original mounts turns to dust over time.

 

Looks like you unfortunately went with the lousy URO shock mounts (the yellow color is a dead giveaway). After they fall apart in a year or less, contact forum member Wayne (cjd777) and snag a pair of his custom-designed ones. They are the best you will find (with plenty of research and testing behind them)....

 

URO supposedly upgraded the mounts they sell now.(darker foam material)
I have some WAYNE MOUNTS on my XK8 and some upgraded URO mounts on the two XKRs.

The race is on to see the 'time-test' results!!(I do keep the WAYNE MOUNTS in stock for me and my customers)

 

I can help with a polyurethane rebuild kit to fix that for good. Or as suggested go to Wayne.
Unfortunately you will be back in there very shortly as indicated by the dreaded yellow crap. I suggest some research of old threads into this very common issue.

 

You can see this new one is already off centre. It’s such a pain. Another upvote for the Wayne/Steve isolators.

 

I had a new URO set put on in Febuary, since then I've done just under 4000 miles, 1200 miles on Sunday and Monday doing a trip to Scotland and back. Mounts are still OK, there is a slight shift off center but nothing like others have reported. The material feels just as stiff as the OEM material so I think they have since changed the compound perhaps. The car rides very well so I don't think there are any real problems.

 

I put URO in mine a month or so ago, wish I knew about the other options out there from forum members. They are doing fine so far and car rides great, but its only a matter of time...Front springs are sagging a bit and plan on getting new ones so when I go back in there I'll put some upgraded mounts in.

 

Steve Davis makes tried and tested mounts, he's on Facebook and ships worldwide, another chap in Australia also makes these👍

 

Supercharged, appreciate the exposure, but needs some clarification.
One and the same person, Steve Davis (myself) is in Australia.

 

LOL
Sorry Steve, my bad, other guy is in America, I forget his name, like lots of things these days!

 

Steve - I think I've seen you in the FB group as well. How are your mounts fitted, by drilling the rivets on an original set and replacing the center sections? Luckily I kept my original mounts.

 

This video was made by another buyer, shows procedure pretty well.

 

Wayne Tate in NC also does good mount system. Wayne and myself worked on this system for some time in development going back some years.
More recently a copy of the system has appeared out there also.

 

I just got my 4th set of upper mounts from Wayne YESTERDAY.
I try to keep a few pair for MY cars but customers come in the shop with 'squeaking/banging' front suspension and I end up putting a set on their car.(then I have to send the cores and get Wayne to make a new set)

Never ending cycle?

 

Just got my rebuild kit from Steve Davis about 10 days ago. Although my yellow URO mounts are holding up for now (other than the left strut now having drifted off center), I will be tackling this project (again) in a few months. Great service from Mr. Davis in Australia.

 

I have a xk8 pushing 50k miles, and after watching a YouTube video last year, saying how these cars turn into a low-rider every three thousand miles, caused by defect upper strut mount... I thought it was a fake news video. But now I'm finding out it's kind of true. The car rides as good as when it was new, but now I abbess with looking at how the car is sitting in the front, each day before and after I drive it. I wish I didn't watch that video. <grin> So, I took pictures of both mounts (below), from these pics, can you tell me how much life is left, and if I don't replace them now, I'm I looking for major trouble. I did push on them with my finger and they seem good, but one side is starting to crack a bit.

I know I have the Jaguar original mounts and they are almost on 50k miles...

 

Aleather, I can give you a opinion on what I can see. Those bushings you are looking at do not play into the height of the front end to any great extent.
It's determined by the large donut between the spring and the bottom of the bell metal piece and the lower shock bushings. Off center yes causing a much quicker destruction of those bushings and a bunch of rattling.
There is a plate that has the look of a top hat, it is rubber coated and wears also. Included in most kits but if not, a 70A washer is made by me to take up that slack.
Now, to your situation. Looks to be the newer URO color so a bit harder than the original and will last a little longer, all to be determined. You have already observed the start of one side, so when you get ready, talk to Steve or I and see which direction you need to proceed. Take a light and look up at the top of the spring and see how much thickness is in the bottom big washer, if less than a 1/4 inch, you are already over due.