OK, too wet to cut grass and there was a box of old shock mounts staring me in the face. I've just about figured out the size of the round donut, but the centering bushing was still a mystery on how to keep it centered.
Going from memory, when we did Jon's wife's car with the Welsh mounts, it was a total pain in the *** to get their bushing installed and the two plates riveted together. We ended up using bolts.
I've tried to figure out why there is such a cushion or insulator between those two parts, as the spring and shock, plus the rubber the spring rides on takes the bulk of the job to give us a nice GT Touring ride.
Not going to redesign this thing, just make it understandable on why we are having trouble with the Poly mounts.
As seen on many cars, the center of the shock rod moves to the corner of the area inside the mounting plates, not hard to find a lot of pictures showing that portion of the process.
My thoughts on where the design went wrong is using all new parts and complete poly bushing in the center of the top framing to stabilize the rod. If they had used the original top hat with a bushing on each side of the centering washer, which was part of the original design, we would have had a much better working shock mount.
After a bit more research, I see the donuts and washer do not touch the sides of the top hat but just ride in a valley at the top and bottom plate and not much of one, so a compression fitting is holding it all in place. Oh well, that gives me a bit more room to find a donut the right size.
The compressed bushing is a little larger than the washer, giving some cushion on the sides of the valley edges, not much, but holds it in place, so it's centered, even when wearing out. I can see it making some noise when the crushed foam starts to disappear.
So now I have to find a suspension donut the right size that fits, already got 5/8 inch or 17 MM, which will give me the crush on the top hat when riveted to the other bottom part of the top hat. That should give a real snug fit in that chamber.
I do seem to remember the Welsh ones had a cone shape on the top of the washer and a lot of them had to be cut to help in the assembly. That in itself may have added to them going off center.
Still think we can us a thick cutting board for that area between the mounts that does a disappearing act over a short period of time.
I of course am up to difference of opinion or even adding to a better solution. Just playing for right now.
I do understand the cost of mounts has gone down to less than half of the original cost and not a issue for most, just really want to do the job once and be done for a long time.

 

Thanks Wayne, sounds like you have a good handle on the FIX. Sounds like a good start on a complex problem. The original composition of the poly seems to be holding up great. Just a design detail overlooked. Please keep us informed. Both of my center botls are off center but no debris evident.

 

A bit more thought and looking over the parts.
When most of us, the guys that do a lot of work on our cars, replace bushings with Poly, we tend to put silicone on them. I think I see a problem with that procedure in the case of the shock rod bushings inside the top hat.
If you look at the pictures in the first thread, you will see I had to cut the donuts away from the washer. They were glued, silicone would make them slide around on the washer and top hat surface.
If those that have had the trouble with the shock rod area going off center would tell if they added any type of grease or anti seize, we might just be able to isolate that one issue with the newer Poly mounts.
As info, having a hard time finding anything near the measurements of these donuts, 2 13/16 OD, 17MM high and a hole 1 3/16 ID. We can always make the hole bigger or shave some off the height and width. Will keep checking.
Anybody but me see the large donut is cut on a slant on the inside fitting. That's going to be fun. Rotor blades were made for that, I hope.

 

Wayne - i did not use any silicon when I installed the poly bushes. as for the angled cut - lathe or countersink bit will work well for that

 

Thanks Steve, good information, as I think you had the centering problem.
Cutting the mount insulators, well, that will be down the road.
Not sure anything I come up with will be better, but I hope to understand where we can utilize what is around and make it do the job.
Really don't feel like I'm wasting my time, most of it is just wondering how it moves around in the movement of the car. No way am I trying to invent a rounder wheel. LOL

 

I just laid out around $2,400.00 for 4 new Bilstein shocks with the electrical fittings for the Sport mode CATS, along with the ball joints, bushings and new coil springs on all but the back. Even SNG Barratt did not have the rear coils. Their claim was they are no longer available because hardly any were ever replaced. I got the URO uppers with the appropriate bushings, An ex-Jaguar Tech will be installing them at 85$ an hour instead of Jag's $150 an hour. I bought from Bilstein via AutohausAZ and SNG Barrett. I am going to make sure the tech reads this thread to give him a heads up. Thank you all for the tremendous effort.

This is on the heels of a show paint job, newly refinished wheels, new trim rings, a new set of IMSA Continentals, new slotted and cross drilled rotors, new EBC reds, new LED lights all around including the dash in the propoer turquoise, new red hubs, a new speed sensor, new radar sensor, all new hoses including the high pressure top hoses,newly reupholstered recaro seats with UK Hyde Co. Connelly leather, new drivers side seat heater, So I spent about $22,000 usd on the refresh, but after the suspension, this car should be sharp for many years to come.

I still say I cannot believe how lucky we are to be driving these unique classics- over the 1997 to 2006 model run on this style, some 91,000 units were produced. My 2005 XKR was on of 864 convertibles made that year. These cars are not common and there is, in my view, no finer, more stylish and comfortable GT made that lives at 90 mph hour after hour that leaves you relaxed after 10-12 hours on the USA freeways like this XKR. Many say it is the best GT ever. And yes, putting 22K into a car worth 25 K is not intelligent. It is a love of the item and the desire to preserve it in style.

I just wish we could shoehorn a 5.0 Liter 550 HP engine into this thing. I would buy one, even if I had to pull the diff and harden it. Did Avos ever perfect his 660 HP car that was featured in Jaguar magazine?

 

Hi Wayne,

For the newcomers such as myself, do you have the ASTM, ANSI or any material spec's for the Poly you are using?

thank you.

 

Becky, just sent you a PM/
We have discussed this but in several different places and it would take forever to run across it.

 

Arland, I'm picking up my jaw off of the floor,....., your text screams for pictures! I just acquired one of the last XKR coupes built in 05 (black/black) and I'm just starting down the similar path that you have taken,....., I haven't had it out on the freeway yet but I am thinking about it on a daily basis. This is a truly beautiful car that you don't see very often. Agree 100%

 

My 2006 XK8 Victory Edition as 57,000 miles and the upper bushings are still in perfect condition after review. So why buying URO or Welch if the originals last that long. ???

 

Would love to see some pics of these. Its not that we don't believe you.

 

Indeed, it is highly unusual for any of these factory-original shock mounts to be in "perfect condition" today....

 

Wayne, I was able to drive a bit even in limp mode. I wanted to so the struts could settle a bit. After I measured ride height, I am 15 5/8 so that seems to be about perfect.

 

Thanks Eric, that's right on the button.
Job well done and keep giving feedback when you get a chance.
Inquiring minds want to know.

 

My top shock mounts at least on the fronts still look fine. When I need to replace them I will replace them with OEM ones simply because these ones have lasted 20 years so they should last 20 years again. Maybe mine are just from a good batch but they don't look like they are degrading at all really.

 

I’m back driving and working on my 2003 XKR convertible with only 37,000 miles. My front end has dropped 3 inches I’m hoping it’s upper shock mount and maybe lower shock bushings and not the spring or the electronic shock absorber. The 20 inch Montreal wheels rub when braking and turning, and small bumps straight on. And camber is way off the top of the wheel tilted in 3 or 4°. Do we have a consensus on a good upper shock mount and lower bushing? I should have springs on hand? And the electronic shock absorbers are not available specifically for R/performance Jaguar brakes, is that true? It takes the fun out of spirited driving when the tires rub, lots of curvy roads with big dips and bumps in Mississippi. I won’t be lowering my suspension, I need all the travel I and get.


Randy

 

Unlikely that you will need to replace dampers at that mileage. I think R performance dampers were part of the handling package which was coupe only fitment. They are available though at a price.
Lower bushings will make some noise but not a big drop, if your ride height is that low it points to upper mounts and/or spring sag.

 

+1. Shocks do not affect ride height. Replace the mounts and other rubber parts first, then consider springs if necessary. I highly recommend working with Wayne for the shock mounts as even OEM may not be what it was 20 years ago.

 

Good news I’ll contact Wayne and hopefully be back on the road soon. It was the good information available here, over the last few years,that got me to this point thanks to everyone.

Randy

 

Wayne, I have about 1500 miles on the new "Wayne" Mounts, still perfectly center! Thank you again. Oh I got my throttle body rebuilt, my issues are resolved.