Newbie here so I apologize if I couldn't find a thread on this - I've searched, but haven't found the advice I need.

I belive it's time for all new bushings on my XK8 - 80,000 miles and 11 years old.

I know enough to be dangerous on my own but have a skilled mechanic. For instance, I would not know exactly what to order - I would want to order a "complete bushing package" if such is available, otherwise, I'll need my manual and mechanic to make a list.

I would like to replace all bushings and ball joints - I intend to keep and enjoy this car - overkill? Just do front?

OEM Jaguar or polyurethane?

Best sources? (I've done business with Motorcars LTD and was satisfied with service and pricing - don't think they stock polyurethane) - Others?

I will also be doing the same with my XKE so if anyone has advice for sourcing those I would gladly appreciate sources.

Thanks and sorry if it's already somewhere in the archives.

 

Haven't got there yet but here are a couple threads to start with:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=45248

http://jaguar.blackonyx.net/tech/frontshocks.htm

Others will chime in to help.

 

Powerflex provides full kits. They've been mentioned here before.

http://store.powerflexusa.com/jaguar-xk8-p1182.aspx

You're looking at a pretty large labor bill to replace all of them. Good luck.

 

welcome james, I've just ordered a ton of parts to freshen up the front suspension if you want to wait a bit for the pics and step-by-step process. Some new control arms with bushings already installed, another set that has to have the ball joint and bushing pressed out and new ones added, i'll tell you later in my thread why I went that direction.

As for poly bushings, you'll find many conflicting opinions. I tried poly on my sway bar only, and it transferred ALOT more vibrations to the steering wheel, so I decided if that was noticable, how would all control arms being poly react? I am sticking with OEM rubber...won't last as long, but it'll be a smoother feel.

 

Thanks Matt - I'll look forward to the pics and info - I won't get to my project for a while. Sounds like rubber if you want a smooth ride - maybe I'll do PU in the XKE. Who did you buy your parts from?

 

I'm about to replace my lower front bushings, probably this weekend. I'll post a video when I'm done. I posted the upper bushing process in another thread. I think it's linked in the FAQs. The upper bushings I bought were aftermarket and they were too thick. In fact, of the 4 bushings, no two were the same thickness. I had to grind them down on a disk sander to get them thin enough to install, which probably means the caster is way off on my alignment. I haven't had it checked, but after I do the lower bushings I probably will. I would recommend Jaguar OEM parts just to avoid that problem. I looked into the poly bushings but decided against them for the reason h20boy described.

 

Hey H20Boy, I bought poly bushings (uppers only) based on your input to me about longevity and responsive handling (Think it was you, forgive me if it wasn't). I haven't put them in yet. Now you're saying they're too still and transmit more vibes to the steering wheel. Well, I hope not too much. Guess i'll find out when i install em.

 

You'll also probably find that the poly starts to squeek when it dries out ....

 

Hey! That just made me realize my squeak is gone! I had a squeak before I replaced my upper bushings. After I replaced them I didn't even notice that it had gone away. I did NOT use poly, by the way.

 

Steve, i was very excited initally about the poly bushings, but since that sway bar bushing episode last year, i've changed my tune...and now just let others decide if that is a variable that would sway them. There is another member, can't remember who from memory, that did them all in poly - arms as well, and liked the result. In the xkr, you may not have the same change in feel that i did.

My suspension project begins Thursday evening...I hope I can find a willing participant to act as photographer.

 

I am doing Powerflex bushings installation right now and just finished right side. It looks like I had 1 shim washer towards the front and 3 at the back, however on the left side, it is the other way around. Is this possible, or I am dealing with someone's poor reassembly from the past?
BTW, these Powerfelx bushings are extremely high quality, I like them a lot.

Thank you!

 

The shims are used to adjust the caster of the wheels. It is perfectly reasonable for there to be a difference from one wheel to the other. If you put them back in the same way then your caster alignment shouldn't change.

 

By the way, I bought my bushings from britishparts.co.uk. I can't recommend them because the upper bushings were not OEM and they didn't fit like OEM. I had to grind down some of the rubber to get them to fit, and now I don't know if my alignment is correct. After I get the bottom done I'm going to get an alignment. Even though I don't recommend them, I just placed another order today. I bought the ball joints and the tie rod ends. I figured as long as I'm going to have the bottom suspension apart I might as well do the ball joints. Hopefully I'll have better luck with them than I did with the upper bushings.

 

Hi,
I had a lot easier time replacing bushings then the two part video I saw prior. The only somewhat hard part was taking caster bolt out, however air chiesel pushed it out rather easy, when I decided to go that route.
Also, I replaced upper ball joints, since boots on mine were all broken. This was hard to press out, but there is small trick that will help to ease it up.
As a whole, Powerflex bushings went in within a minute and fit perfectly.

 

Those bushings I used in the video were terrible and they cause me all sorts of problems. I do not recommend using them. After I do my lower bushings I'm going to take the car in for an alignment. I'm thinking that the alignment place might not be able to get the caster to within spec, and if so, I'm going to replace those upper bushings (again).

 

Gentlemen, my nightmare is now over! Starting on thursday night, and proceeding thru this morning, including one night w/o sleep, my car has been torn apart in the garage ongoing the 'adventure' that was my suspension overhaul (and a purge control valve for a little something different)

My little project involved the following:

• tie rod ends (aftermarket)
• sway bar end links (OEM)
• sway bar bushings (OEM)
• shocks (OEM Bilstein)
• spring assist bushings (the ones atop the shock under the cover - OEM)
• lower front control arms (OEM - comes with the bushing)
• lower rear control arm ***** joint and bushings (both OEM)
• purge control valve

I am truly sorry to those I had promised a well documented DIY project, but this project got difficult from the getgo, and my foul mood did not lend itself well to stopping work, taking pictures, do some work, stopping, taking pictures..etc.

My headaches began immediately when the control arm fulcrum bolts faced outward (nuts on the inside, where there is plenty of open space for access?!?) steering rack cover had to be removed, and wheel turned toward me to get enough clearance to remove each bolt. The front arms had to clear an oil cooler hose on each side, and it required opening up more of the undertray to remove a bracket and shift the aluminum pipe. Then, when I went to the lower ball joint...I spent the next 6 hours dedicated to their removal. Without the dealer 'special tool' that saddles the ball joint from the inner side of the car, I was forced to use the tie rod puller. In doing so the metal dust shield must be pulled back for that access...well, not only are there those three single screws holding that in place, but there is a looped metal tab that the ball joint seat fits into! So, after destroying and deforming that part of the dustshield, ball joint no. 1 came out after 10 minutes of grunting on the puller. The other side, well...that's where I spent my time meant for shuteye..roughly 5 hours of frustration and exhaustion. This ball joint did not want to come out in similar fashion. Instead, its bolt bent on me! After many hours of trying to figure out some way to get it straight (no, a nut would no longer go on the threads since the first few were now compressed against each other...it would not budge! I magyver'ed a small socket, hammered it onto the bolt, then let the tie rod puller push on the socket. It finally came out.

the next day, on 0 sleep, I drove my control arms and shock/coil assemblies to a local shop, they were going to swap the shock, and replace that spring assister bushing, in safer conditions than I could achieve. They were also going to do that one simple bushing, and that one simple ball joint on each rear arm. 6 hours later he calls me and tells me he'll never do another jag ball joint again, even with the high-end machinery and tools at their disposal...this is a machine shop that builds engines for goodness sake!. It took him 4 hours to do just those ball joints!

Installation, though it may seem more straightforward and 'easy', proved only somewhat easier. The control arms, bolted up with their mate as a pair (as shown in the JTIS) had to be manhandled by two of us, so that we could manipulate the sleeves in the bushings (by prying on the arm itself within its subrame mount) so that we could increase 1/4" of clearance that was needed to get them both to fit.

My last, and final grievance came as a result of the negotiation of that dust cover behind the rotors. After I buttoned it all up, torqued everything down correctly, I drive off to the dealer this morning for my scheduled alignment...and the thing is grinding on rotor. Another two hours of disassembly for each wheel and brake parts, then reshaping that lower portion of the dust cover so it wouldn't rub the rotor...and I was finally done. I hadn't been home in 2 days, I was wearing borrowed clothes from my brother-in-law, I had bruises on each arm, knuckles are scraped up pretty badly (and with use of those latex gloves too), I really can't recall what day it is, I am pretty sure I missed a meal or two also...because I am really starving!

Again, I apologize for not doing the documentation that I so desired to accomplish. I truly did not have the time available with the multiple difficulties that I was facing every 30 minutes.

Result - front end height is 1" higher than before...not exactly what I wanted, but did expect it with the new shocks and those spring assist rubbers. Totally worth it for the drive it now provides, its like a whole new experience. I've also got the old, lower front arms if anyone wants them for $15 shipping cost. The bushings in them are crap, but you could practice the procedure or even do them beforehand and save yourself some time.

 

I replaced 2 ball joints on my XRK yesterday with $150 12 ton Chinese made press, that I got at Harbor Freight. Maybe I am missing something here, but I do not see any other ball joints in the car, just the four on the front end?
So if this macine shop is soo upset, they simply need to consider converting to bakery perhaps.
Some pics...

 

Mish: are those upper bushings from PowerFlex? I am planning to install PowerFlex on my XKR and was wonder how you have fond the handling and ride quality to be?

 

Hey h20boy

Sounds like you had lot's of fun on this project. Just in case your interested I have a lift in my barn and a good friend who is a really good mechanic, semi retired still rebuilds transmissions on the side, I haven't found anything he can't fix yet, who can assist when you hit a tough spot or do the complete job. (very very reasonable)

This is just for future reference, not running a business just offering to you and other members in the DFW area a way to tackle some of the issues with these cars.

You and I are at opposite ends of the metroplex probably a 100 miles but sometimes it might be worth the drive.

Be nice to meet you sometime

charlie pace

 

Don't worry about not documenting it, h20boy. I'm getting ready to do my lower bushings and ball joints. I'm just waiting for the ball joints to arrive. They should be here any day. I'll make a video, as always. Hopefully I won't run into all of the problems you had.

I'm interested in your lower front arms. Pm me and tell me where to send the money. I can PayPal it to you tonight if you'd like. Are you sure $15 is enough to cover shipping? They look pretty heavy.