Apologies for war and peace her e- but any help would be much appreciated...
I have had an S-type 2003 3 ltr petrol for a year now.
Always dreamed of owning a Jag and so although an old one - it only had 30k on the clock, and was in good condition inside and out.
When I bought it I had quite a few bits done to the suspension, as they were showing wear and tear. However Ive had an ongoing suspension problem since doing this work - that has tarnished my dream of my first Jag ownership becoming real. (ie its not driving smoothly as I expected)
New springs, various seals replaces, and a number of bushes changed.
However the more that was done to improve the worn suspension parts, the more I have noticed a constant kind of wobble as it drives. Very hard to explain, and def worse on low speeds.
If you imagine going over a slightly bumpy road at a slow speed, the car is like that ALL the time, even on a freshly tarmacd road. On a bumpy road it is naturally more wobbly. Its almost like a side to side wobble. the are no knocking other noises, but it can be felt all the time. Almost like driving on a slightly cobbled street
So the garage I use ( I hasten to add -not a jaguar garage - due to tight budget) - have had this in numerous times to try to get to the bottom of it - as Im sure the problem only arrived and only worsened as work has been done to replace suspension parts.
1. Its been through MOT with no observations
2. Steering column checked - fine
3. Engine mounting checkd and fine
4. Wheels, tyres , balance and tracking all checked and fine.
5. All suspension parts checked and re-checked and all tight, sealed and many parts new.
It seems when the car has been up on the ramp, and is newly driven out of the garage it always seems to be slightly smoother, then deteriorates again - which logic would lead me to think again back to suspension.
So most recent steps garage have taken - which fortunately they've not charged me for as they are now as determined as I am to get to the bottom of it, os are working on the basis of will only charge me for parts as and when it solved the problem :
1. They recently filmed the movement of the controlling arm and bushes ,and noticed there was movement vs another Jag on the bench had no movement on these at all - so we replaced these bushes but again made no difference.
I think in summary everytime we are finding something and changing it its slight worsening the wobble - probably due to all other parts of suspension getting tighter ?!?
2. Last week stripped out the suspension, and found 2 more bushes right inside that you would never normally come across that they said are also now damaged so next step is to get these changed next week
Dont know hoe many bushes these Jag have but there cant be that many more I havent changed
Anyone get any other ideas ? Because if this doesnt fix it, both my garage and I are stuck, and I stull dream of driving a smooth running Jag ??
strange suspension probs -please Help ?
Moderators:GJS-typeR, Montana5
Re: strange suspension probs -please Help ?
We need to know exactly what you have or have not done. ie whether you have changed dampers and springs, wheel sizes, tyres and condition. Also what tyre pressures you are running at and precisely what bushes you have fitted.
Have you checked for broken springs and damper wear?
Mike K.
Have you checked for broken springs and damper wear?
Mike K.
X350 Co-ordinator
2004 XJR
2004 XJR
Re: strange suspension probs -please Help ?
Ill try and summarize from numerous receipts whilst trying to track down the problem
replaced all 4 wheels - my choice on pruchase
reset wheel alignment
replaced both rear shockers
o/s/r drive shaft seal
Replaced both rear track arms
n/s rear lower suspension arm bush
o/s rear lower suspension arm
n/s/r diff seal
n/s/r suspension rose bush
replaced n/s/r forward suspension bush
replaced :
n/s/f track rod end
o/s/f track rod end
n/s/f stearing rack end
o/s/f steering rack end
o/s/r suspension link
n/s/r suspension link
Last week changed the 2 control arm bushes
Numerouss other bits as well - but I think these are all the ones that relate to suspension... So far spent in the year twice on it, as to wha tI paid for the car..
replaced all 4 wheels - my choice on pruchase
reset wheel alignment
replaced both rear shockers
o/s/r drive shaft seal
Replaced both rear track arms
n/s rear lower suspension arm bush
o/s rear lower suspension arm
n/s/r diff seal
n/s/r suspension rose bush
replaced n/s/r forward suspension bush
replaced :
n/s/f track rod end
o/s/f track rod end
n/s/f stearing rack end
o/s/f steering rack end
o/s/r suspension link
n/s/r suspension link
Last week changed the 2 control arm bushes
Numerouss other bits as well - but I think these are all the ones that relate to suspension... So far spent in the year twice on it, as to wha tI paid for the car..
Re: strange suspension probs -please Help ?
How does the car steer? Sluggish or over reactive?
Has camber and caster been set?
What condition re the front dampers and what mileage covered?
What size wheels and tyres and what pressures are you running?
Mike
Has camber and caster been set?
What condition re the front dampers and what mileage covered?
What size wheels and tyres and what pressures are you running?
Mike
X350 Co-ordinator
2004 XJR
2004 XJR
Re: strange suspension probs -please Help ?
Sorry but more questions...
Firstly and most importantly which agent reset the wheel alignment, was it a full geometry alignment and at what stage in the rebuilding of the suspension did you have this done.
What size of wheels did you replace with, were they new or s/h.
What make and size of Tyres, how old are/were they, were they new or were they the original tyres transferred to the new wheels, are they directional Tyres.
Were the new bushes rubber or poly, how did the garage fit them, did they remove the suspension parts to use a hydraulic workshop press or did they press them into position on the car.
Doug.
Firstly and most importantly which agent reset the wheel alignment, was it a full geometry alignment and at what stage in the rebuilding of the suspension did you have this done.
What size of wheels did you replace with, were they new or s/h.
What make and size of Tyres, how old are/were they, were they new or were they the original tyres transferred to the new wheels, are they directional Tyres.
Were the new bushes rubber or poly, how did the garage fit them, did they remove the suspension parts to use a hydraulic workshop press or did they press them into position on the car.
Doug.
Assistant S Type Model Co-ordinator
S Type Forum Moderator
S Type Forum Moderator
Re: strange suspension probs -please Help ?
I`ve re-read this thread again.
The front suspension on this pre-face lift MY03 car has the modified "banana arm" lower front wishbone arrangement which is also shared by the X350 and the XF. I have a 350 and have myself just completely overhauled the front suspension on it. As such it is still fresh in my mind. I`ve also had an early model S-type on which i also rebuilt the entire suspension.
The later suspension is a little more difficult to overhaul than the early S-type which had a one piece lower front wishbone. The later S-type (MY2002.5 on wards until the run out in 2007) has the two piece lower wishbone arrangement. The condition of the bush condition in the lower front wishbone components is critical to the functionality of the car. The front banana arm component has two bushes in it. The large bush at the front of the arm, like its early predecessor is very prone to disintegration especially if it has taken impact damage during perhaps a pothole type incident. That front bush can and does break up. The rear most bush is rather different in construction being essentially the same as damper bushes and indeed the patent tube, ball and cup as found in the lower inside rear and lower hub carrier locations on S-type, 350 and XF. That bush acts as a knuckle bush between the two lower front wishbone components and on my car at 80k miles was in cracking condition.
The rear component of that lower front wishbone is really a drop arm with a large inner bush which again can go soggy or deteriorate. Towards the hub carrier is a damper bush which obviously links with the fork on the bottom of the damper. The damper bolts can corrode badly into the bush at that location and be the devil to extract. Seizure in that area can cause bush failure. The third little bush in the drop arm is the location for the ARB vertical link. This tiny bush lasts well and appears long lived.
The large banana arm bushes and the inner large drop arm bushes are important. These bushes can collapse and tear badly. All four bushes have a modified camber and caster bolt set up with easy adjust cam washers which are designed to butt against sub-frame lugs and when the bolts are turned to adjust camber and caster angles, turn the washers against the lugs at which point the washer under the nut on the bolt also turns with the bolt. Lock off is by the nut alone and the bolt MUST not turn when the nut is tightened. This arrangement is good however the washer under the nut can and does sometimes turn on the D sectioned bolt and can become an issue if it slips around. So a later and improved camber/caster washer kit is available with a revised location washer set up which is much more robust and easier to use. (Recommended in my experience if re-bushing is being carried out.
As to setting up the car, it needs to be laterally leveled on an adjustment ramp and the camber set first. Then the tracking toe angle, then the caster angles. Caster and camber are set from those cam bolts just described. Don`t expect to get perfection first time. Go around camber, toe and caster at least three times before you get it right.
Caster angle setting is the most difficult and is a function of overall wheel base length which is 114.5 inches. To start one must make sure that the rear subframe is square in the car and that rear wheels are running parallel to each other. Rear tracking angle or toe can be adjusted on the rear radius rods. That MUST be checked before working on the front suspension adjustment. If all is well then preform a manual wheel base length check with a metal tape measure with a piece of bright tape on the tape at 114.5 inches. Place the hook on the tape on the rare rim edge of the rear wheel and run the tape across the wheel rim centres to the front of the car. The bright and prominent tape mark you have placed on your metal tape measure MUST coincide with the rear edge of the front wheel rim. it is not unusual to find anything up to 8mm discrepancy in wheel base length either side of the car if the suspension has been disturbed for bush work. It is correctable as follows with most of that correction coming from getting the adjustment right on that front banana arm bush..
So set the camber, followed by tracking toe, THEN adjust wheel base length by moving the front banana arm bolts along the slots under the radiator to get that vital 114.5" wheel base length and essentially the caster angle. Don`t be suprised if this "round and round" job takes a couple of hours on the ramp to get right. You might need to repeat this action several times until all comes within limits. Four wheel tracking gear is essential as is a time served operator. This job is not one for a recently out of college mechanic who thinks he knows it all. A considerable degree of patience nd lateral thinking is needed to get this job right. Most garages will not have the staff with the right experience for the job so I would suggest this work is done under the supervision of a proper Jaguar train guy. Once you have it right, your front wheels should sit accurately in the centre of the wheel arches to within about 1mm! Jaguar body work is in my experience very accurately done!.
Once set, those big caster and camber bolts must be tightened up to I recall 195Nm. That IS really tight and needs a long lorque wrench. If those bolts are not tight, they WILL slip along the slots and settings will be lost. Then you have to start all over again......
Why is all this so important? Quite simply if the front geometry slips or is wrongly set, S-type, XF and 350 will drive like a piece of poo and hop. jump, skip , slip and slide and be really nasty to drive.
Can I also suggest you check that your garage who might have changed the springs has put the new springs that are appropriate for your model year and model spec on your car. Early cars had very soft springs and damper rates which did little to help body roll or general handling. There are several spring rates for the different model years and it may be that someone could easily have fitted incorrect items.
Hope that helps.
Mike K
The front suspension on this pre-face lift MY03 car has the modified "banana arm" lower front wishbone arrangement which is also shared by the X350 and the XF. I have a 350 and have myself just completely overhauled the front suspension on it. As such it is still fresh in my mind. I`ve also had an early model S-type on which i also rebuilt the entire suspension.
The later suspension is a little more difficult to overhaul than the early S-type which had a one piece lower front wishbone. The later S-type (MY2002.5 on wards until the run out in 2007) has the two piece lower wishbone arrangement. The condition of the bush condition in the lower front wishbone components is critical to the functionality of the car. The front banana arm component has two bushes in it. The large bush at the front of the arm, like its early predecessor is very prone to disintegration especially if it has taken impact damage during perhaps a pothole type incident. That front bush can and does break up. The rear most bush is rather different in construction being essentially the same as damper bushes and indeed the patent tube, ball and cup as found in the lower inside rear and lower hub carrier locations on S-type, 350 and XF. That bush acts as a knuckle bush between the two lower front wishbone components and on my car at 80k miles was in cracking condition.
The rear component of that lower front wishbone is really a drop arm with a large inner bush which again can go soggy or deteriorate. Towards the hub carrier is a damper bush which obviously links with the fork on the bottom of the damper. The damper bolts can corrode badly into the bush at that location and be the devil to extract. Seizure in that area can cause bush failure. The third little bush in the drop arm is the location for the ARB vertical link. This tiny bush lasts well and appears long lived.
The large banana arm bushes and the inner large drop arm bushes are important. These bushes can collapse and tear badly. All four bushes have a modified camber and caster bolt set up with easy adjust cam washers which are designed to butt against sub-frame lugs and when the bolts are turned to adjust camber and caster angles, turn the washers against the lugs at which point the washer under the nut on the bolt also turns with the bolt. Lock off is by the nut alone and the bolt MUST not turn when the nut is tightened. This arrangement is good however the washer under the nut can and does sometimes turn on the D sectioned bolt and can become an issue if it slips around. So a later and improved camber/caster washer kit is available with a revised location washer set up which is much more robust and easier to use. (Recommended in my experience if re-bushing is being carried out.
As to setting up the car, it needs to be laterally leveled on an adjustment ramp and the camber set first. Then the tracking toe angle, then the caster angles. Caster and camber are set from those cam bolts just described. Don`t expect to get perfection first time. Go around camber, toe and caster at least three times before you get it right.
Caster angle setting is the most difficult and is a function of overall wheel base length which is 114.5 inches. To start one must make sure that the rear subframe is square in the car and that rear wheels are running parallel to each other. Rear tracking angle or toe can be adjusted on the rear radius rods. That MUST be checked before working on the front suspension adjustment. If all is well then preform a manual wheel base length check with a metal tape measure with a piece of bright tape on the tape at 114.5 inches. Place the hook on the tape on the rare rim edge of the rear wheel and run the tape across the wheel rim centres to the front of the car. The bright and prominent tape mark you have placed on your metal tape measure MUST coincide with the rear edge of the front wheel rim. it is not unusual to find anything up to 8mm discrepancy in wheel base length either side of the car if the suspension has been disturbed for bush work. It is correctable as follows with most of that correction coming from getting the adjustment right on that front banana arm bush..
So set the camber, followed by tracking toe, THEN adjust wheel base length by moving the front banana arm bolts along the slots under the radiator to get that vital 114.5" wheel base length and essentially the caster angle. Don`t be suprised if this "round and round" job takes a couple of hours on the ramp to get right. You might need to repeat this action several times until all comes within limits. Four wheel tracking gear is essential as is a time served operator. This job is not one for a recently out of college mechanic who thinks he knows it all. A considerable degree of patience nd lateral thinking is needed to get this job right. Most garages will not have the staff with the right experience for the job so I would suggest this work is done under the supervision of a proper Jaguar train guy. Once you have it right, your front wheels should sit accurately in the centre of the wheel arches to within about 1mm! Jaguar body work is in my experience very accurately done!.
Once set, those big caster and camber bolts must be tightened up to I recall 195Nm. That IS really tight and needs a long lorque wrench. If those bolts are not tight, they WILL slip along the slots and settings will be lost. Then you have to start all over again......
Why is all this so important? Quite simply if the front geometry slips or is wrongly set, S-type, XF and 350 will drive like a piece of poo and hop. jump, skip , slip and slide and be really nasty to drive.
Can I also suggest you check that your garage who might have changed the springs has put the new springs that are appropriate for your model year and model spec on your car. Early cars had very soft springs and damper rates which did little to help body roll or general handling. There are several spring rates for the different model years and it may be that someone could easily have fitted incorrect items.
Hope that helps.
Mike K
X350 Co-ordinator
2004 XJR
2004 XJR
Re: strange suspension probs -please Help ?
19" wheels
Tyres set as per handbook at 33-34psi
steering feels ok not over or under - although never had it any other way
Just turned 35k miles -so although old, not done much although car had clearly been sat and stood still a lot - elderly lady driver.
Dont know about dampers etc., although garage have said they have thoroughly checked all other areas of steering, engine mounts and suspension and all rest is now good, and shows no movement
Tyres set as per handbook at 33-34psi
steering feels ok not over or under - although never had it any other way
Just turned 35k miles -so although old, not done much although car had clearly been sat and stood still a lot - elderly lady driver.
Dont know about dampers etc., although garage have said they have thoroughly checked all other areas of steering, engine mounts and suspension and all rest is now good, and shows no movement
Re: strange suspension probs -please Help ?
Any flat spots on the tyres?
Mike
Mike
X350 Co-ordinator
2004 XJR
2004 XJR
Re: strange suspension probs -please Help ?
Hi dglick,
You say there is no noise, but a slight wobble!
Does the car move up and down on smooth tarmac or is it a continuous steering correction to keep it running straight?
Brian
You say there is no noise, but a slight wobble!
Does the car move up and down on smooth tarmac or is it a continuous steering correction to keep it running straight?
Brian
MY2000 3ltr S type manual standard car with leather seats, cruise control and mistral blue metallic paint.
1961 3.8 MkII manual, Indigo blue, nolonger runs on LPG, everything else uprated
1961 3.8 MkII manual, Indigo blue, nolonger runs on LPG, everything else uprated
Re: strange suspension probs -please Help ?
Thanks for all help and suggestions so far.
I'm back at garage again tomorrow
Tyres all seem ok - and wheels and tyres have all been checked by garage.
When crawling or rolling on smooth road/tarmac problem is more noticeable / uncomfortable than at speed, although its always evident. At slow crawl its like driving over bumps in tarmac or when you drive over loose stones
Hadnt noticed steering creep until you mentioned, but now that you have mentioned a) its very hard to find these days a very flat , smooth rood surface without and lean to either side - but b) it does appear to creep slightly to the left
I'm back at garage again tomorrow
Tyres all seem ok - and wheels and tyres have all been checked by garage.
When crawling or rolling on smooth road/tarmac problem is more noticeable / uncomfortable than at speed, although its always evident. At slow crawl its like driving over bumps in tarmac or when you drive over loose stones
Hadnt noticed steering creep until you mentioned, but now that you have mentioned a) its very hard to find these days a very flat , smooth rood surface without and lean to either side - but b) it does appear to creep slightly to the left
Re: strange suspension probs -please Help ?
The S-type, X350 and XF are all virtually the same as regards suspension components and are very critical with the geometrical set up. Get any of this out of limits and the car will drive like a slug. Identical wheel base length either side needs to be milometer perfect.
Wheel base length controls caster settings and that is crucial. Camber is a little less critical and just a tad of tracking toe in at the front is important. Rear wheel toe set as parallel is also important.
Any bushes changed must also be done as matched pairs. What you do to one side must be mirrored the other side. Lower suspension wishbone bushes must also be very solid. One duff one will have a huge effect.
Any sign of wear in the front anti-roll bar bushes needs to be addressed. Changing those bushes can be a pig of a job. Wear in those bushes has a big effect on geometry as when in perfect condition they will tend to pull the front suspension forward and that greatly influences correct set up. Wear in ARB bushes can generally be heard as "bonk-thonk" when on rough roads or speed bumps. "Click-clack" is generally down to worn vertical ARB to wishbone links. Don`t forget to check front ball joints by jacking the car up at the front a couple of inches and placing a long lever bar between a garage ramp and the bottom of the tyre. lever upwards to find ball joint wear.
You can expect to have to replace dampers from around 80k miles. They don`t last for ever and can make the car a rough bouncy rider when worn.
Mike
Wheel base length controls caster settings and that is crucial. Camber is a little less critical and just a tad of tracking toe in at the front is important. Rear wheel toe set as parallel is also important.
Any bushes changed must also be done as matched pairs. What you do to one side must be mirrored the other side. Lower suspension wishbone bushes must also be very solid. One duff one will have a huge effect.
Any sign of wear in the front anti-roll bar bushes needs to be addressed. Changing those bushes can be a pig of a job. Wear in those bushes has a big effect on geometry as when in perfect condition they will tend to pull the front suspension forward and that greatly influences correct set up. Wear in ARB bushes can generally be heard as "bonk-thonk" when on rough roads or speed bumps. "Click-clack" is generally down to worn vertical ARB to wishbone links. Don`t forget to check front ball joints by jacking the car up at the front a couple of inches and placing a long lever bar between a garage ramp and the bottom of the tyre. lever upwards to find ball joint wear.
You can expect to have to replace dampers from around 80k miles. They don`t last for ever and can make the car a rough bouncy rider when worn.
Mike
X350 Co-ordinator
2004 XJR
2004 XJR
Re: strange suspension probs -please Help ?
Hi DGLick (whoever),
I've looked in the spec sheet and suspect you have more than one problem.
After a chat with 'Oldtimer' yesterday and your comment that it seems rough on smooth roads but wanders to the left. I think you have a wheel and tyre problem and also a setting problem.
From the specs I have here the S type was fitted with 16", 17" and 18" wheels, were your 19" wheel a later extra?
Did you drive the car before buying and on what wheels and was this rough feeling present then?
16" wheels allow more side wall damping and give a smoother ride, the 18" will give a harder ride but maybe more stable???? I have found the maximum tyre pressures stop the car following tramlining on motorways.
As to the wandering these cars have a very sophisticated suspension system and it is essential that all the bushes are in goodish nick and the camber and toe in is set accurately to the original spec. Check the state of the rear suspension mounting bushes, you have a later car so it is mounted more substantially.
Brian
I've looked in the spec sheet and suspect you have more than one problem.
After a chat with 'Oldtimer' yesterday and your comment that it seems rough on smooth roads but wanders to the left. I think you have a wheel and tyre problem and also a setting problem.
From the specs I have here the S type was fitted with 16", 17" and 18" wheels, were your 19" wheel a later extra?
Did you drive the car before buying and on what wheels and was this rough feeling present then?
16" wheels allow more side wall damping and give a smoother ride, the 18" will give a harder ride but maybe more stable???? I have found the maximum tyre pressures stop the car following tramlining on motorways.
As to the wandering these cars have a very sophisticated suspension system and it is essential that all the bushes are in goodish nick and the camber and toe in is set accurately to the original spec. Check the state of the rear suspension mounting bushes, you have a later car so it is mounted more substantially.
Brian
MY2000 3ltr S type manual standard car with leather seats, cruise control and mistral blue metallic paint.
1961 3.8 MkII manual, Indigo blue, nolonger runs on LPG, everything else uprated
1961 3.8 MkII manual, Indigo blue, nolonger runs on LPG, everything else uprated
Re: strange suspension probs -please Help ?
Hi Dg,
Very sorry to read of your problem.
I have read through this thread a couple of times and from your description of the problem the resolutions suggested, in my opinion, go into far to much depth.
I would like to go back to the start and ask you if you had this problem from the very beginning of owning this vehicle ? Before any of this work was started ?
You say that you arranged for the fitment of different tyres and rims. Are these tyres and rims brand new or pre used? In other words have you imported a problem into your car ?
Road wheels rotate at a relatively slow rate, do you feel that the so called wobble is anything like sympathetic with wheel rotation ?
You may care to answer these question first
Oldtimer
Very sorry to read of your problem.
I have read through this thread a couple of times and from your description of the problem the resolutions suggested, in my opinion, go into far to much depth.
I would like to go back to the start and ask you if you had this problem from the very beginning of owning this vehicle ? Before any of this work was started ?
You say that you arranged for the fitment of different tyres and rims. Are these tyres and rims brand new or pre used? In other words have you imported a problem into your car ?
Road wheels rotate at a relatively slow rate, do you feel that the so called wobble is anything like sympathetic with wheel rotation ?
You may care to answer these question first
Oldtimer
Re: strange suspension probs -please Help ?
Thanks for all your input + comments
Just to update - the garage have Yesterday repaired a further 2 bushes that were deep inside but were giving much play.
This is the first fix that has made a difference.
The wobble is still there and noticeable but it is not as bad .
Whilst they were doing this they had to change a tyre - this is nothing to do with the problem - as they found a deeply embedded nail in it - that was not there previously.
Ironically with your current comments they are now wondering whether the other tyre opposite should also be changed and re-aligned to see if this is now causing some play. Just to note they are doing this at their cost and will only charge me if it solves the problem - they have not been charging for all this investigation - as they are determined now to get to the bottom of it.
To answer previous question.
I changed the wheels as I bought the car as the previous ones were full of corrosion, and also I think changed 1 tyre at that time + new brakes
- I believe this problem started only once the initial suspension work had been done - which involved changing various bushes as per my previous list. So we wonder whether each time we have changed more bushes its magnified the other weaknesses elsewhere to this effect.
He has said today that they have literally been through and stripped down the entire suspension / steering system and everything now is tight and as should be, which leads him to want to try equalling out one of the other tyres to see if this makes a difference.
Just to update - the garage have Yesterday repaired a further 2 bushes that were deep inside but were giving much play.
This is the first fix that has made a difference.
The wobble is still there and noticeable but it is not as bad .
Whilst they were doing this they had to change a tyre - this is nothing to do with the problem - as they found a deeply embedded nail in it - that was not there previously.
Ironically with your current comments they are now wondering whether the other tyre opposite should also be changed and re-aligned to see if this is now causing some play. Just to note they are doing this at their cost and will only charge me if it solves the problem - they have not been charging for all this investigation - as they are determined now to get to the bottom of it.
To answer previous question.
I changed the wheels as I bought the car as the previous ones were full of corrosion, and also I think changed 1 tyre at that time + new brakes
- I believe this problem started only once the initial suspension work had been done - which involved changing various bushes as per my previous list. So we wonder whether each time we have changed more bushes its magnified the other weaknesses elsewhere to this effect.
He has said today that they have literally been through and stripped down the entire suspension / steering system and everything now is tight and as should be, which leads him to want to try equalling out one of the other tyres to see if this makes a difference.
Re: strange suspension probs -please Help ?
I completely rebuilt my early model S-type V8 suspension last year so what I learned is still fresh in my mind. I don`t know if you have seen my story about the rebuild but here it is. It might give you a few ideas. http://www.jec.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=200&t=8040
My car was fitted with 19" ex X350 rims with a 9.5J profile and an ET rim offset of 49mm. The maximum that could be fitted was 50mm so I was just in the frame. No issues noted on those rims fitted with 245/35/19 budget Nexen tyres. Anything that was done to one side of the car was done to the other. The work was done over a few weeks and the car certainly drove oddly on occasions until Dave and I finally replaced every bush, damper and other associated components along the way. Then we set up the geometry and that made all the difference.
Early car springs, dampers and some of the soft bushes fitted made for a rather lively car on some surfaces. Essentially all dampers were shot by 90k miles and the majority of bushings were well past their prime by about 65k. Standard ARB front bushes were hard pushed to survive 45k miles and I took to replacing them with Powerflex Black long life components. B6 Bilstein uprated gas dampers and Adamesh uprated springs calmed that all down.
I take the view with the DEW98 suspension that if some bushes are well worn, then upon getting a wishbone out of the car, then all the others were also on their last legs. Twelve bushes on the back suspension arms and ARB with a further ten on the front end.
I`m doing the same job again on my X350R presently but waiting for the spring weather before ripping out the back suspension for rebushing. More cut knuckles, strained backs and general bad temper whilst being down there on hands and knees. The results though more than justify the effort even if I walk like a gorilla for a week having repaired a wishbone set.
Mike
My car was fitted with 19" ex X350 rims with a 9.5J profile and an ET rim offset of 49mm. The maximum that could be fitted was 50mm so I was just in the frame. No issues noted on those rims fitted with 245/35/19 budget Nexen tyres. Anything that was done to one side of the car was done to the other. The work was done over a few weeks and the car certainly drove oddly on occasions until Dave and I finally replaced every bush, damper and other associated components along the way. Then we set up the geometry and that made all the difference.
Early car springs, dampers and some of the soft bushes fitted made for a rather lively car on some surfaces. Essentially all dampers were shot by 90k miles and the majority of bushings were well past their prime by about 65k. Standard ARB front bushes were hard pushed to survive 45k miles and I took to replacing them with Powerflex Black long life components. B6 Bilstein uprated gas dampers and Adamesh uprated springs calmed that all down.
I take the view with the DEW98 suspension that if some bushes are well worn, then upon getting a wishbone out of the car, then all the others were also on their last legs. Twelve bushes on the back suspension arms and ARB with a further ten on the front end.
I`m doing the same job again on my X350R presently but waiting for the spring weather before ripping out the back suspension for rebushing. More cut knuckles, strained backs and general bad temper whilst being down there on hands and knees. The results though more than justify the effort even if I walk like a gorilla for a week having repaired a wishbone set.
Mike
X350 Co-ordinator
2004 XJR
2004 XJR
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