Daimler Sovereign Coupe 1978 - Suspension Bushes

[jezzaaa]

Hi all,

New owner here...my car needs lots of TLC...but it's basically sound and has a current MOT until april this year! My first priority is to get it driving well and through another MOT.

I'm intending to overhaul the brakes and suspension. There's lots of guidance on the web about dropping the IRS etc. However, what there's not much information about is whether using polybush bushes instead of the original rubber bushes is something that is good to do. There are many people saying that it only feels like a Jag using the rubber. But I like my cars to handle...so I was wondering if anyone on here has gone the polybush route...and did it spoil it, or is it now much better in terms of feel and road holding?

Thanks all,

J.

[mike020150]

Polybushes are very much a personal thing on series XJs. The one bush you must not polybush is the large rear radius arm bush. It would risk tearing the back of the floor pan out of the car. Over the years, I have run my coupe with standard rack bushes, XJS sportspack bushes and polybushes. my preference, by far, are the XJS sportspack bushes. They give more precise steering without introducing the harshness of polybushes. On the front suspension, the antiroll bar link bushes respond well to polybushing, resisting roll without introducing other vibration/noise issues. From there onwards to wishbone bushes, it's that matter of personal preference again. I'm happier on standard Jaguar bushes for those components because they allow the car to retain that Jaguar degree of sophistication. It's all a compromise. Mike.

[jezzaaa]

Polybushes are very much a personal thing on series XJs. The one bush you must not polybush is the large rear radius arm bush. It would risk tearing the back of the floor pan out of the car. Over the years, I have run my coupe with standard rack bushes, XJS sportspack bushes and polybushes. my preference, by far, are the XJS sportspack bushes. They give more precise steering without introducing the harshness of polybushes. On the front suspension, the antiroll bar link bushes respond well to polybushing, resisting roll without introducing other vibration/noise issues. From there onwards to wishbone bushes, it's that matter of personal preference again. I'm happier on standard Jaguar bushes for those components because they allow the car to retain that Jaguar degree of sophistication. It's all a compromise. Mike.

Hi Mike - that's great advice, thank you

J.