I've used the proper tool for this, which happens to be 29 inches long (750mm). Having to get your car that high up off the floor makes me think that your solution is actually better!
@@ecanixgarage1106 when I've put both springs in, I did start thinking, hold on a sec, I'm relying on one piece of threaded bar. Your solution essentially gives six degrees of safety, which is nice when your face etc is up close to a spring that big! Also, the jaguar tool still requires the use of the jack to flatten the pan against the wishbone before you bolt it all back together.
My 2001 Jaguar XJR was afflicted by a steering shake and then, too late, I noticed the inner shoulders of both front tires were destroyed. As the car has travelled 100,000 miles since new, worn lower front ball joints were likely to be the culprits. This project was not an easy matter; the greatest hurdle emerged when my ball joint-splitting tool failed to break either ball joint from its connection to its respective upright, and only surrendered when the heat of an oxygen-acetylene blow torch was applied. Another odd factor concerned the positioning of the bolts that secured the control arms to the chassis. To remove them almost damaged the convoluted boots of the steering rack. I reversed their direction; they now enter from the front, pointing rearwards. Also, my rural hardware store had only one length (39in) of 10mm x 1.5mm (pitch) threaded rod in stock. So, when divided by 5 my lengths measured 7.8in each. Still, this meant one of the six holes that secured the spring seats to the control arms would be unsecured. However, the proximity of the two outer holes is close and, thus, five threaded rods performed the task safely. By adding a scissor jack directly under the spring seat, I discovered it possible to wind up the jack in one-inch increments, which accelerated the spring’s installation time. The threaded rods guide the spring seat towards the lower control arm, and by using index finger and thumb, the 17mm nuts can be quickly spun upwards to the spring seat. Then, crank the scissor jack up a further one inch followed by more finger and thumb action. But more important than any of this: had I not read this Ecanix Garage report, I would have been apprehensive about tackling the job. I’d estimated the front axles carry 2200lbs (1000kg) and each spring compresses by about 5in. The spring rate, as far as I understand, is around 400psi and when multiplied by 5 its compressed energy equates to 2,000lbs-a formidable force. But… my local Jaguar dealer estimated $3,500 plus tax to perform the task, so discovering the Ecanix report became the defining moment of my day. Thank you.
Wow.. thank you for the info on that job… I was very proud of that video and I’m so happy someone else could use the information and save thousands of dollars as well!!
@@ecanixgarage1106 Jaguars are not prevalent, and I didn’t expect to find your excellent video. Not knowing something essential is exasperating and knowing it turns night to day; your contribution brings huge and satisfying advancement to anyone with front suspension troubles in their XJ. Also, I forgot to mention that it’s probably advisable to tighten the front suspension system-its fasteners-at normal ride height before installing the spring. I’d estimate front wheel vertical travel to be around 5in, so with the new control arm in place, I raised the suspension with a scissor jack to around 2-1/2 inches. This step might ensure the rubber bushings operate in the middle of their rotational travel and not under severe torque loading. Cleaning the threads of the rods using a wire brush has an added benefit and chamfering their ends allows an easier start when entering them in the control arms. Lastly, assembling a parallelogram around the car (two bars, one front one rear, connected by two pieces of string) and checking the front toe readings might be prudent. Misalignment will soon do mischief to a pair of smart looking Pirelli 255/40 R18s at $300 each. Once again best regards and my grateful thanks to Ecanix Garage
Addendum: 7/8in toe-in! Following installation of the new lower control arms, the resulting front overall toe reading alarmed me. I’m unclear if my severely worn original ball joints or the non-OEM control arms I’d purchased or a combination of both had caused the huge toe discrepancy. In any event, had I not checked and corrected the deficiency, it would have destroyed the remaining two perfect tires, which I’d switched from the rear to the front. As best I know, the recommended overall toe-in spec for the 2001 XJ is 1.5mm, which equates to around 1/16in. To determine such a tiny increment, use fishing line rather than small diameter string between your front and rear parallel bars.
Would this work for swapping springs? In essence lower the bottom piece of the control arm relieving the tension of the spring and remove the springs and install lowering springs? Just reversing the process and applying pressure compressing the spring back? or would I still need to purchase a spring compressor and lock the spring in place and pull it out? Trying to replace all 4 struts too.
Just hit a hardware store and grab threaded rod, nuts and washers, might need a hack saw blade to cut the rod but it wasn’t difficult to make it. I have already used a couple of my threaded rods on other projects since then unfortunately..
High appreciation from XJ8 owner - UK
Great content, I’m doing mine ASAP. Doing lower arm with ball joint, upper ball joint and out tie rod ends, shocks and link pins..whew!
best idea ive seen for a long time
I've used the proper tool for this, which happens to be 29 inches long (750mm). Having to get your car that high up off the floor makes me think that your solution is actually better!
hphoto that was my first time dealing with the jag front ends! I stole that from another video but it actually worked amazingly!
@@ecanixgarage1106 when I've put both springs in, I did start thinking, hold on a sec, I'm relying on one piece of threaded bar. Your solution essentially gives six degrees of safety, which is nice when your face etc is up close to a spring that big! Also, the jaguar tool still requires the use of the jack to flatten the pan against the wishbone before you bolt it all back together.
Great! Much thanks for sharing.
Very informative and your really did help.
Thank you.
My 2001 Jaguar XJR was afflicted by a steering shake and then, too late, I noticed the inner shoulders of both front tires were destroyed. As the car has travelled 100,000 miles since new, worn lower front ball joints were likely to be the culprits.
This project was not an easy matter; the greatest hurdle emerged when my ball joint-splitting tool failed to break either ball joint from its connection to its respective upright, and only surrendered when the heat of an oxygen-acetylene blow torch was applied. Another odd factor concerned the positioning of the bolts that secured the control arms to the chassis. To remove them almost damaged the convoluted boots of the steering rack. I reversed their direction; they now enter from the front, pointing rearwards.
Also, my rural hardware store had only one length (39in) of 10mm x 1.5mm (pitch) threaded rod in stock. So, when divided by 5 my lengths measured 7.8in each. Still, this meant one of the six holes that secured the spring seats to the control arms would be unsecured. However, the proximity of the two outer holes is close and, thus, five threaded rods performed the task safely.
By adding a scissor jack directly under the spring seat, I discovered it possible to wind up the jack in one-inch increments, which accelerated the spring’s installation time. The threaded rods guide the spring seat towards the lower control arm, and by using index finger and thumb, the 17mm nuts can be quickly spun upwards to the spring seat. Then, crank the scissor jack up a further one inch followed by more finger and thumb action.
But more important than any of this: had I not read this Ecanix Garage report, I would have been apprehensive about tackling the job. I’d estimated the front axles carry 2200lbs (1000kg) and each spring compresses by about 5in. The spring rate, as far as I understand, is around 400psi and when multiplied by 5 its compressed energy equates to 2,000lbs-a formidable force. But… my local Jaguar dealer estimated $3,500 plus tax to perform the task, so discovering the Ecanix report became the defining moment of my day. Thank you.
Wow.. thank you for the info on that job… I was very proud of that video and I’m so happy someone else could use the information and save thousands of dollars as well!!
@@ecanixgarage1106 Jaguars are not prevalent, and I didn’t expect to find your excellent video. Not knowing something essential is exasperating and knowing it turns night to day; your contribution brings huge and satisfying advancement to anyone with front suspension troubles in their XJ.
Also, I forgot to mention that it’s probably advisable to tighten the front suspension system-its fasteners-at normal ride height before installing the spring. I’d estimate front wheel vertical travel to be around 5in, so with the new control arm in place, I raised the suspension with a scissor jack to around 2-1/2 inches. This step might ensure the rubber bushings operate in the middle of their rotational travel and not under severe torque loading.
Cleaning the threads of the rods using a wire brush has an added benefit and chamfering their ends allows an easier start when entering them in the control arms.
Lastly, assembling a parallelogram around the car (two bars, one front one rear, connected by two pieces of string) and checking the front toe readings might be prudent. Misalignment will soon do mischief to a pair of smart looking Pirelli 255/40 R18s at $300 each. Once again best regards and my grateful thanks to Ecanix Garage
Addendum: 7/8in toe-in! Following installation of the new lower control arms, the resulting front overall toe reading alarmed me. I’m unclear if my severely worn original ball joints or the non-OEM control arms I’d purchased or a combination of both had caused the huge toe discrepancy. In any event, had I not checked and corrected the deficiency, it would have destroyed the remaining two perfect tires, which I’d switched from the rear to the front. As best I know, the recommended overall toe-in spec for the 2001 XJ is 1.5mm, which equates to around 1/16in. To determine such a tiny increment, use fishing line rather than small diameter string between your front and rear parallel bars.
Thanks, will try this next week!
Thank you! M10x1.5
Would this work for swapping springs? In essence lower the bottom piece of the control arm relieving the tension of the spring and remove the springs and install lowering springs? Just reversing the process and applying pressure compressing the spring back? or would I still need to purchase a spring compressor and lock the spring in place and pull it out? Trying to replace all 4 struts too.
Just wondering, i have a 76 xj6 coupe, u thin that fromt end fits mine? also the KYB shocks how did it hold, did they last as long as bilstein ?
It was a customers car so I’m not sure, they haven’t called again so they must be ok… it’s been years… not sure about your front end
Is it possible to just change the balljoint without messing with the spring?
I don’t think so
Where are you located?
Would you consider selling this tool?
Just hit a hardware store and grab threaded rod, nuts and washers, might need a hack saw blade to cut the rod but it wasn’t difficult to make it. I have already used a couple of my threaded rods on other projects since then unfortunately..
@@ecanixgarage1106 do you think this would work on a 1996 Jaguar XJ12 ?
@@dunloputube if it has the same lower control arm setup it should
@@ecanixgarage1106 Sorry, I'm confused. I just pulled one bolt to check and make sure it's the same as you posted. This bolt is: M8 X 1.25.
@@dunloputube different year, different size hardware I guess.. sorry haven’t done one in your year