I have a problem with the rear suspension on my 1996 Jaguar XJS with the AJ16 engine.
The drivers side is about an inch lower than the passengers side.
I have replaced the shocks and springs with an overall increase in height (the rear wheel arch used to the 26.5” off the ground, now it’s 27”. The drivers side is 26”.), but still the same problem. I may have saved a 1/2” from what I had before. (I think the old suspension had 25” on the drivers rear, and 26.5” at the passengers side)
Now that shock and springs have been eliminated, what else can cause something like this at the rear suspension?
If you mean the vee mounts, part CBC5737, then yes, I replaced these a year or two ago with OEM parts. They looked good. I spent a considerable amount of time making sure they were both installed the same and in similar condition, but perhaps I didn’t do a good enough job.
I just measured the front. They are equal to the rears. 26” on the drivers side, 27” on the passengers. I should have taken measurements before swapping out springs.
The front springs have never been replaced, but the shocks have, just over a year ago. I was incorrect on the vee mounts. They were last replaced approximately 50,000 miles ago, in 2015.
VeeKay - try this test (will need another person to help) - while you lift at driver front corner of bumper, approximately one inch, take a measurement at passenger rear where you measured before, and at driver rear - might be front spring worn - at 50,000 mile, and six years, IRS mounts are probably good, but close inspection, and compression measurement, would tell.
Facelift bumpers aren’t easy to grip. I grabbed the front wheel well and I’m not gonna raise it an inch by hand. I’m gonna jack it up-it turns into a one man job this way too!
The not so funny thing about those rear cage vee mounts is that it is almost impossible to casually look at them and tell if they are ok. I have my car on a lift and and was able to carefully look at those mounts multiple times, and dismissed them as good every single time. I finally said the hell with it, took one out and the cracks in the rubber were revealed. As coincidence would have it, my car has 50,000 miles on it too. Just saying!!!
I can’t answer that question, and yes, you would think that the height would remain the same with or without cracks.
Although it might seem unnatural, but I don’t see why this unbalance couldn’t be solved by the use of one, or two spacers on just that corner of the car. After all, isn’t that what the spacers are for?
I’ve taken measurements from the center of the bolt holding the rear shocks in place. (no front shock readings are taken here)
The readings are not equal!
On the drivers side, the center of the front bolt holding the front shock in place is 7.25" from the ground. The center of the rear bolt holding the rear shock is .25" higher.
On the passengers side, the center of the front bolt holding the front shock in place is 7-1/2" from the ground. The center of the rear bolt holding the rear shock is 0.5" higher!
The bottom of the bolt head at the rear x-brace also has a 1/2" difference, and they match the center of the rear bolt at the rear shock.
When this car was stolen, the front was damaged. The repair was all sorted, making sure the body and frame was still straight.
What I never really paid attention to was the fact that the car was towed from the back. It appears they had wrapped a strap around the rear passenger axle.
Now a four wheel alignment did not reveal any issues. (Even though I know rear wheels cannot be adjusted, I paid for the four wheel alignment to get the numbers)
The only part I still see a reminder of what happened was a slight distorted “rear IRS tie”, or part number CAC2416. Can this part affect the suspension height?
You are concentrating in the rear but I think the problem is at the front… and it also had an accident…
Being low on one corner it doesn’t mean that the car is not straight.
I also do not thing that pulling the car from the IRS would cause any problem.
Try pushing down the rear and then the front to see the difference in stiffness. In my car I can bounce the rear up and down with one hand, the front though will move only slightly.
Try also to raise by hand one corner at the rear to see if the front will straighten up, I bet the front will not bulge. Do the same at the front and you will see the rear will follow.
