Finding someone to align XJSC in San Diego

Actually, people that seem to know about alignment issues have told me it likely ISN’T toe in, b/c she holds the road perfectly while driving - no wandering or pulling to one side. You take your hands off the wheel and she generally stays straight. :oncoming_automobile: In fact, it was b/c of that characteristic I found it hard to believe I even had a wheel alignment issue in the beginning (i.e. before I saw the wear areas on the front tires) - then it was pointed out to me by them that a car can still have bad alignment and hold the road like Superblue does if it is a camber misalignment. Now I’m confused :confused:

Thanks very much, fellow Tex(an)! :slightly_smiling_face: (dang, Motorman - how come you didn’t chime in with that info.? You’re our go-to man on the TSBs :laughing: )

Quit listening to people and get it measured by a reputable shop. I stated my opinion based on experience, your mileage may vary. Toe will not make it pull, but can result in the steering wheel not being centered.

That is a frightening piece of information, Aristides. I am surprised that I did not see that in the manual so I did not bother to keep them separate. Installing a left control arm on the right side sounds like a plausible explanation for why the fellow who did the alignment said any attempt to properly shim the upper ball joint would bring the arm too close to the shock absorber.
The dealer said they have purged their parts catalogue of all pre1995 stuff so they will be of no help in identifying which arm goes on which side. Does anyone have the part numbers that designate which arms are left and which are right?

On the right side of the car the control arm number is CCC7454
On the left side of the car the control arm number is CCC7455

Just to be sure AJ, on a given side both arms have the same part number?

These are the part numbers for the lower arms that are one piece.
The upper ones are specific to each side and front/rear, all four have different part numbers.

https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.com/parts/index/hierarchy/id/C03.910.91057.91057409/brand/jaguar

Thanks for clarifying that, Aristides. The link you sent did not include the part numbers for the 4 upper control arms but I think the shop manual has an appendix with that information

Just for future reference, the upper control arms are numbered as follows:
RH front upper 30611
LH front upper 30612
RH rear upper 30613
LH rear upper 30614

what is mid laden… not even in my dictionary… where did this term come from

laden = heavily loaded, weighed down.

mid-laden = not fully loaded, weighed down midway.

If the suspension has been lowered with different springs, the mid-laden tools are useless. The XJR-S alignment specs specifically say to NOT use the tools during alignment, and do not provide substitutes.
All the tools do is make sure the car is at a specific ride height. With spring sag over time, it’s anyone’s guess if the mid-laden settings have anything to do with normal ride height for a particular car. If a car is stock with new springs, bushings, proper spring packings, etc, the mid-laden tools can be useful.
I find it interesting that the latest video that JCNA just posted on YouTube stresses that the fuel tank should be full, spare tire, tools in the trunk, etc, THEN specifies the use of the mid-laden tools. With the suspension locked into place with the tools, the weight of fuel, trunk contents, etc would make no difference.

Jon

Scrimbo. It is a designated position suspension wise at which to adjust the wheel alignment to spec. Tools involved to achieve the mid-laden position

thanx… never heard that before

Kirby’s book has description of how to make your own. Mid laden sets vehicle ride height.
Many discussions in the forum about whether or not the tools are really needed. And there is probably a link to the updated TSB which provides the alignment numbers

I’ll tell you what, the moment I feel like I’ve got a handle on how to set the car up for alignment, then here comes another post that just blows everything that I thought I knew right out of the water.

It now seems to me that determining whether or not to use the Mid Laiden tools are highly dependent upon the springs involved. In other words, if the springs allow the car to fall into the ride height spec set by Jaguar then the tools should be used. If the car is +/- the ride height spec then do not use the tools. BUT, (correct me if I’m wrong) under all circumstances DO use the castor, camber, and toe specs to gain proper alignment. Does this sound right?

No. The castor, camber and toe specs are for use with the mid-laden tools. If you’re not using the mid-laden tools, you might as well just make up some specs for castor, camber and toe.

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This is never ending at best. What about all of the people on here that have admittedly had their cars aligned without the mid-laden tools. I presume they’ve been using factory alignment specs with no complaints of abnormal tire wear or anything else. I just want to know what’s up with that? I wouldn’t even know where to start if I had to make up some specs for castor, camber and toe.

I set mine to factory spec at specified ride height and it seems fine; I couldn’t get as much positive caster as the preferred spec, I ended up at the low spec on both sides.
Someone would have to plot caster and camber change with the mid laden tools and without them to see what changes- my guess is not much would change.
The mid laden tools may have more to do with toe change, front and rear, as there is at least a change in the rear due to the radius arm arrangement, with suspension travel.

The mid laden tools have to do nothing with Toe but everything to do with Camber, and especially at the rear.
Rear Toe is fixed and not adjustable, but rear Camber will change more than 1° from one extreme to the other.