1994 XJS 4.0
I am sure there is an easy technique I have never been introduced to! I am replacing my front shocks. I have removed the driver side shock and am replacing it with a new Bilstein. The new shocks did not come with the compression strap installed, they were in the fully extended condition in the box. And that is my problem. I can use a block of wood on the stem and put my full upper body weight on the stem to compress the shock, but I can’t get it positioned fast enough at the lower mount to be able to guide the stem through the opening in the inner fender as the shock extends to its full length. I have tried it half a dozen times and have only succeeded in getting a real belly laugh out of my wife when she watches my antics. What is the trick?
There are probably several tricks. I’ve used a piece of heavy string tied around the shock - use a half-hitch knot- to keep it compressed while positioning. Pull the knot when you’re ready to extend it.
Not supposed to be that hard. IIRC, the easy way is to insert the upper end into the opening in the fender first, then push upward on the body of the shock until it lines up with the swingarm.
I’m thinking that’s the way I did mine. I might have used a small jack to compress it to make it easier, but I think I probably just pushed up or used a screwdriver to help align the holes
Get some long, black, zip-ties. Before approaching the car, ask your wife (politely) to compress a shock. Then, using your creativity, secure the shock in a compressed position with maybe three or four zip-ties.
Place shock on car. Cut ties with side-cutters. Thank wife.
Kirby has it, put stem through body hole first and compress, then fit bottom section.
I had to remove top only on my recently binstalked Bilsteins to replace hardware, left bottom in. Only way I got it back was to compress with all my might, just got enough for the stem to get stuck inside body top to hold it. Kept compressing a few more tries until I could inch it along to the hole.
Bilsteins take a lot of compression!!!
And yet I still get arguments when I point out that loss of gas charge will affect ride height.
When I got my car I found that I had trouble getting a trolley jack under the front end. I had to use an airbag to lift it. The car had KYB front shocks- no idea how old. I replaced the front springs and gained enough height for my jack to roll under the car. Over a few years the springs relaxed just enough that the front end came down a little, so I put a set of Boges up front. I kept the KYB shocks. Gained a little height back. A few more years and slight loss of height again, so I did a very unscientific test.
Using a bathroom scale I discovered that it took more pressure(weight) to start the old KYBs compressing than the fairly new Boges. About ten to fifteen pounds difference. I removed the Boges, reinstalled the KYBs, and gained a quarter of an inch under the front cross-member- enough for my jack to clear.
FYI, all the shocks on my XJS were bad when I bought the car.
Replaced front with Bilstein. Car looked too high in the front end. Finally got around to Bilstein in the rear, now the car looks level.
Yes! New heavy duty gas shocks can raise a car 1/2" - 1" if the previous gas shocks were shot.
On one of my Volvos, I put in NEW Boge shocks. Didn’t like how soft they were, so only a few months later I swapped with Bilstein. They raised the car 1/2"! So Bilsteins are known to do this. (They actually were too stiff for my Volvo! So I swapped again to Koni. They were just right (and didn’t raise the car 1/2") )
Thank you all for your input. I have the driver side shock mounted and will begin the passenger side today. That side is a little messier because you have to move the coolant reservoir out of the way. After numerous complaints from my Tucson Jaguar shop (Falcon Works) about my wimpy, leaking shocks, I finally got around to remedy the situation. The front shocks are totally worn out and of some cheap brand from Car Quest, an old two-tube design. I suspect the rear shocks are totally gone also but I will leave their replacement to the shop. I ended up measuring the distance between the lower shock mount and the stem hole in the fender (18 inches) and then made a constraint loop out of 60-lb test fishing line. The fully compressed shock is about 11.5 in. Based on the clearances in the fender well I made my constraint loop 14-inches in length. I filed a very small groove in the very bottom of the shock for the fishing line to run in. I compressed the shock with the loop at the ready and quickly fixed the loop over the stem. Once in place in the lower shock mount, I cut the fishing line and easily guided the stem through fender hole as the shock decompressed. I know I know this sounds like a ridiculous amount of complexity for replacing a shock, but I am working at ground level (no free-wheel lift available) and I did not have enough leverage and arm strength to compress the shock first by putting the stem through the fender hole. Anyway, it worked! Special thanks to BobPhx for the suggestion. Once again, this forum came to my rescue.
Kirbert
Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.
March 14
gregma:
Bilsteins take a lot of compression!!!
And yet I still get arguments when I point out that loss of gas charge will affect ride height.
A bit of a cushion as in air ride ???
for me an inch up or down would be of no concern.
Carl