I am a newbie to this site and to my first XKE which will soon be on its way. I know you are supposed to be careful with the IRS unit, but unsure how one goes about that with a two post lift. Can someone give me instructions or pictures about how to do this and where the jacking points are on the car. Also, a recommendation for a good shop manual would be useful. thanks again Steve
Welcome!
Tons of stuff in the archive on this.
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Steve,
Welcome to the forum. Lots of friendly folks here, and even more advice in the archives. This thread should help you with shop manuals:
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Hello and welcome. Which year and body style do you have?
On my 69 FHC I use blocks of wood as spacers and lift at the big end radius arm mounts and in front at the point where the front bulkhead ties into the floor.
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That’s exactly how I lift mine. In the front blocks I have a couple of holes for the plastic carpet pins to recess into.
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Yes, I did the same thing.
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The above recommendations for standard lifting on a 2-post lift work fine, but you are asking about removing the IRS which negates using the front of the radius arms at least initially. Also, once you remove the IRS the car becomes VERY front heavy and I suspect using the lift point at the front of the floors may result in a nasty surprise. I use the lower aft A arm attach point for the forward lift point and if removing the IRS I would initially use the rear jacking points. If you can detach the front radius arm cups from the body before lifting (perhaps using a floor jack and jack stands to lift the rear end only) then that would allow using the radius arm cups for lifting. Just be very aware of the balance issues when removing the IRS.
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Steve - Welcome to J-L.
If that was the question… I would think having the car on the floor (no lift) is by far the easier way to deal with the IRS.
But perhaps Steve is pondering how to avoid this…
Recognizing that lifted with a 2-post the only thing holding the IRS up is the glue on the rubber mounts.
Sorry, no answer – I use a 4 post.
I have a Series III so this may not apply to your unspecified series of E-Type (hint – hint (*) ):
As a newby, you may not be aware that you can create a personalized signature block – in which most JL-ers include the Series of E-Type they have own and/or the year / body style / color / type of transmission / number if carbs / etc / etc
It helps focus the replies to future requests for help / leads.
Craig
Since someone using the handle scheherazade bought this car on BaT very recently, I assume that this is the car we are talking about:
The reference to being “careful with the IRS unit” is therefore probably as @Ahwahnee assumed - i.e. don’t let the IRS hang unsupported. To my way of thinking, that is why I would never have a two post lift for an E-Type. I think some here support the tie plate of the IRS with some form of tall transmission jack when on a two-poster, but I’ll leave it to them to give details.
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Steve
Don’t think I’d use a lift to remove the irs
Get a piece of 2-12 to fit inside the irs tie plate needs to fill it so it balances on bolt heads
Jack rear of car with dolly jack by tie plate
Remove radius arms and place floor jacks with pads …remove dolly jack from under tie plate for clearance
Disconnect Drive shaft ,brake line ,park brake ,exhaust pipes ,wheels, plastic bags over splines
Undo rubber mount at front from frame note shims
Rear mount at carrier
Lower irs from car with floor jack and rollout side ways car needs to be high enough
Rear end sits on jack while you work on it
The lift just gets in the way I 
but nice to have
Cheers Jim
The pictures showing the support arms at the two big bushes may support the car adequately, but they do nothing to support the IRS. This is still hanging down and the IRS cage is pulling the four cage mounts apart.
To adequately support the IRS cage if lifting the car using a 2post lift, you can either put a support under the big oblong tie plate below the differential OR support the two lower control arms. If doing the latter, you are in the same position as if the car is sitting on the ground. Basically, if the rear wheels are hanging down and there is nothing under the tie plate, then that is the situation you want to avoid, as when that happens the cage mounts are no longer in compression.
If you are considering removing the IRS, there is no need to lift the car higher than you need to to remove the rear wheels. I would simply jack one side of the car normally, remove the rear wheel, support the car on an axle stand placed between the trailing arm big bush and the outer edge of the car, put a jacked trolley under the IRS and then repeat for the other side. The IRS can simply slide out sideways once it either sits lower down on the trolley or the car is raised slightly so the rear wheel arch clears the top of the IRS as the trolley and IRS are pushed sideways. (Obviously you’ll have to clamp the brake line and disconnect the handbrake cable and disconnect at the trailing arms before undoing the cage mounts.)
kind regards
Marek
The two red boxes are the best jacking points if you want to replace a wheel. There are three different verticals meeting here and it is thus a very rigid box section. If you want to raise the car using a 2post lift supported at the red boxes (or close by) then you need to support the IRS either at the control arms (yellow) or at the tie plate (blue). That keeps the cage mounts in compression, effectively pushing the IRS up into the car, just like it is when on terra firma.
When removing the IRS, remember its centre of gravity is about six inches further forward than the centreline of the IRS cage when looking at it sideways. See green line. It is very “front heavy”.
kind regards
Marek
Excellent advice, Marek. Life is short enough without inviting avoidable accidents into the garage.
The first thing I do after I have a car up on the list is to put a support at the rear and another at the front of the vehicle. On the Jaguar one goes under the picture frame with a piece of 4X4 between it and the support. In the rear it goes under the tie plate, again with a length of 4X4 between the support and tie plate. The below picture shows the one in use under the picture frame while I was redoing the front wheel bearings.
Edit:
The supports, adjustable for height.
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The best tool to remove the IRS I find is a motorcycle lift… They are inexpensive $80 on sale and make it an easy job!
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Pete
That’s a good idea comes down to what you have and wether or not you want more stuff. Some one mentioned that you only need to lift the car high enough to get a wheel off, that’s true but you have to get under neath it to disconnect stuff
Cheers. Jim
my philosophy is “i can’t have too many tools” Inhave a two post lift and i find that the motorcycle lift is so slick… especially when reinstalling the IRS…I have used it to move the engine also… … thanks for the reply!!
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Yea…I thought that, too.
Then I retired from the car game! Want some spare tools?
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O ya I have a Honda Valkrie motorcycle too… handy to have the lift for tyre changes and oil change…
Ahh of course… the question is in retirement can I affort them…
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