For anything on an E Type–or any other street car, for that matter–Gr. 5 hardware is entirely adequate.
#LetsOverthinkThisOne!
1 Like
I just like having the shiny gold color of grade 8 bolts on my car 
3 Likes
For real drills go to an engineering supplies store, and purchase the drill you want the good ones used to be black.
Your parents must not have told you this tale when you were a kid, and picked up your first wrench- it’s called “Greglocks and the Three Bolts.”
…as time went by, Greglocks discovered that grade 2 bolts were too soft, grade 8 bolts were too hard, but grade 5 bolts were just right!"
6 Likes
Unfortunately, the garbage ones used to be black, too.
2 Likes
Will be replacing radius arm bushings tomorrow.
Just want to make sure before I do this, for better performance, it’s recommended to put large bushing in 90 degrees, like they do on the XJR-S.
Is this still the case? Nothing bad about it? I’ve been reading the archives, LOT of conflicting opinions. It seems 2:1 that it is good. Kirby and Lutz say yes, so I’ll give it a try.
FYI, I’m putting in both OEM trailing arm bushings, Bilstein B6 shocks, and have no sway bar.
Thanks.
1 Like
My .02 worth; the stock position is fine. I would install them as Jaguar intended unless competition is your intended use.
2 Likes
Yeah, I’m thinking of just going stock now. So many differing opinions in the forum archives, some say it puts more strain on subframe mounts, some say less strain.
When in doubt, go stock.
I do NOT want to redo these radius arms in the near future.
Installing them at 90 deg definitely would put more strain on subframe mounts.
1 Like
But Jaguar itself did exactly that with its Sportspak models, and they didn’t reinforce the subframe mounts.
this is part of the conflict I read. Although Sportspak models had stiffer small bushings, and a sway bar. Mine does not.
Split the difference 45 deg 
Not sure if that may induce some rear wheel steering?
1 Like
The XJR-S has the 90 degree turn and no sway bar.
As suspension travels, something has to flex; perhaps the stiffer orientation of the radius arms doesn’t generate enough flex to be a problem. I like the stock handling for the cars intended purpose, touring. As did Norman Dewis….
1 Like
I don’t believe those holes reduce the stress on the rubber, regardless which way they are oriented. I don’t believe they will reduce the stress on the boss on the floor that comes from the suspension swinging up and down, again regardless which way they are oriented. For either of those issues, the bushing might as well have been made solid with no holes. IMHO, the only change rotating the bushing 90 degrees will do is stiffen the bushing in fore/aft compression. Presumably this might increase the fore/aft load on the boss, but I’m not even sure about that. Just because a stiffer assembly results in less fore-aft motion doesn’t necessarily mean the loads are any higher. The original arrangement might generate just as much load but takes more travel to do it.
Rather than have to try it one way round, then press out the bearings to try it 90 degrees the other way - it could be possible to create some hard (polyurethane?) bungs that fill the holes in the bushing to simulate the two different states.
To get some more information, maybe rig up a GoPro type camera to record any deformation of the bushings while undergoing some stress inducing manouvres.
I managed to cut one of the large bushings out, but took an hour of aggravation. Don’t feel like trying the other one.
My friends press will not work, we just cannot support the odd shape of the arm.
Called local Jaguar service, they can’t do it either! Doesn’t have the dies/tools, says he always just buys complete assembly new.
Am checking a local shop later today, but they sound apprehensive about doing it.
Doesn’t anybody press bushings anymore?
I can hear Paul saying again “you should have borrowed the tools/dies!”
Who? Moi?
Bat bat… 
I hated doing press-in bushes, irrespective if I had the dies, or not. W/o them, m the best way is the worst way: hand-saw a slice down the outer sleeve, and/or smoke-wrench out the rubber, then…invent new curse words.
Cars: How I Developed A Rich Expressive Language.
3 Likes
I don’t think that would work. To simulate not having holes, the bungs would have to be physically bonded to the rubber surrounding the holes.
I know that if I were replacing those bushings, I’d turn them 90 degrees. Not only would I appreciate a bit less give in the rear wheel location, I believe it’d help the rear subframe mounts survive longer.
Paul Wigton,
No, I believe that Greg meant me.
Early on I suggested to Greg that he borrow the JCNA trailing arm bushing tools, like I did, to remove those bushings. JCNA has retained a lot of the factory and dealership tooling and loans it out to JCNA members for a small cleaning fee, shipping, and a refundable damage deposit. I have used this benefit of JCNA a few times for tools that are hard to find, expensive to buy, and that I will rarely use.
Paul
2 Likes