The 'E' Type Forum

So my front suspension was clonking a bit after a 25 year sleep and sudden awakening. Needs new bushes. One call to Barretts, 14 hrs later I have a set of upper, lower wishbone bushes and roll bar bushes.

The ride height of my car is level and perfect. I don't want to touch it.

Setting the torsion bars is a job to be avoided.

I just want to replace the worn links. Get the car back on the road.

No matter how many searches I do on the internet, I cannot find out whether I have to disconnect the torsion bars to change the front suspension bushes.

So this evening I just got on with it.

1) Wheels off, Mud shields off

2) Car supported at the bulkhead on a lift.

3) Brakes drained, flexi line off.

4) Steering ball joint split, off.

5) Top ball joint split with hub supported on axle stand

6) Shocker compressed a bit and removed.

7) Car hub lifted off axle stand, lower wishbone spins down, torsion bar unloaded. Hub and disc, brake still connected to lower wishbone.

8) Position of the top wishbone measured with caliper, prior to removal (5 bolts). It is clamped to a threaded fulrum, so I supposes you can adjust the wheel base of the car. Again, I have no desire to adjust the wheel base of my car.

9) Big castellated nuts on lower arm and split pins off. Torsion bar pinch bolt still in place.

10) Rear alloy lower wishbone mount undone, 2 bolts. Mount pushed into torsion bar cover and pulled down.

11) Lower wishbone split. One bolt.

12) Lower wishbone pulled out backwards from front mount with the back half of the wishbone, leaving front still connected to torsion bar and hub assembly. Removed from car.

So now ready for reassembly.

So the answer would seem to be, the torsion bars can stay in place if you only want to change the bushes.

James

Hi James......before fully tightening the wishbone shaft castlated nuts and fitting split pins let the car down onto its wheels and bounce it a bit to settle the suspension.......then tighten and split pins......your top shaft thats threaded lets you adjust castor angle......also note that the upper wishbone mounts have shims behind them to adjust camber
Compared to all tbe work you have done setting the torsion bars is a very easy job......some just dont understand how to do it and make it sound over complicated....the jaguar manual gives a very straightforward description of setting ride height......

Thanks Steve,

I shall post a picture after I triumph.

James

I'd like to see that 'Rear alloy lower wishbone mount'?

Pete

Peter : did you get my PM ??

Yes thanks.It sounds like you didn't get my reply?

Off topic, politeperson, but I wonder if you could provide the specifics of the wheel and tire combination of the car depicted in your avatar? Thanks

Eric, the wheels are form MWS

Motor Wheel Service International Limited

They are 6.0 x 15 72 spoke silver painted about £200 incl Vat each. They also provide twin eared spinners.

They sent then up to Longstone who fitted Michelin XWX 205/70 15s which cam in at under a grand for 4. They have round side walls and a high profile, and were fitted to high end cars in the day.

The tyre is actually a modern radial in disguise.

It had Pirelli P4000 s on when I got it. I didnt like the modern square shoulder look. The XWXs stand an inch higher.

I discovered the secret to replacing the front suspension bushes without the whole thinh turning into a majot saga.

The first side took me 8 hours.

The second side took me two hours.

What is the secret?

Ill let you know later.

politeperson wrote:Eric, the wheels are form MWS

Motor Wheel Service International Limited

They are 6.0 x 15 72 spoke silver painted about £200 incl Vat each. They also provide twin eared spinners.

They sent then up to Longstone who fitted Michelin XWX 205/70 15s which cam in at under a grand for 4. They have round side walls and a high profile, and were fitted to high end cars in the day.

The tyre is actually a modern radial in disguise.

It had Pirelli P4000 s on when I got it. I didnt like the modern square shoulder look. The XWXs stand an inch higher.

Thanks. I like the look a lot. Any clearance issues at the rear?

Eric,

I unbolted the rear bump stops, no issues.

As far as replacing the bushes in the front wishbones goes, these are the magic secrets.

1) Make sure you have a ball joint splitter from ebay for £10.

2) Support then car at the forward edge of the floor on wood below the bulkhead.

The upper arm is easy once you have disconnected the steering arm and upper ball joint, it just unbolts with the bush holders in situ so you can deal with it on the bench. Support the lower arm.

3) Do not remove the front alloy lower fulcrum bearing holder, as it also supports the weight of the open bonnet, if you havent taken the bonnet off and it is in the open position.

4) Support then car at the forward edge of the floor on wood below the bulkhead.

5) Remove the torsion bar covers and mud guards.

6))Split the lower arm bt removing the shock absorber bolt. This allows the whole fucrum arm to slide out towards the rear on the car with the lowes mount still attached to the fulcrum arm.

7)) Refit the front lower bush using a clamp and copper ease with the mount still on the car.

8) When re-fitting the lower fulcrum, with the new rear bush housing in place, the fulcrum will slide into the new front bush with the rear bush housing on, only if the rear bush housing is rotated 180 degrees in the wrong position to miss the frame of the car. When the fulcrum is property located in the front bush, there is just enough waggle room to flip the rear bush holder around 180 degrees into the correct location prior to refitting the 2 mounting bolts and the shock absorber bolt.

I've just done mine. After unloading the torsion bar I didnt need to split the lower wishbone, just a bit of wiggling and encouragement with a screwdriver and the fulcrums just roll off the end.

I asked as well but got no definative answer....
http://www.myetype.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... 899#p68899

also see photo http://www.myetype.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... 4&start=10

Hi James...Great that you have got your bushes replaced.....but for anyone attempting to do this be eware that you must unload the tension from the torsion bars.....James must have done this but didnt mention it in his list of magic secrets.......

Oh yes Steve you are correct. Thanks

I supported the lower wishbone on a gearbox stand when I split the upper ball joint. Then I loweded the wishbone on the jack.

Otherwise it would have gone thwack!

As promised, the fruits of my labour. I still can't believe this car is nearly 50 years old, it must of had an easy life in The States.

I just cannot find any rust. Anyway-

What you can see, or nearly see are-

New bushes, fulcrum arms, track rod ends, roll bar bushes, callipers, discs.

1969 paint on the frames, bonnet and sills.

I will refit the mud-guards and torsion bar guards tomorrow.

Then a test drive. I hope it doesn't go clonk any more.