shocking jaguar xk8 x100 shock mounts and spring clocking intrigue includes upgraded shock mounnts 

So grateful you are doing these videos to help the whole community with figuring this long-term issue. Many thanks!

That's really interesting John looking forward to the next part take care Andy Allen.

A great job of demonstrating the problem and the solution, thanks John.

I'm SO glad to be able to learn from these videos BEFORE I get into this work I also need to do on my XKR. Thanks a million John!

Great timing for me. I'm about to do the top mounts. Will be contacting Mr Phobman ASAP. Cheers from BC Canada.

Great work John. I'm glad that the Hobman parts are looking like they'll do the job. All of your conclusions stack up as far as I can see and I'm quietly confident that your proposed solution will do the job as well as further tightening up the handling (although I'm sure we're well into the realm of exponentially diminishing returns by now). As ever, thanks for the great content and good luck buddy 👍 (BTW, the current Mrs B is asking when will we get some more puppy content and updates!)

Great detective work John! I'm leaning towards your last comment about how little pressure is applied to those donuts in the aftermarket units. I mentioned before that I swapped out my Uro style ones for Baxtors rebuilt units. I still have the aftermarket units and I'll dismantle one to see what sort of thickness the donuts are and how much pressure they're under. As an aside, I did easily recentre the aftermarket ones with a socket and breaker bar even while the full weight of the car was on the wheels. I think that confirms the blancmange condition of the donuts even after perhaps 500k. Looking forward to part 2

Our 2013 Xj had those crappy sponge rubber top cushions, and for over 10 years a squeaking noise inside from the dash area drove us crazy. Wish I found those neoprene cushions at the time I replaced mine.

Peter tells me the thinner donut is used in the upper position of the Welsh shells. For the URO shells we use two thick donuts. It makes closing and riveting the shells more difficult. John, can you confirm that the OEM shells and the URO shells are the same depth, that will use the two thick donuts? Repeat, the Welsh shells use the thinner donut on top, thicker donut on bottom.

Wow! 31:23 When you showed the lack of compression! That’s shoddy short-cut engineering! They literally left out a major component of the assembly! Obviously on purpose. Great forensic engineering! I eagerly await your autopsy of the “new” top-hat assembly. Also, this is the first I have heard of the new refurb kit from California. I just might order it for my 2006 XKR, which seem rather harsh riding. Great price too. Thanks for all your XK8 content. I often refer back to to when I finally get around to one of the many projects for the Jaaag.

John. The hardness or compressibility of rubber is calculated using the Shore strength calibration scale. You maybe able to find out the strength of the original parts to compare this with the parts you are using to replace them via the manufacturer .

Thanks for this. I have the same issue. My garage did not want to use any alternative bushings and said it would be OK. I have alternative components from Baxtor in Australia. I will have to dismantle and fit these parts to the "new" shock mounts. Looking forward to your next video. I must admit that compressing the springs scares the s**t out of me!

I did mine back in October '22, genuine top mounts, new bilstein shocks, original springs. Made a note of the clocking / paint marks on the springs, and despite renewing everything, the spring wandered. All seems fine, and the mounts are fairing well (thankfully! ££), but yeah, the spring coil wandering did cause some concerns initially.

hello John. I too recently changed my top spring mounts for new after 23 years on my 1999 xk8. within 20 miles the pins were off centre and the nearside began knocking. I found that i could simply use a pry bar on the nut to re centre the assembly! this indicates that there is virtually no compression grip on the smaller yellow urethane doughnuts. i had the cars weight on the assembly at the time. i find it interesting that the spring tail may sort this but i suspect it was never intended to be located with accuracy rotationally. My parts were purchased from British Parts. they have now completed 30 miles and i am most displeased with the product. I do have a floor standing spring compressor which will simplify the rework necessary and will be buying the rebuild kit you have identified. Thanks for all your work John.

Hi John. Great video and very interesting. Like many of us I have seen plenty on line about top mounts wondering after replacement. The spring tail must come into play with this issue but after seeing how loosely those plates held those two doughnuts I'm thinking that they will allow the strut top to wonder regardless. I can see why those new bespoke ones may be the answer. Following with interest ☺👍

I purchased Genuine Jaguar parts. Part# MJA2170BD The foam is Polyurethane (PUR). Which is a tough time tested material. I have yet to install them. I hope to do so in the near future. I want to thank you for all that you do. You Friggin Rock!

The clocking of the spring is the reason that the factory springs have lines painted down them, this alignment should be replicated when fitting aftermarket ones.

Hi John great video, I didn't know all these details when I changed my front shocks. Unfortunately it is now too late. I won't change it anymore. Greetings from Germany.Udo, I will send you photos by email.

Hi John, We did meet briefly back at Gaydon but you were quite busy and it was jammed packed with fellow Jag/ car enthusiasts. Update on the ongoing misfire water was seeping into the ignition coil cover and caused a short in my wiring. Had to change the ignition wiring harness and got some nice Japanese ignition coils hopefully with some extra reliability. Definitely need it with the car in mind 😂 The differential decided to break right before Christmas as I was leaving work and just had a fresh MOT and the RAC didn't come to my rescue as it wasn't registered with a MOT on their system so had to limp it home at 5mph. Literally live 5 miles from home so hearing all that banging and scraping has given me tinnitus 😂. All good news now though as I have rebuilt the whole rear end with a Quaife differential, full poly bush, thicker anti roll bar and a set of AVO coilovers as my shocks were completely shot on all 4 corners. Your car I would have gold with green pearlescent hints to compliment the green/bluey pearlescent and some nice gold wheels to finish her off. I've never seen your cars colour before and it is an absolute stunning motor in the flesh! But something out the factory it's really something. We have a Facebook group "Jaguar XKR/ XJR owners" and everybody is welcome to join and post their videos and pictures of them and their lovely Jags. Doesn't have to be S/C and anyone can join who has passion for their cars. Thanks again John with all your informative videos and keeping cars like Purdy and other people's pride and joys on the road! I'm sure I would have been stuck a few times without your vids 😂 Thanks again all for the votes for this year's calender 💙 Mat

Hi John. Great video, and all very interesting. However, I think you answered your own question about the original location of the top end of the spring, in your Secrets of the XK8 Episode 40, when you gave us a guided tour of the front wheel well with the cover removed. The spring top end is clearly visible pointing away from the car. By the way, I changed my front shock mounts a few months ago, and was advised by a friend, an automotive engineer, to make sure the spring was mounted with the top end pointing outwards. I have no idea where he got that information from, but he is Rolls-Royce trained.

When I changed my upper mounts (which appear to be the same make as yours) I also put in a new KYB upper shock bumper and bellows. The upper bumper fits into the bottom of the upper mount and would serve to keep the shock shaft centred in the upper mount. I couldn't see if you fitted an upper shock bumper because the bellows hides it. My upper shock is still positioned in the centre of the mount.

Great detective work John or is it Sherlock

I would like some shock strut mounts please John

Great diagnostic and incisive bit of sleuthing! I have just bought aftermarket spring tops from a source in U.K. and I am not a happy bunny. I dare not drive the car on the road while all the negative points you mention still exist. I haven’t dismantled the original ones yet but you can be sure I’ll do so tomorrow. Hundreds if not thousands of makes of vehicles get the simple suspension mounting right! Why are we jumping through hoops at every turn we take this bl**dy vehicle! It’s draining my willpower to exist but at least I know I’m in a pack of Jaguar hounds, all seeking nirvana! 🤷‍♂️🙏🏻😩😂😳

Fascinating videos, John, and the first time I have ever seen this effect being demonstrated. My 97 XK8 has always had the plastic dome covers in place as it's still on the original shocks and springs. I don't really ever recall removing the covers to inspect the shock absorber tops but I will check whether mine are still centralised next time I'm in the garage. Can you just confirm whether the original springs from the car were more ground and flattened off across the top compared to the new red springs which don't appear to have been ground flat at all? That might explain the greater distortion of the seating plate with the new springs. If required, you could always do a little grinding on the new springs and improve the seating position. Richard

I'm having these shocks put in right now so I'm not very hopefull. I will be buying some shcoks from Baxtor in Australia though to fit rebuilt OEM shocks so that will make them perfect.

I wish you had posted a day earlier, as I have already ordered my OEM strut mounts and they will be here Monday. I will be very curious about the ones from Cali.

That loose lid will not be loose once fitted to car John, 3 x 8mm studs will see to that The problems with that mount run a lot deeper than that.

The foam that they use in the URO parts apparently compresses but doesn't return it just keeps getting thinner and thinner over time until the metal parts are in contact.

The bigger donuts will fix the wandering but it looks just like a copy of ones l got from a gent in Australia a year ago, not new

Mine were replaced last year and they have moved almost identically to yours.

Just one thought. You changed the springs recently. Are the spring tails any different on the new springs than the old springs tails?