Thank you for taking the time to post that video - very handy to review what needs to be done before tackling the job. By the way I believe the torque values aren't a range, but two different values for used (lower) versus new (higher) bolts.
Best of luck in your project. I hope the videos are detailed enough to get you through the job. As long as you don't rush, it is a very doable undertaking. Some of the videos have additional information which I added in the comments section, as people reached out for additional details.
I just checked them, they look the same as on day 1! No issues whatsoever. I have head them on for a relatively short time (less than a year at this point), but I don't expect any problems in the future. Hundreds, if not thousands of fellow owners use these mounts without any issues. I like the black colour, it matches the rest of the engine perfectly - small detail, but for me it makes a difference.
Congrats on your new XK8! In my case, after I got the car I noticed that the rubber surround for the lower bushing of the shock absorber was cracked, falling apart. The bushing internals were ok, there was no clunking or anything similar in terms of its operation. However, it was clear that the bushing is on its way out. So the thought process was the following - clearly, I have to replace those bushings. If I am doing that, I might as well replace the whole shock absorber as well - the new shock absorbers from Bilstein come with the bushings pre-installed from the factory. In order to change the shock absorber, I will have to take apart the whole front strut assembly, in which case I might as well replace the top strut mounts also. So basically, if I were going to do all that work, might as well put all brand new parts in there when I reassemble. You've probably noticed in my videos that the center of the original shock absorber was held in place perfectly by the original isolator, no deterioration whatsoever. The flat round isolators were also in near-mint condition and looking back at it now, I did not really have to change these components. However, having done it this way, I now have peace of mind for decades to come. I'll never have to bother with that part of the suspension again. You can see the cracks of the protective rubber of the bushing at 44 seconds into this video: th-cam.com/video/HRQ86_1Bvwo/w-d-xo.html
But if your shock assy has the proper washers on the lower seating surface the rotating static friction is actually quite low. Your concern is unfounded. These are not delicate items.
I know some cars have additional metal washers. From what I have researched, most cars do not have such washers. Mine certainly does not. And even if said washers reduce the needed twisting force, personally I still would not resort to this approach. This is the beauty of the hobby - everyone can choose to take different roads with their own vehicle. This is my journey and I am documenting what makes sense for my particular vehicle.
![2001 Jaguar XK8 - Front Strut Assembly: Reassembly Process [Episode 5]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/WPA2DbsELls/mqdefault.jpg)
![2001 Jaguar XK8 - Front Strut Assembly: Reassembly Process [Episode 5]](/img/tr.png)
![2001 Jaguar XK8 - Front Strut Assembly: Removal Process [Episode 1]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bLwWTPotQyw/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you for taking the time to post that video - very handy to review what needs to be done before tackling the job. By the way I believe the torque values aren't a range, but two different values for used (lower) versus new (higher) bolts.
Ah, interesting, it makes sense for the torque specs. I tend to lean towards the higher end of the spectrum when tightening ;) Thank you for sharing!
Best of luck in your project. I hope the videos are detailed enough to get you through the job. As long as you don't rush, it is a very doable undertaking. Some of the videos have additional information which I added in the comments section, as people reached out for additional details.
So how are the mounts holding up til this day?
I just checked them, they look the same as on day 1! No issues whatsoever. I have head them on for a relatively short time (less than a year at this point), but I don't expect any problems in the future. Hundreds, if not thousands of fellow owners use these mounts without any issues. I like the black colour, it matches the rest of the engine perfectly - small detail, but for me it makes a difference.
@2001JaguarXK8 yes I seen your car looks glass from the videos. I recently got a 98 xk8 and need that done what made you change your mounts out?
Congrats on your new XK8!
In my case, after I got the car I noticed that the rubber surround for the lower bushing of the shock absorber was cracked, falling apart. The bushing internals were ok, there was no clunking or anything similar in terms of its operation. However, it was clear that the bushing is on its way out.
So the thought process was the following - clearly, I have to replace those bushings. If I am doing that, I might as well replace the whole shock absorber as well - the new shock absorbers from Bilstein come with the bushings pre-installed from the factory. In order to change the shock absorber, I will have to take apart the whole front strut assembly, in which case I might as well replace the top strut mounts also. So basically, if I were going to do all that work, might as well put all brand new parts in there when I reassemble.
You've probably noticed in my videos that the center of the original shock absorber was held in place perfectly by the original isolator, no deterioration whatsoever. The flat round isolators were also in near-mint condition and looking back at it now, I did not really have to change these components. However, having done it this way, I now have peace of mind for decades to come. I'll never have to bother with that part of the suspension again.
You can see the cracks of the protective rubber of the bushing at 44 seconds into this video: th-cam.com/video/HRQ86_1Bvwo/w-d-xo.html
But if your shock assy has the proper washers on the lower seating surface the rotating static friction is actually quite low. Your concern is unfounded. These are not delicate items.
I know some cars have additional metal washers. From what I have researched, most cars do not have such washers. Mine certainly does not. And even if said washers reduce the needed twisting force, personally I still would not resort to this approach.
This is the beauty of the hobby - everyone can choose to take different roads with their own vehicle. This is my journey and I am documenting what makes sense for my particular vehicle.