Jaguar Repair: 1984 XJ6 Vanden plas rear rotor install, flange bolts, rear rotors

Question
QUESTION: Howard,

 I'm putting my rear suspension back together and was wondering what the trick is with putting the rear rotors back on.  I had trouble taking them off since they ride within the lower wishbone.  I then had trouble putting them back on since you have to slip the rotor behind the wishbone and over the flange bolts but then it's on an angle and forcing it will chew up the threads.  That explains why the bolts are so rough at the ends ! Should I just remove the lower arm via it's long bolt or remove the bottom plate or something else ?  I guess I could tap the bolts back a bit but I don't want to damage those nice new bearings I put in !

  Thanks,

  Steve.

ANSWER: Hi Steve,

Even though the bolts seem to be part of the inner hub they are not, so you can use a soft metal drift (Brass, aluminum etc.)to drive the bolts in toward the differential to give you clearance to access the disk.

Howard

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Howard,

  OK I'll drive them in a bit, I tried lowering the wishbone all the way down but that didn't help, it's a strange design.

  Different question: With the rear end up of the car up on stands I noticed some transmission fluid has leaked out, I haven't had a good look yet but would you know what seal could be leaking ?  Also, what type of ATF do I use - Dextron ?

   Thanks,

   Steve.

ANSWER: You should not have to remove the lower wishbone to get the disk off and on. The flange bolts should go in toward the differential enough to remove and replace the disk unless someone has replaced those bolts with the wrong bolts. If you have already replaced the lower wishbone bearings you know what a pain that is to align all the components so I usually avoid removing the lower wishbone. Be careful to keep the shims on the "U" joint flange as that is the camber adjustment for the wheel.

The oil dip stick tube into the transmission pan can be a leak or the pan gasket itself. You need to use a light and a mirror to ID the leak.

Howard

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Howard,

 Good thing I asked first before removing the wishbone, I also labelled all the shims when I took them apart so I don't get them mixed up.  Regarding the type of transmission oil - any recommendations ?

  Thanks again Howard for all your help.

  Steve.

Answer
The factory just says 90 gear oil (hypoid). Unless some one had special ordered the car with Power-lock (limited slip) differential. (unlikely) but I have run into cars that had switched to a limited slip. Hard to tell by just looking at them.

We could always spot the limited slip versions due to the way the calipers mounted. If you have to put a socket through holes in the brake disk to remove the caliper mounts, it is a limited slip. So all we use to do is to look for the holes in the disks. But Beck Arnley started selling the disk with the holes for all applications.

Or you can just jack up the rear and hand rotate one rear wheel and see if the other rotates the same direction or opposite direction. If they rotate in the same direction you have a limited slip and then need either a 90 gear oil for a limited slip or just get the additive and use standard gear oil with it.

Howard