About to swap out the brakes on the 2009 XF. I find it completely unreasonable that the rear brakes are completely gone at 23,000 miles. My 2002 XJR is still on its original rear pads at almost 68,000 miles. does anyone know any "tricks" that make it easier to accomplish. I took off a rear wheel and it looks like you would unbolt 2 bolts to take the caliper off and then standard procedure from there.

does anyone know the torque specs for these bolts, lug nuts, etc?

thank you

 

Totally differant brake system than your 02. You need a piston retrator for the rear to turn the piston in. And there is faster take up on the rear and electric park brake so theyre gonna wear faster. 23k is pretty good, you must brake alittle heavier than most

 

You should also know that the EPB needs to be released and re-set as part of the pad change. I think you have to disconnect the battery at some point but I may be mistaken. In any event you cannot just unbolt the calipers and replace the pads, the EPB will be adjusted to the worn out pads and the relined caliper won't go back onto the disc unless you release the EPB, which is electric. After you do that and fit the new pads the EPB has to be reset so as to be self adjusting.

 

thank you all, what is the specific procedure for resetting the electronic parking brake?

 

Just push the park brake button down to release, and then after you set the pads after changing(nothing more than seating them to the rotors with a few stops forward and reverse) then pull up on the park brake switch and hold a few seconds while stopped with your foot on the brake. That simple

 

sounds reasonable, thank you for the information

 

How do you fully retract the pistons to allow installation of the new brake pads? The self adjusters on mechanical park brakes all have to be manually backed off to allow the new pads to be installed. Are you saying that somehow just releasing the EPB normally will also fully retract those pistons? That is not what I have read on other BB. If so, how does the EPB self adjust?

 

It does not fully retract the piston, just takes tension off just like when you are driving. The you take the caliper off and use a piston retracting tool to turn the piston all the way back in so you can get the calipers back on over the new thicker pads.

 

So then this is just the same as for the purely mechanical handbrake, usually you twist the piston as you press it back in as it needs to be retracted up a threaded internal adjuster rod.

 

Yes, with the exception that youll never be able to use a electronic park brake to "drift" or do a rockford. Unlike the manual one

 

In the snow I have done handbrake turns using a conventional handbrake. Heck, in my Alfa Romeo 164 (which is fwd) I've done doughnuts in the snow using the handbrake to keep the spin going. Not brave enough to try this on bare road, yet.

The EPB answers a question I've never asked and I still don't see the advantage.

 

The "new" systems are Electronic Brake Force Distribution which means that the rear pads wear "just as quickly" as the fronts. In the "olden days", the front pads took most of the abuse.

 

My last service yesterday (oil change only) at 39,000 km (24,000 miles) reveals the rear pads will need replacing before the next oil change is due (10,000 miles or 16,000 km).

Rotors are fine. Front brakes are fine.

We drive a lot on highways without needing to brake for long periods. This is pretty aggressive pad wear for our conditions.

 

put on EBC redstuff and the car is good to go now, I have the EBC redstuff on my XJR and they work very nicely, and with minimal dust. the OEM pads on the XF put out more dust on the wheels than an 1800s factory. I highly recommend the redstuff