My existing Jag brake pads are just OK. Not much of a bite, perhaps to suit its limo role. Anyway I want more bite! EDC Redstuff look like the ticket. The catalogs seem to indicate that the VDP has different brake pads than other XJ8s. Is this so? Why? Just curious.

 

No - the X350 model that has different ds/calipers/.rotors is the Super V8 and the XJR. That said, you have one of the in between years. 2006 MY cars, shipped between mid-late 2005 had brake rotors increased in size to 326 mm from 288 mm from Chassis: G49700. <- The last 6 characters in your VIN. Pay CLOSE attention when ordering brake parts to get the right ones, as I do not belive you can intermix components, such as upgrading to the larger rotors without changing the caliper mounts etc.

I love that your VDP has such low mileage. Cherish that ride! Of course you are just coming up on a fair amount of service that will not be cheap, especially if you depend on dealerships to perform the work. I have a nice 2007 VDP that I got with 89k and considered that a good find.

I would like to add a concern of mine to this thread to see if we can learn something. I need to research if a set of Jaguar Branded rear OEM pads for my 2007 VDP are a different part number than they are for earlier cars with the 288 mm rotors. Brake jobs I have done with 326 MM rotors, the pads are the same part for all year x350 cars.

In other words, same pad for 326mm rotors as for earlier 288mm rotors. No mention anywhere in the aftermarket of Chassis G49700, which is the change-over point for larger brakes . They are using the same size pad on a larger rotor? That makes absolutely no sense at all! If you use the same pad, the swept area is exactly the same, except its on on a larger, heavier rotor, with more un-sprung weight; with NO additional braking capability. This can not be right.

The only thing I can think of is aftermarket supplier does not have the spec right. But EVERY aftermarket supplier? Seems Unlikely. I have tried rear pad part number comparisons, using 2004 and 2007 MY's to be well before/after the rotor upgrade. So far I have not seen ANYONE listing a different part number for pads after chassis G49700.

Can anyone speak to this situation and explain what the story is? I am holding out on doing new black zinc coated rotors and ceramic pad combos until I can determine what is the correct rear pads for 326mm rotors. If anyone knows, please help us out here. I am wondering just how many X350/X356/X358 cars are rolling around out there with brake pads that aretoo small for their rotors. My thought? Don't get in their way. This should be a safety recall.

For Dan R: Here' a DIY with pictures that's really good. Mote that it's showing the earlier pads and rotors, which are a little different. Mainly in the way you retract the rear piston, its a stictly different fitting and you use a different "disc" with pins to fit the piston.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ctures-104402/

 

If they are the same pads located further out on the rotor (since it is larger) they will provide more braking torque than when installed nearer to the axle with the smaller rotors. So different rotors, same pads more braking and more cooling.

 

Is it possible to go to the larger rotors and new caliper mounts and still retain the existing rotors? Any thing else to take care of?

 

The pads that I ordered for my 04 XJ8, are much larger than the 07 VDP pads when compared to each other. When I looked at them without removing the wheels, it did look like the right size pads were sent.

 

Wait. Your 04 pads are LARGER, on the smaller 288mm rotors? They are definitely a different design, but I can't see how they could be larger.

 

I think you meant to say "still retain existing calipers"? I don't know for certain but I would think a parts number comparison could answer your question.
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Wait. Your 04 pads are LARGER, on the smaller 288mm rotors? Thats the way it appears to me, it seemed rather odd when the 07 pads arrived & seemed to look smaller, so out to the garage, to look.Sure enough they were smaller, then over to look through the wheels. Different sized pads, 07's smaller than 04's, to wear out faster, why else? Stopping power feels just the same to me, but don't go all that fast to tell.

 

yep, that's what I meant. I have just received a set of EBC Redstuff pads for the front disks. I'll see how these work out.