Hi guys, the ratchet adust on both sides of the handbrake on my series 2 does not seem to be working. I get stuff all handbrake pressure right at the end of the levers extension. I can see under the car both arms are pulling to their full movement. Is there any way to get the self adjust in the levers to work again without taking the whole handbrake mechanisms off the car (removal looks like a rather horrible task)

Thanks!

 

*Usually* removal and strip-down for cleaning and lubricating is needed.

*Sometimes* you can get enough aerosol solvent into the mechanisms while they are still in place to un-seize them

Either way, once you get 'em working, use 'em every day to make sure they stay that way!

Cheers
DD

 

a potential snake-oil trick to adjust the handbrake / rear brake pads in the Series 3 XJ-6 was shown to me years ago and I pass it along here: Use your own judgement.

find a spot where you can drive the car in reverse, like a commercial parking lot or industrial area where there is no traffic; (or cops).

1) drive the car fast in reverse and then step on the brake pedal to stop it;

2) drive forward to where you started,

3) drive again fast in reverse except this time you're going to stop it with the emergency brake, keeping left hand tight on steering wheel and the right hand is going to pull the emergency brake to stop the 3,800 lbs.; (that's why you need an open area without any risks of hitting anything in case you can't stop the car quickly).

do this fast reverse-emergency brake stop 2 or 3 times to see if if helps.

I've done it a number of times with my '84 and it helped "tighten" the rear brakes and the emergency brake. Don't ask me how, but it seems to work.

 

Ok, will try some solvent again tonight. How hard are the mechanisms to remove without dropping the whole rear end/What is the process? manual seems pretty vague on this.

 

Not all that bad. No fun, mind you, but not all that bad :-)

Remove the handbrake cable from the calipers. This can be a little tricky but my memory is a bit foggy on details

Remove lower the tie plate from the suspension cage....21 bolts or thereabouts

Each handbrake caliper is attached to the main caliper with two bolt-pins which are unscrewed and pulled out (7/16 wrench as I recall). Under the pins is the two-fingered spreader plate which keeps the pads away from the discs when the handbrake is not applied.

The handbrake calipers can now be "rolled" rearwards and then downwards, and dropped out thru the bottom (this is why you removed the tie plate)

On reinstallation (getting the pins started and spreaders plates in place is a real joy) do not "ratchet" the caliper levers until the cable is reattached

In a nutshell, that's it. Others with a better memory will chime in with more details, hopefully

Cheers
DD

 

Jose:

I don't know if your back up and stop will rachet the hand brake pad application or not.

I don't see how it can adjust the application of the pistons to the service brakes.

The former is a mechanical application, while the latter is purely hydraulic.

However, drum brakes used that system for the service applications, front and rear. Remember the star whee, cable and bar that expanded the bar connecting the cylinder to the brake shoe? Usually gave me fits in getting all to stay in place while i secrued the devilish little pins and washers. The rears wewre sworse as one had to deal with the hand brake applicator. I don't miss drum brakes one iota!!

But, the inboard calipers on these critters are great in one respect, unsprung weight, but the veery devil's idea on how to service them!!

Reminds me of changing the bands in my T ford through an inspection hole. Limited space, nuts to deal with and if one drops one, into the abyss it goes. Major dissassembly to retrieve. Or leave it and hope it doesn't lock the flywheel to the long pan!!!

Carl

 

Carl, I have no clue either, like I said, it might be snake oil, but in the case of my car, it seemed to work, in 22+ years I've never had to mess with the rear brakes other than bleeding them, my emergency brake works fine. And also the Jaguar tech who told me about this also told me the rear brakes have little impact on braking the car as such, the brunt of the braking is done by the front brakes.

 

Jose:

YUP, snake oil on service caliper adjustment by back and stop.

True, most if not all cars have front biased brakes. However, the rear brakes definitely contribute a substantial amount of the stopping force.

Replacing my leaky rear calipers and pads had a definite improvement on my car.

Carl

 

It sounds like you really do need to get the calipers off and on the bench. The handbrake caliper is very inaccessible, and whilst, in theory, you can undo the caliper securing pins to remove it, these pins rust in the housing and when you try to undo them the heads just snap off. Apart from this, the hydraulic part probably could now do with a strip-down and new seals and pistons putting in. As a Series 2 the car is now several decades old so these rear brakes probably are no in serious need of attention.

 

Jose: Your snake oil trick was used on older cars that had drum brakes in the rear. Your method was used to force the adjusting cog on the rear brake adjuster to move. Remember the setup was a cogged wheel and a tab. During normal driving forward, when the brake was applied the pair of brake shoes would rotate slightly toward the front of the car. When there was enough wear this movement would allow the tab to turn the adjuster. Driving fast in reverse and slamming on the brake forced the shoes to rotate in the opposite direction forcing the adjusting cog against the tab. This movement turned the adjuster and the brake would tighten up. this in turn will adjust the e-brake. The reason for doing this was that brake dust accumulated in this area and prevented the cog from moving as it should have during normal wear. You are not able to adjust the e-brake on your jag using this method. The only adjustment available for the e-brake on the jag is via the adjuster at the e-brake handle. There may be other points where the cable could be adjusted. I am not sure.The e-brake cable could also be stretched. Apples and oranges my dear friend.

 

hey man, weren't you coming to visit me? are you broke? do you want me to send you a check?

 

Jose, please do. send me a big one. Been extremely busy. I have been going back and forth to NY. Hurricane Sandy caused some damage to my house there. I have to be there to make sure I don't get ripped off by the contractors. By the New Year, things will be back to normal. Did you see my post for the 1985 xj6 I bought in Deland? I made you an offer there so you could make some money to send me the check you are offering. I just might cover the amount I need (lol). I will be back in FL tomorrow and will give you a call. The PO wants me to get the car out of the garage ASAP. I offered him an extra hundred to store the car until I get back. Would be moving it next Wednesday

 

sorry to hear about the house in NY, yes, the devastation is massive and I hear so many cars were lost, that people are lining up to pay whatever for a used car, so lots of ripoffs going on. Thousands of used cars are being moved from Florida to be sold at in NY and NJ, so at least they're getting rust-free cars. Deland is about 80 minutes from where I live and work, send me a pm and let me know what you are talking about.