The car is an 85. My e brake isn't very effective. It's enough to hold the car in place on a slight grade but not much more. The drivers side seems to hold better than the passenger side. It's become a problem since I manual swapped the car.
Anyone know how to adjust it?
The car has new pads and rotors all the way round.

 

I have noticed the same problem with mine. I think the pads are so small it hard to be effictive. I dont think of it as an emergency brake, its more of a parking brake to assist the locking pin in automatic. Most cars the e brake wedges to shoe to the drum. This set up is useless.

 

M90
The handbrake is self adjusting. If the adjusters on the special calipers on top of the main calipers are gummed up (100% likely if you have never had them off and done them over) the brake gradually fails to engage. Plus the pads fall off, etc etc etc.

It is an axle out job to fix them, on my car at least. But once done they are good for a decade or so.

Greg

 

I agree that they're probably gummed up. Also agree that they shouldn't be counted on as an emergency brake. When working properly, though, they'll grip quite strongly as a parking brake. I've found that the pads need bedding-in just like any others.....and daily use keeps the mechanisms freed-up.

However, with enough contortions and patience the HB calipers can be removed with the cage in place. Personally I wouldn't recommend it but it should be 'doable'. I did so on my Ser III XJ6 which has the identical set up

Cheers
DD

 

well so much for making it a drift car. haha