My handbrake doesn't seem to work properly.
I searched a lot about it, watched videos but here we are, it fails to keep the car parked.
This car has been sitting for many years and at first it tought is was something stuck somewhere. Tried everything, adjusting screws near the handbrake at their maximum path, it somehow brakes the car and it's difficult pushing it but it's still not enough to make it parked in hills.
I inspected the shoes, they are not worn to the bone so it should do the job as it's static braking.
Now i found that it should be some bolt to approach the shoes from the discs but i can't find where and how adjust the calipers before adjusting the cable path with the screws.
Thank you for your help

 

How did you inspect the shoes?
I didn't think they were visible without much disassembly.
You might want to put your cars particulars in a 'signature'.
If you do, you will get model year specific replies.
Your 1988 is vastly different from 1994+ cars with outboard brakes.

 

yes, i did added in the profile but maybe the forum needs time to refresh the information.
So it's an old xjs 3.6 from 1988. I lifted the car and managed to see the calipers with mirror, i can see there are with a good thickness of matter.
I manually moved each to find if any was stuck but they are not. Now the question is : is there any solution to add constraint on these handbrake calipers with relaxed cable so they can have less path to travel before touching the discs and btw allow adjusting them with the screws near handbrake ?

 

1; Go back into your profile and there is a SIGNATURE option.
That will add the info to the bottom of each post so you don't have to.

2: I believe the pads and disks you were looking at were the rear brakes, NOT the parking brakes.
My expertise does not include inboard braking systems.
I would expect someone will chime in with direct knowledge.

3: From the little I recall, the parking brake SHOES are INTERNAL to the discs.
The shoes are actuated by the parking brake cable under the car.
You should tension that cable at the split of the cable before the diff.

 

The handbrakes never work because nobody uses them reliably.
I had a 1972 XJ6 that the handbrakes worked well but it was my wife's car and she used them EVERY TIME SHE PARKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I used to adjust the handbrake two ways.
The first to try is the easiest and that is to remove the cable from the calipers and get a LONG prybar.
Lever the caliper arms to their extremes 'back-and-forth' and sometimes you will hear a 'click'.
If the adjusters click and the calipers start getting closer keep at it until they will not click. (fully adjusted)

If the calipers are 'gummed-up' and won't adjust, you need to remove the split-pin (cotter-pin) from the through bolt and turn the slot-head by hand.
Screw it in a few threads until it is adjusted and replace the split-pin.

VERY tight to get at the adjusting bolt with a flat screwdriver but I have done it on the XJ6/12 sedans and likely the XJS as well. (the brakes are the same)

Give it a try.

 

you are right, i didn't used the proper term to describe the pads. Can't adjust the cable between the two calipers, there is one unique postion on it.

 

The attached is what you need to do to get a handbrake working to modern standards.

 

Thanks a lot for the advices. I wanted to avoid lowering the whole car's rear.
I was hoping there was some screw or something to forcibly adjust them.
I'll try that tomorrow when i'm back from work.

 

The exhaust pipes are always in the way but I have been successful at getting the adjustment.
When the caliper is finally adjusted properly you will need to loosen the cable because it will be too tight. (from adjusting the wrong way)

 

Keep looking, there should be a threaded rod at the saddle.
If not, someone bodged your system.

 

Here is a shot of the handbrake pad adjuster screw. It is JUST possible to get at it if the wheel is off and the exhaust is off. You may also have to undo the inner UJ flange. You then have to undo the split pin that locks the adjuster screw. The idea is to get the pad as close to the disc as possible without it actually touching. If this adjustment is not made the handbrake will not work as the system runs out of travel regardless of what is done to adjust the cable in the sill behind the seat.

 

Thank you so much Greg, i was searching without even knowing what i was searching

 

If you have your car "Controle-Technique'd" (French eqquivalent of the UK MoT test for our ROW readers) then the handbrake is tested on a rolling road. The OEM pads are NOT strong enough to withstand this test, and the pads will get ripped off their backing plates. This happened to me twice, hence the permanent fix.

 

That's just what it is all about, the MOT or CT or Tüv.
From the design i was thinking it has not enough surface which enters in contact with discs. I was with the idea to grind the pads to increase somehow the contact surface just to pass the tests. This is a test expecting from a car built 30 years ago to be able to work as it's been made nowdays which is dumb request. Anyway in a way or another i will make them fail on their program to get rid of old vehicles. Even if must add bike 6 pistons caliper it'll work 🤪😄
For now i go to get some croissants and pain au chocolat before i start dismantling all this

 

Read my piece on how to fix the handbrake. It includes greater pad area and also stronger pad attachments, better setup etc etc .

 

So at jaguar we are exotic at engineering aren't we, it seems that the xjs for it's parking brake system is made with over complicated system that just can't work. Often i've heard about German over engineering but never saw so funny handbrake system. 😁

So there is no pin that locks the screw, someone messed around it and didn't put the locking pin back, anyway it won't escape. I can see the adjustment screw but the exhaust nuts and screws are so rusted, i won't even attempt to touch them until i can replace them.
Finally and to be real a handbrake adjustment would require lowering all the rear, replace discs and pads with new ones to increase the luck that the lazy handbrake thing could touch them.
It's not maintenance, it's sending a spaceship to mars as handbrake ajustment lol.

 

You will enjoy this thread:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...huckle-292814/

Essentially, pre-electrically operated parking brake calipers, the best that anyone could some up with for a handbrake on a disc-braked car was a drum brake incorporated into the disc hub. hardly an elegant soltion.
I think you are being a little derogatory about the Jaguar setup, as it, or a variant of it, was used by all and sundry makers for decades.

 

Yes but between all the car brands i had, this one is the first to use a system which could be found on bicycles 😁
That's not serious at all, sorry but we are talking about a car which wieghts over 1.5 t not a Trabant or a 2cv
If i was completely ignorant about cars, i'll probably be happy with this solution and probably i could confirm that ignorance is bliss.
This thing is just unsecure. Even Peugeot 504 was with rear hydraulic handbrake able to self adjust, that's so sad. Deception from a brand like Jaguar but ok, i'll put down on the floor all the rear. I was wondering how to lose time for nothing.

 

[img alt="So, these are supposed to be emergency brake pads also supposed to keep the car parked in 18% hills ? 🧐🤔

Really ? 😡

How on earth someone even allowed that so poor engineered brakes system could be used on roads, it's just enough to keep the car parked in some museum.

"]https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jaguarforums.com-vbulletin/2000x1961/img_20251222_101323_d1878fc1599033ef0db6e4aaa96da4 5c2fd9fd3e.jpg[/img]
So, these are supposed to be emergency brake pads also supposed to keep the car parked in 18% hills ? 🧐🤔 Really ? 😡 How on earth someone even allowed that so poor engineered brakes system could be used on roads, it's just enough to keep the car parked in some museum.

 

In the UK, the "Handbrake" or "Parking" brake has never been regarded or referred to as an "Emergency" brake, certainly not since the 1960s when the introduction of dual-circuit hydraulic brakes significantly improved braking efficiency and reliability. As far as I'm aware, the car literature doesn't refer to these brakes as "Emergency" brakes? I think that must be a US nomenclature?

In the UK, the standard applicable to the annual MoT test is to hold the car on a 1in 6 slope (16%). My late facelift car uses the drum-in-disc setup which is perhaps more efficient. However, I never use the handbrake on any car I own to hold the car in place when parked. I've always put Manual cars in 1st or Reverse gear, and Auto cars in Park. I admit that I do operate the handbrake almost every time I use the car, but that's merely to trigger the light so that I can fold the roof down!

When I recommission my 1979 pre-HE, no doubt I'll have a quick look at the handbrake setup, and I'll even submit it for an MoT test, even though it's now MoT exempt.

Paul