Hello... Had my 95 jaguar xjs in storage for 2 years got it out put a brand new battery in it. I drove it and noticed I was getting not a lot of power got it back to my garage and there was smoke coming off both back tires checked and cleaned both calipers all seems fine however issue is still ongoing the parking brake has always been very *****-nilly just moves around very loose doesn't hold the car in any sort of position and I have to bounce it around to get the light off of the dash does this affect the rear brakes? After putting in the new battery I never did any recalibration which is something I'm seeing across these forums that's a must-do could me not doing that affect the rear wheels?

 

taylorshace,

A couple of comments:

- You don't have an EPB. an XJS just has a manual handbrake, no electronics involved. So battery change has no impact at all on your handbrake.
- The handbrake light on the dash is not linked to the actual brakes, it's merely linked to a microswitch on the handbrake lever which reflects it's position.
- If your handbrake doesn't work properly, start by manual adjusting the ratchet for the shoes. That is accessible through an access hole in the drum with the wheel removed.

Hope that helps

Paul

 

Thank you Paul...I've been wandering the web to try and figure this out... Bigger question is could it be possible that since my vehicle sat for 2 years in an enclosed trailer that both calipers may now not be functioning it just seems odd that both went at the same time.

​​​​​My husband also bled the brakes as well but I noticed typically when I help him do that your foot will go all the way to the floor on the brake pedal and this didn't happen I felt resistant and I actually felt the brake pedal come up a little bit. I would appreciate any insight I'm truly trying to avoid taking it somewhere as I know the cost would be a bit crazy I've never had a problem with my car before so I'm a little frustrated thank you again Paul

 

Thank you so much Paul for your quick reply I really appreciate it I am new to this forum and I don't know a whole heck of a lot about the ins and outs of my Jaguar but I have fixed a couple things myself on it and I've referred to the internet for these things this issue is strange again I thought maybe the back tire issue has something to do with the parking brake which is what you're telling me is not existent but do you think that replacing the calipers might help being that smoke initially was coming off them after I initially took it for a drive and I had noticed that I couldn't drive as fast as I normally would like there was pull back so would the calipers play a part in that my husband took the calipers off bled the brakes didn't seem to see anything crazy...

I just find it odd that both calipers would go with the same time both tires were extremely hot when I brought it back from just going around the block

 

Sounds more like the tyres are binding on something, even possibly that the main brake calipers are binding. Jack up the back and see if the wheels turn. Look for witness marks. For the tyres to get hot in a short drive is very unusual, unless the brakes were binding to such an extent that the hub grease melted onto the tyres, but you should see evidence of this.

 

We jacked the car up both Wheels were taken off calipers removed everything was checked didn't see any marks at all brake pads rotors all good the only thing I can think it is is the calipers but I don't understand why they would both need to be replaced at the same time is that typical

 

The flexible to the rear axle can internally fail and prevent the fluid returning. That could cause it. Worth renewing in any event.

 

taylorshace,

I know that the US classify their Jaguars with different model years to us, but I think that if you refer to your car being a "1995" then your VIN last 6 digits will be lower than 198335. If so, then you have the Teves ABS system. That brake system is quite unlike any other that I have encountered. It also is prone to a couple of problems that have only become apparent in the last few years.

Forgive me if you and your husband know all of this, but there are couple of things that you must be aware of in dealing with these brakes.

First of all, you should NEVER, EVER push back the caliper pistons to remove pads or calipers without first opening the caliper bleed nipple and attaching a tube by which the fluid can escape. (I know this may be too late if your husband has just removed the calipers! But at least you know for next time!) This is because otherwise you will push fluid back to the ABS valve block where it may dislodge sediment, causing disastrous dangerous consequences when braking hard.

The other thing is that you have to bleed the rear brakes in a very specific manner, not in a conventional manner. The way to bleed the rear brakes is as follows:Start at rear left, then rear right,
One person in the car, ensure brake fluid level is fully topped up.
Turn on ignition and wait until both abs and low-pressure lights have extinguished and also the motor pump has cut out.
Then, open rear left bleed nipple and hold brake pedal down, with ignition on for 15 seconds – no more, tighten bleed nipple, turn off ignition, release brake pedal.
Wait one minute and repeat from restoring system pressure as above for other nipple.

Having said all of that, your problem sounds more like a binding of the calipers after the pedal has been depressed when driving, rather than air in the system. Greg's suggestion is really well made as to why the calipers might both be binding. However, if that was the case, I would have thought that your husband would have noticed the pads being stuck when stripping the rear brakes?

I would be tempted to carefully jack up the rear of the car and support on axle stands, confirm that the wheel can be rotated by hand in neutral, turn on the ignition, wait for the brake pump to pressurise and cut out, press the brake pedal, then release, then see if the wheels can still be rotated by hand.

As regards the handbrake lever, gain forgive me if you know this, but you do realise that it is a fly-off handle and doesn't release in the typical way? I presume that the handbrake has been properly released and the handbrake drum shoes are not seized on inside?

Good luck

Paul

 

My son had an XJS V12 but I've never owned one so I'm not familiar with the brake system.

Is this vehicle going to have INBOARD parking brake calipers or OUTBOARD parking brake shoes?


INBOARD



OUTBOARD



Graham

 

Hi Taylorshace

I think I can see where you may be getting confused and do not think your Brake Binding problem has got anything to do with either the Rotors or Calipers (at this stage)

A pictures worth a 'Thousand Words' so please take a look at this Photo before we go any further


What you are looking at right here are the Main Rotors and Calipers which are indicated by the 'Yellow Arrow' and these as you know are operated by the Foot Brake Pedal and will of course need Bleeding to get a Hard Pedal as you already know

But what you may not know is that inside that outer Brake Drum indicated by the 'Blue Arrow' are the Brake Shoes for the Hand Brake which are operated by the Hand Brake Lever

So just to be Clear what you have here are Two Different Braking Systems combined together THAT LOOK ALL IN ONE but they are NOT

The Calipers Put the Brakes on the Rotors, as you would expect

But what you cannot see at this stage are the Hand Brake BRAKE PADS which are inside that Outer Brake Drum indicated by the 'Blue Arrow' where to all intents and purposes these HAND BRAKE SHOES are nothing to do with the Rotors or the Calipers

As the OUTER BRAKE DRUM with its internal BRAKE SHOES (not Calipers) are a separate Braking System altogether ie they are for the HAND BRAKE ONLY and nothing to do with the Foot Brake Operated MAIN BRAKING ROTORS AND CALIPERS

So what has almost certainly happened going by what you say is that the HAND BRAKE SHOES which are OUT OF SIGHT inside the OUTER BRAKE DRUM have become Frozen inside this OUTER HAND BRAKE BRAKE DRUM

So what you need to do is to remove the OUTER HAND BRAKE DRUM in order to FREE OFF THE BRAKE SHOES WHICH ARE INSIDE IT

The Blue Arrow also points to a Screw which apart from the Road Wheels is the ONLY THING holding this Outer Brake Drum in place! and so that screw will need to be removed before you can take off this Outer Brake Drum

Where since the Internal Brake Shoes are quite possibly Stuck/Frozen to the inside of the Brake Drum (Hence the Reason your Wheels won't turn) you will need to get a Copper or Lead and Hide Hammer to Tap the Brake Drum all the Way Round in order to Un Freeze them and get these BRAKE DRUMS OFF

BUT FIRST A BIG WORD OF WARNING! Before you even start tapping these drums with a Hammer always wear a Recommended Proper Particle Mask to do this job as Brake Dust can be EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH if you breathe it in YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

Don't use Compressed Air to Blow out the Dust from the Brake Drums and the Brake Shoes or a Vacuum Cleaner to suck up the Brake Dust

Instead just use plain Water to Wash the Dust away and then let the Brake Drums And The Brake Shoes Dry Out Naturally

So just to be Clear Don't Breathe in Any Brake Dust!!

Once you get the Brake Drum off, all will suddenly become clear as to how the whole thing works and the Mystery of the Sticking Rear Wheels should be solved!

 

Further to OB's helpful suggestion, there are 2 steps you should take prior to trying to remove the drum disc to access the handbrake shoes.

1. Ensure the handbrake lever is full released (noting it is a fly-off, not a traditional type)
2. Release the tension on the handbrake shoes by accessing the toothed adjuster via the access hole in the drum disc.

You need to align the access hole that you can see in OB's picture at 9 o'clock to the toothed. From memory, I THINK on the left-hand wheel you need to have it at about at the 6.30 position. You will need a torch to see it. So, you need to have both wheels off and the car on axle stands then rotate the drum disc to align correctly. Then use a screwdriver or similar to rotate the horizontal toothed wheel. I'm sorry but I can't remember which way you would turn it to back off the shoes. I THINK on the left hand wheel, you would push the teeth to the left. It's really fiddly to do, but in my experience, you just can't get the drum disc off without first releasing the tension on the shoes.

Hope that helps

Good luck

Paul

 

Check ( or just replace) rear brake hose as suggested in post #7. If that doesn't work:
Earlier cars had a "proportioning valve" plumbed into the line that feeds the rear calipers.
It is located in engine compartment, under ABS assembly, against inner fender.
If it sticks, the rear brakes will not release.
I don't know for sure if this was still used on the '95.
No longer available from Jaguar, a used (working) one may be only option.
With brakes assembled, apply brakes and then let off pedal. If caliper(s) release when bleeder
is opened, it may be that valve. To be sure, apply again then work your way toward the front of the car,
cracking open fittings as you go. When release doesn't happen, you've located the problem.

Good luck and be careful under there.

Feel free to call or email if necessary.

Patrick
The Gas Menagerie
Troy NY
phone: 518-272-3087
email: p@thegasmenagerie.com

 

Apols, I've just thought, that toothed adjuster is in a vertical plane. And I THINK you push the upper teeth into towards the centre of the car with a screwdriver on the left hand wheel to loosen.

Paul

 

I was thinking this. Also don't know if the proportion valve is fitted to your year make and model. It would explain both brakes getting stuck... I deleted my proportion valve after problems with it. Mine leaked...