I'm planning on replacing discs and pads as they are now getting worn out, any good recomendations for discs esspecially as I think Red stuff pads or just OEM pads will be OK but there are a bunch of discs out there. I have Brembo calipers also I don't really want drilled ones. I'm in the UK.

 

I always used the cheapest I could find on ebay ...but then I do have the £43 brake vacuum booster which gives me hard brakes with minimal travel and 300 on the MOT brake tester ...( 100 to pass)
Lets admit it he brakes on the early xk8 are **** due to low vacuum from the jumpy camshafts.....you have been told how to fix it green stuff will not.

 

I assume the servo on the later 4.2 XKR is better?

 

I think they changed it from a 1.5x to a 2.0 x but if you are chasing bad brakes best to check the vacuum from the manifold ..I have 25 in Hg was 12.5 !!! and if the pump fails it reverts to the original so its fail safe.

 

The brakes are fine it's just the pads are worn and the discs are 20 years old and worn.

 

Since my 2002 XKR is a daily driver the brakes get a good workout. Even with numerous long distance jaunts, I estimate my in-town driving is 60+ % of the total usage. So getting about 55,000 miles from a set of ebc redstuff pads is well within my acceptable range.

Compared to the OEM pads, the red stuff pads are far and away the better performer as far as the qualities of stopping distance, resistance to fade, and being gentle on the rotors are concerned.

NOTE: if your brake fluid is over 2 years old, replacing it with fresh fluid (DOT 4.0 premium) is always advised.

I’m thinking of going to the DOT 5.1 for my next fluid change, just for the higher blowing point specification.


Z

PS I don’t understand why the DOT 5.1 was not given a different designation. As it is, it’s just too easily confused with the non-compatible DOT 5.0

 

When doing a brake fluid change to a different standard I assume you just have to bleed it and then sway grades or do you need to flush it or something? My brake fluid was changed not too long ago but I think it was just stanrad stuff nothing special. So it might be nice to go to a better grade, the Brembo breaks are OK but they do get hot and fade really quick if you are on them a lot like you can on British B roads.

 

There’s probably more than one right or acceptable way to change the fluid.

Most often, or in all of my experience, The old fluid has a different color than the new fluid. Usually darker. I just crack the bleeder screw until I see the fluid coming out is the new lighter shade fluid. Repeat for all wheels, always checking the brake fluid reservoir to make sure it doesn’t run dry.

I’ve been taught to start with the wheel that’s the most distant from the master cylinder. But I recall reading somewhere where the Jaguar instruction for the X-100 is the opposite.

I don’t know why ?

Z

 

ZRAY, sounds like we may be in a similar age forum. The furthermost was 1st way i learned and then after research found the Jag way also. I have used both methods and they seem to work successfully. I last used Speed Bleeders and began at Rear, then front. Brakes great so I detect no differences. Used flex tubes into a jar so no mess.The clean fluid was easy to detect. Have used the Green Stuff and Red Stuff Pads. Liked the Red Stuff Pad, but had to drag them a bit n street to get quick stopping. Heat was our friend. :-)

 

For my XK8 2006 Victory edition I bought Frozen Slotted Rotor’s and I was so satisfied that I put those on my XF-S. And regarding pads I went for the Yellow grade from EBC brakes.

Frozen Rotor

Those rotor’s last longer and they don’t rust like regular steel. You will need to check the back mirror because they brake like hell. I would say 25% and more shorter distance braking.

 

They don't have Jaguar listed in their menu...

 

Looks like they only cover Jaguars 2004 and newer.

 

Frozen Rotor Cryo fitment chart

 

Kuddlesworth, I use Redstuff pads on my ’03 XKR and for me, the bonus is twofold.

1) Redstuff emit less pad dust.
2) The little dust they do emit is Kevlar-Ceramic.

Standard OEM pads emit Iron dust which is highly corrosive to BBS wheels – especially if you are using wet UK roads or parking in a damp environment (BBS Wheels seem extra poor at corrossive resistance). Redstuff are expensive but you are saving a level of corrosion. If you go cheap on iron-based pads and you drive in the UK, then you should factor in the inevitable cost of reconditioning your Alloys after a couple of winters.

 

My 20" Detroit wheels where already very corroded so I replaced them with some 18" Hydra wheels I found going cheap that had been refurbished to a high standard. Nice to know about the OEM bake pads cause the wheels to corrode, I think I will get the Red Stuff instead for sure then. I don't really want my new wheels going bad. And yea I drive my car all year round in the wet.