This has nothing to do with Brembo. Were 97 XK8 front brakes smaller than 99 XK8 brakes. I am trying to give myself a little more room for the brakes inside my front wheels, without adding a spacer. Any ideas? It appears the mounting bracket for the caliper may be shorter also.....Just spitballin here.....Mike

 

Mike - Can't answer all your question but I can confirm that Jaguar changed the Caliper Carrier bracket at vin 037347 although the caliper itself didn't change. (I know because I bought a set from a breaker to refurbish and brackets were different to mine.) There are two disc (rotor) sizes 305mm & 325mm for XK8s - XKR's have (I think) the larger Brembo kit as standard. But - SNG Barratt catalogue doesn't specify a changeover date or vin.
Cheers,
David.

 

I would have gladly swapped my 305mm caliper brackets for 325mm caliper brackets (and painted them nice and paid shipping both ways), but I just bought new drilled/slotted 305mm rotors.

 

That is the information I am needing. My vin ends in 039439. I have some rebuilt calipers, but it looks like I will be needing the smaller rotors, and shorter brackets. Will the shorter brackets just bolt up to the steering knuckle? Everything was OK until I put in some new ceramic brake pads, and it pushed the caliper out into some wheel interference. I put in used pads, from some calipers I rebuilt, as a stop gap measure. I do not want to grind anymore off my present calipers, to get things to fit. If anyone else has anything to add, please feel free........Thanks.......Mike

 

I'm only going by the S N G Barratt catalogue, but this would imply that .......
1. All 8's and r's EXCLUDING those with Brembo brakes have the same front calipers.
2. Caliper carrier brackets changed at vin 037347 but caliper "housing" remained the same.
3. The same calipers are used for both 305mm AND 325mm discs (rotors)

But .......... does that also mean that the 305mm & 325mm rotors are totally interchangeable ? I don't know but somebody here will

 

Hope so, or I am kinda screwed with these 16" wire wheels, unless I want to have the pads machined all the time.Not the brightest thing to do....Thanks.....Mike

 

Hi!
I can confirm that the 305mm rotors are interchangeable with 325. Calipers are the same but the caliper bracket are not. The dust shield are the same.
I recomend also to change the orginal brake lines with steel lines. I have 17" tires at winter, (18" tires at summer).
Magne

 

I ordered the shorter brackets, and some drilled and slotted 305mm rotors. I'm just hoping there are no surprises, when I am installing the shorter brackets. If everything works out the way I hope, I won't have any mods to the brakes, other than parts from a different year. Wish me luck.......Mike

 

Life is good again. I put the smaller rotors and caliper brackets on, and things fit perfectly. Thanks to everyone that helped. I didn't go the drilled and slotted route, because of how much of a bugger it is to keep the wire wheels clean......Thanks again.....Mike