Hi all,
The parking brake on my 2005 XK8 has never held since I bought it. I've tried to find info on adjusting it with no luck. I'm sure I'm looking in all the wrong places, so could someone point me in the right direction. Thanks!

 

The parking brake on the XK8 is very unusual. You need to hold the button down while you engage it. Then you release the button once you have it tensioned. Are you aware of that?

 

Hi Stamford,
Just in case it is not as White suggests, please find attached the adjustment procedure.

 

Many drivers never use the Parking Brake and rely on the the pawl in the Transmission to hold the vehicle. As a consequence, seized cables and shoe expander mechanisms are regular.

Adjusting the cable at the yoke (item 5) can often just stretch the cables (items 2, 7 & 8) if the mechanism is seized.



The Brake Shoes (item 3) should never wear out if the brake is only applied with the vehicle stationary.



Any minor wear can be taken up by rotating the adjuster (item 1)

Graham

 

In addition to the above, you might have to adjust the brake shoes in their drums. On each side, remove the rear wheel; secure the brake disc by replacing at least three wheel/lug nuts. With the handbrake released and Neutral/N engaged, rotate the disc/drum until the adjusting access hole is at the top (There may be a blanking plug in the hole that has to be levered out.) Use a wide bladed screwdriver through the hole to rotate the toothed adjuster until the brake locks up, then turn it the other way until the wheel is just free.

 

Yup, I know all about the type of collapsing brake handle we have. First encountered it years ago when I was working as a locksmith and installing an alarm on a Porsche 911. As far as I could see, the brake was off, yet the damn thing would not move. Took a couple of minutes to accidentally figure out that I needed to lift the handle to release it.

 

Thanks for all the info, guys. My driveway is pretty steep and I hate relying solely on the pawl for keeping the car from rolling. I know it's rare, but I believe a pawl can fail.
Once it warms up some, I'll be replacing all the rotors and pads so might as well add the PB to the list.

 

+1

It may seem secure when you put the transmission in Park but it's only a small metal fork Lock Disc (item 060.050) and a Leg Spring (06.090) that's holding the weight of the vehicle:



It my be OK on the flat but the XK8 Coupe weighs 3737 lbs and the Convertible is 3936 lbs. Factor in a slope........

Graham

 

my parking brake shoes were covered with brake fluid, so they were shot, and no adjusting could get them to grab anything. New pads were my only recourse. It was quite the education, however. I did a writeup on it somewhere in the bowels of the xk8-xkr forum, you might be able to find it in a search with me as the author. 2008 or 2009, IIRC.

 

GGG, in the above exploded view of the handbrake shoes is the picture showing the near side or the offside as i'm unsure which way round the adjusters and the expander 's go,
thanks,
chris.

 

I adjusted my PB according to the JTIS procedures. My handle only goes up about three or four clicks at the most, so I know there's very little slack in the system. Yet while it seems to hold the car in place on some inclines (I haven't had the opportunity to try the PB on anything really steep), it is incapable of holding the car in place when I put the transmission into Drive. There's just too much torque. They seem to work, but I've always wondered if the brakes are supposed to be capable of more stopping / holding power.

 

shameless hijack:

went in for an emissions test on a 2000 XK8 coupe yesterday. attendant requested i engage the parking brake,
& when i did the brake stuck & will not release. luckily it was a short jaunt home. the handle no longer functions,
but the pad sure does! any troubleshooting advice for a fix before i venture in?


thanks!

 

Sounds like you're not releasing the brake. Lift the handle up hard, push in the button and lower it. You should the action and hear clunks as it releases.

 

xcat - at the risk of sounding patronising - are you SURE you are releasing the brake ? Pull UP on the handle, press the button and hold it while lowering the handle. If the red warning light goes off, the brake is disengaged. It's an odd design but means you don't have to negotiate a brake lever when getting in and out of the car.

 

Looops & DevonDavid,

many thanks! i'm an eediot - i was operating under the incorrect procedure. makes you wonder how the heck i'm going
to be able to address more weighty issues, doesn't it?! in the words of Inspector Clouseau, "the case is sol - ved."

 

Another term for this type of hand brake is "Fly Off" hand brake*. As stated above, it allows one to enter w/o having to climb over the hand brake lever. Just pull up smartly and press the release button and allow the lever to drop. Glad I was aware of this type prior to taking my first drive in the XK8, no problem :-)
* Google Search

 

Unlike " normal" handbrake levers the "fly off" handbrake requires the end button be pushed to ENGAGE the locking ratchet, to release the brake simply pull up and the ratchet releases.
In the dim and distant past I remember being told the reason for the "fly off" hand brake was to allow the driver to use the brake to assist in cornering, ie locking the rear wheels and allowing the rear end to slide around in tight corners, without the locking pawl engaging. This was only used in local auto cross competitions of course, but it gained a reputation for being 'sporty' and 'sporty' car manufacturers installed them because...well they were considered "sporty".
Clear?