Haandbrake adjustment

[colin6377]

I have now owned my Series 1 E/type for some 8 years. M.O.T time was always a dread due to the dreadful holding power of the non existant handbrake! I had rebuilt the rear cage paying particular attention to brakes by installing all new discs, pads and also at great expense Coopercraft pistons.After all this work I still had a non functioning handbrake! After reading the excellent article from Colin Ford on this very subject I decided to replace the cable as supplied by the J.E.C WHAT A DIFFERENCE! ! ! ! My handbrake is now holding with ease with only 5 notches on the lever and still with available adjustment left on the cable. Many thanks to Colin for his advice and to the J.E.C for producing a product that does what it says on the tin! Colin.

[BillUttley-Moore]

Colin,
I too am totally frustrated with the lack of a working handbrake on two E Types. I have replaced the cable ( and capiers, pads, discs etc) with a new one from Barratts, but still can't get an mot.
Is the JEC cable really the solution??
Bill

[PJF]

Colin's article was published in JE Magazine in June 2001.

It still exists on the old E-Type Forum site,
HERE

[stuarthardy]

Some little time on but I have recently purchased a handbrake cable for my E-Type from JEC spares and found that the holes for the clevis pins were undersize and needed opening out. This, of course, means that the zinc plating has been removed and will accelerate corrosion.

I dropped the spares people an email about it but got no response whatsoever. Very disappointing, especially when you consider that it costs twice the price of the cables from SNG Barratt and the like.

Unfortunately, handbrake lever isn't installed yet so can't comment upon its efficacy.

Stuart

[J44EAG]

Loads of Copper Slip should keep corrosion under control. Wonderful stuff. I use it on sea going boats where conditions are a galvanic nightmare.

Mike

[stuarthardy]

Of course copper slip will help, but that's not the point. Damn thing should be made properly, especially at the price.

Partial zinc plating is in a lot of ways worse than no plating at all.

Stuart

[RJSLINN]

HAS ANYONE FITTED THE SNG BARRATT HANDBRAKE COMPENSATOR UPGRADE. IS IT DIFFICULT TO FIT AND IS IT EFFECTIVE?
I HAVE NOW FITTED IT WITH QUITE A LOT OF FIDDLING UNDER THE CAR BUT NOW HAVE A HANDBRAKE THAT WILL GET THROUGH THE MOT.
BEFORE ATTACHING YOUR HANDBRAKE CABLE YOU SHOULD CHECK THAT THERE IS ENOUGH DEPTH ON THE ATTACHING PLATE FOR THE CLECIS PIN TO DROP IN. I HAS TO GRIND SOME OFF MINE

[oldtimer]

Hi Collin,
Do you consider the hand operated brake to be a Park brake or an emergency brake ?

As you will know this park brake arrangement has been in use across thousands of Jaguars, starting with the E type and Mk10 in 1961 right through to the XJ Series.

My experience has been in connection with an XJ 12 often towing a twin axle caravan. On occasions there has been a need to use the park brake on quite steep inclines and the brake has operated satisfactorily despite having two tons of caravan hung on the back.

However if you consider it to be an emergency brake then I would agree, it is worse than useless , it has little or no effect in slowing the vehicle.

Failure to operate effectively as a Park brake is down to poor maintenance and adjustment.

At a point during the long history of this brake assembly the pads were increased in size. I really cannot remember the change point , it could be at the introduction of the XJ Series. Further more I cannot remember if larger pads can be retro fitted.

I am pleased that your new cable which was know doubt shorter or less stretched returned the operating arms to their correct operating angle giving you a satisfactory Park brake

Oldtimer

[rcmcewen]

Hi
I have fitted the SNGB handbrake compensator along with the JEC Cable.
The beauty of the compensator is that both sides of the handbrake operate at the same time and with the same effectiveness, unlike the original system where one side operates and then the other (unless you have modded the fitting as per posts on this forum). It also enables the system to be adjusted easier. It is easily fitted from the passenger side once the wheel is removed assuming that the original clevis pins and split pins come out!
The big issue with the effectiveness of the handbrake is in its adjustment. Considering that the operation is over an arc around the attachment bolts it is essential to get the pad as close to the disc as possible when in the released position. The manual suggests 4 thou clearance! I then assume that the auto adjuster operates when this clearance becomes excessive, but remember that you must have enough free clicks (7) on the handbrake mechanism for the auto adjuster to work.

It is a parking brake and not an emergency brake.

Roger

[oldtimer]

Roger,
Two components within the self adjuster wear over time and eventually fail to operate. There is a long brass nut with buttress type slots running the length of each nut. Operating at 90degrees to this is a spring loaded flap which engages with the slots previously referred too. A combination of wear and lack of lubrication prevent the flap fully engaging with slot so that rotation of the nut fails which in tern means that compensation for pad wear fails to take place

Oldtimer