Essentially, you have to destroy them to inspect them ! Replacement is a preventative maintenance measure. They may last years and years. At one time back in the day, the owner manuals would say "replace all seals in the brake system every 5 years". Did anybody ? No, they just carried on until a failure occurred ! Most times no accident occurred, but it might have, so the Health and Safety people would have said, "Ah thats an unacceptable risk, as there may be an accident once in 500 years" Yeah, right !

 

- Your '07 XJR brakes are ATE, not brembo (be very thankful for this...)
- Ditto XJR brakes very different than non SC Jags
- Suggest replace caliper seals and bushings at same time
- I'm no fan of the chinese slotted/drilled etc disks, ditto chinese pads. OE is best, though I've also had good luck with AC Delco aftermarket pads and rotors (on other vehicles)
- If you're experiencing braking wobble (esp adap cruise control override braking), then check suspension torque arm bushes as well

 

Hey!! You have an 07 xjr too!! Thanks for the reply - I opted to get all the brake pads and rotors replaced with high quality OE parts. Ouch. And of course I need new front upper control arms and tie rods too. Double ouch. Best car I've ever owned though, that's for sure.

 

PH-
You made a good decision!
- The X356 (late '06 - '07 in USA) is a gem; well worth maintaining IMHO
- Braking torque is absorbed by elements (bushings) of the lower control arm (front axle); these typically wear out and need replacement
Enjoy your ride...