Appreciate any help/insight you can provide...replacing my rear pads and rotors (05 VDP) and have questions on how to handle the parking brake -- quick note that I have never replaced rear brakes before -- have done a handful of fronts. I held the EPB down while turning the car off (which should disengage the parking brake) then disconnected the negative cable on the battery to disable the air suspension. When I look at the caliper, I see the parking brake caliper lever and cable but can't tell if it is in the "off" position. The questions I have are:
1) Do I need to disconnect the parking brake cable from the caliper in order to remove the caliper or can I simply remove the caliper retaining bolts and bracket bolts like the front?
2) If I do have to remove the parking brake cable off the caliper, do I just use channel locks to squeeze the lever back so I can pull the cable off?
3) I'm also assuming I do not have to disconnect the brake line-to-caliper line when I do this?
4) When I bleed the brake line, can I simply hook up my vacuum pump and not necessarily worry about the parking brake as I bleed them?

Sorry for the seemingly dumb questions, but the EPB makes me nervous.

 

As you have done, hold the park brake lever down whilst removing the key, the caliper can be removed far enough to free the pads without disconnecting anything other than the retaining screws, then you will probably need to remove the caliper mounting bracket to allow the disc (rotor) to be removed the discs are usually held in place with some sprung clips on two of the wheel studs, one important thing to remember is the pistons will need winding back into the caliper to allow room for the extra thickness of pads and new discs, this cannot be done like fronts by just pushing, they have to be wound and pushed at the same time, you will need a right handed caliper wind back tool with a suitable size mandrel to fit the piston cut outs these are readily available, the last one i bought was around £10 off of Amazon in the uk. then it is a case of fitting all back together and operating a few times the pedal and hand brake to allow adjustment to happen.

 

Thanks. I was hoping I didn't have to touch the parking brake cable. You bring up a good point/another question: I've never had rotors held on by a sprung clip. Do I just snap them off to remove? I would assume I don't need to put new ones on...
Appreciate the help.

 

The retaining rings that are on two of the wheel nut studs are like a washer with little teeth that grab onto the threads of the stud. They are common on many cars. I simply take a small screwdriver and very slightly bend the few tabs that are in the threads and then begin to spin it off by rotating it with the threads with a little pressure from behind with a small screwdriver. Once it is out from the rotor hole to where you can grab it, I than, with a glove on as the edges are sharp, continue to slightly pull and twist off at the same time. This way I simply reuse them when I put the rotor back or you can buy new ones at the auto parts store as many cars use these. They aid in keeping the rotor tight to the hub so the rotor does not fall off when servicing and removing a wheel/rim.

Regarding the rear caliper, Autozone and other parts stores will loan out the tool for free (they charge you and then credit you back the same amount upon return) that will allow you to spin the caliper piston back into the caliper in a very easy way that will only take a few seconds to do. Some people remove the brake reservoir cap located in the engine area and then retract the pistion and some prefer to loosen the bleed screw at the caliper when doing this. Either way you should bleed your brakes after the new brake shoes are fully installed and now would be a good time to fully bleed all of the brake fluid through the lines and replace with new fluid.

In the XJ8 'HOW TO' quick links, section of this forum, please look at the article 2004_brake_pads_n_rotors edobernig where a full summary of how to do a break job was written including the rear parking brake calibration.

LCMJAGUAR
2008 XJ8 VDP
1988 XJ40

 

Thanks all. Got it done. First side took me a while, otherwise side went fast (as usual). I need to finish bleeding the brakes, but it stops as expected!! No issues recalibrating the parking brake. Pumped the brakes 10 times then turned car on. Pumped 5 more times then set the parking brake with no issues.
Thanks again.