This was only one of the reasons as to why I decided to drop the Cage, as the Rotors and Calipers also needed replacing and in the event that I decided to Service Exchange the Calipers for some rebuilt ones, they will not exchange them unless all the fittings have first been removed

Which of course includes the Caliper with the Broken Bleed Nipple for which I spent hours or should that be days, unsuccessfully trying to remove while under the Car, including the use of 'easyouts' and even left handed 'taps' none of which did the job on this occasion

But now that I had dropped the Cage and removed the Caliper, all options were open as for once I would be able to see what I was doing and only hoped that my previous attempts hadn't damaged the Thread, that was on the assumption that I could removed it in the first place, as all that was left was a tiny little stub



At first I thought about drilling it out but then I came up with what I thought would be a better idea, which was to Weld a Nut on the Top of the Stub



Doing this was not without its dangers, as there was so little to Weld to that if I wasn't careful then I could easily end up Welding the Stub to the Caliper, which had that happened could have made that Broken Brake Bleed Nipple, very nearly almost impossible to get out

So in order to try and prevent that, I placed a Washer over the Stub in order to try and make sure that this didn't happen



Once the Washer was over the Stub to try and prevent me Welding the Stub to the Caliper, I Welded a fairly big Nut onto the Stub and then I held the Caliper in the Vice, so that I could get a Socket on it



That Broken Bleed Nipple was in so tight that I had to use my Torque Wrench for extra leverage



Yasss! I did it, that Broken Bleed Nipple was finally out of the Caliper



Result! I think I got lucky! As from what I could see there wasn't any damage to the Thread

 

OB
I am seriously impressed. Great job, great out of the square thinking too!

 

Where there's a will there's a way. You never fail till you quit trying. Good job.

Jack

 

While my Mains Powered Impact Wrench is epic! its much too Big and Powerful for all those Smaller Jobs, like running Nuts and all that kind of stuff, so top of my Christmas Wish List this year, was a smaller Cordless Impact Wrench for doing Jobs like that, although of course it isn't quite that simple!

For as you would expect, their are quite a good number of bewildering tools like this on display, which then begs the question of which one I should choose as the Top Brands can be quite expensive, where having said that you only get what you pay for and as I've often heard it said 'Buy Cheap and then Buy Twice'

Which looking on the face of it is Sensible advice, as I have bought cheap Cordless drills before, only to find the Batteries didn't last though on some of the Market Leaders the Battery and Charger can sometimes cost more than the drill or whatever Cordless device you are thinking of buying

So quite intent on taking my time in the hope and expectation of getting it right, for this particular item, we decided to wait until after Christmas when we could have a look around the January Sales

Except this Year of course it wasn't to be!

'Hi we were just passing and thought we would drop in we just haven't seen you for Years!'

Or in other words: We thought we would call and try and disrupt your life when we really know that you two have much better things to do!

'So what would you like' said the ever helpful GF while feigning a look of delight that they had somehow decided to grace us with their presence, on this day of all days when we were getting ready to go out

'Tea or Coffee? unless you'd prefer a Glass of Irish Cream or maybe all three?'

'So Coffee with Irish Cream it is' and maybe a Slice of Gateaux to go with it?'

'Well if you're sure its no Trouble?' (Well what sort of Question is that I'm thinking just drink your Coffee and go!)

They were not on the Most Wanted List and haven't been sent a Christmas Card for Years, so why on Earth they decided to turn up to day I'll never know, although on Second Thoughts perhaps I would, as word must have filtered through that at this time of Year, we always keep some emergency Christmas Presents

Standing by for 'Freeloaders' like these, in the Form of a Bobble Hat and Scarf for the Girls and a Scarf and Gloves for the Guys, where in return we sometimes get a Small Box of Chocolates, that they tend to pig out on just before they leave and now they've taken their Coats off I kinda get the Feels

That they won't be planning to be leaving all of this Free Hospitality anytime soon, as I keep sending Spirit Messages asking them to go, none of which are working for as I look around me they're still here!

Where all I can think of is the Bargains that I'm missing and by Tomorrow they will all be gone!

Maybe turning the Heating Off will do it, except of course the GF is having none of that!

So I'll just have to Suffer in Silence until they get the message and decide to leave, so for once the 'Small Talk Express' being me! decides to pull into the Station, in an attempt to try and kill off any Conversation that they might try and start

Where I'm very pleased to say that I'm so good at this, that although the GF is looking like 'daggers' at me, these uninvited Freeloaders suddenly get the message and decide to leave, while clutching hold of their Bobble Hats and Gloves

At which point we make a grab for our Coats and head off to the Sales, just in case someone else turns up and wants to take their place!

Where fortunately for us that is, a lot more people tend to buy on line and many of the well known Shops at least down our way were empty and so we understandably went a little bit Crazy with our Credit Cards and picked up much too much stuff to even try to mention

Though sadly no Cordless Impact Driver, which were still being listed at Full Price, that can be Circa around £100 for a really good one where sometimes that doesn't even include the Battery and the Charger!

And though the Cordless Impact Driver still remains on my 'Wish List' for the moment

The GF went and spotted what must surely be one of the Biggest Bargains of all time!

In the Form of Six Brand New OEM Batteries for Cordless Impact Drivers and Drills complete with Two Brand New OEM Battery Chargers, where at a Conservative Estimate of these 8 items at £25 each, I would value at well over £200 although £400 could well be nearer the mark

Except that these 8 items were not £25 each but as you can see from their labels, only ONE POUND Each!

OMG! did She Strike Gold or what as 3 of these fit the Makita and the other 3 fit the Ryobi

Not sure about the Makita ones but the Ryobi also fit their Current range

So that has somewhat narrowed that bewildering choice down to Two!

And so perhaps I ought to go and buy both, like a Makita Cordless Drill and a Ryobi Cordless Impact Wrench

Though now I've got the Batteries, I really can't afford not to!

 

A lucky escape when a Tree fell down 'Thanks to the Jaguar Gods' as underneath that cover is 'The Ice Princess' the one I had removed the IRS Gage from

Although it was worse than it looked, as on further investigation I also found this!



Squirrels had hollowed out the Tree underneath a massive Branch, that could literally fall down any time!



If this comes down the whole Car will be Crushed!

It would be only a matter of time before that massive great Branch decides to fall down and that includes the Big one will the Small one underneath and so I got a quote from a Tree firm to come and take it down, as now the Cage had been removed I couldn't move the Car!

'How Much!' They have to be joking, nearly £1,500!

Once I had first managed to recover from the shock, there was only one thing left to do and that would be to take it down myself, as if they could do it then I could do it too and just because I'm scared of heights and don't like climbing Trees 'I mean how hard can it be'

It was time to find out!



'Don't look down!' My Pole Saw got the Small bits off but now it was time for the big one!

I'm just about to take a Chainsaw to the smaller one of those two massive Branches but first I need to suss it out a bit more



'After doing a Risk Assessment' I decided it was probably quite dangerous!

The 'Risk Assessment' was freaking me out so much I tore it up!



'Don't look down even more than before'

At this point I'm 30ft up in the Air with another 30ft to go!



'Long Way Down'

At this point my long time fear of heights has now been replaced by Sheer Terror!

So now that the light has started to fade, I'll try and face my biggest fear and Chain Saw it Tomorrow or maybe even leave it till next year, I'll just have to see how it goes

To be Continued..........

 

I'm not fond of heights, but not totally afraid of them. A buddy, and I once took down a 100 foot TV tower for a friend. Moved it to his new house, and then dug a 5 foot hole to set it in, and pulled it up with ropes, and a pickup truck. We had it tied off in 3 directions. Then my son says, but what about the last 15 foot of the push up pole in the center? We had forgotten about? Awe Crap! My son was 19 at the time, newly married, with a kid on the way, and with no health insurance. He say's I'll climb it ! I told him, No you won't. You've got a wife, and kid, and no insurance. If you get hurt you're screwed. I''ll climb it. At least if I fall. and get hurt, they'll fix me. So I climbed 95 feet up a TV tower, that was simply held in place by ropes. And pushed up the last fifteen foot of the pole, and secured it. It was just about the scariest thing I believe I've ever done. But I made it!

So that being said, grit your teeth, and do what you got to do. Be careful, and Good Luck.
Saying a prayer probably couldn't hurt either.

Jack

 

Hi Jack

This is a bit of a Nightmare Job, as the Tree hanging over my XJS is all over the place, with lots of dead branches that could fall down without warning and now I'm beginning to understand why Tree Surgeons charge as much as they do

As although these jobs don't take that long you're paying for their experience in knowing what to do

But having said that, I decided to do this myself even though I'm terrified of heights or at least I was!

As when I woke up this morning and read your very inspiring reply, I found the fear had left me and I just got on with the job which I actually found Therapeutic and very relaxing and was also enjoying the view from 30ft up

This lower section was not exactly a bit of a Walk in the Park, as although I had the Big Branches tied up with Nylon Strops, when I cut the Branch off with a Chainsaw, it came flying towards me like a Wrecking Ball, which I sort of had a feeling might just happen, so I had to duck out of the way

Which for some strange reason I did not find a big deal and in fact I was laughing about it and put it down as being part and parcel of the Job, though probably not if that big Branch had knocked me off my Perch, then once that problem was out of the way, I just got on with it

I've only got one big Branch left in this 30ft high section, followed by an awkward dead Branch half way up and hope when I'm 60ft off the ground I am going to feel as Calm as I did today, although it could be too Windy to work tomorrow, so we will have to see



This Branch came Swinging towards me like a Wrecking Ball, so I had to duck out of the way



This Tree was full of awkward shaped dead Branches but I got it down ok

 

Way to go OB. a little fear can stop the strongest of people. You just have to realize "Fear" has no power! Unless you give in to it. One piece at a time, being careful, and you'll soon have it cleared, and the Ice Princess can sleep without worry, and so will you. Good Job.

PS. If it was windy, I sure as heck wouldn't have climbed that TV tower! Just a thought. LOL! Be Safe.

Jack

 

Wow crazy stuff man. Glad u got it taken car off.

My rear brakes are seized bad from years of rust. I'm at the point now were I'm trying to remove the rear pads but they just wont come out. Im just trying to free up the rear end so I can move the car around in my driveway before I drop the rear cage.

I cant seem to find the rear flex hose so I can pinch it and cut it and release the brake fluid from the rear system. Do you have pics on where it is...like location in relative to something...I see the hose in your pics but I dint know where to look.. I see the steel line going to the 3 way splitter. I assume it's off of that somewhere.

 

Hi Rescue119

Here are some Pics of the Rear Brake Hose, which is really awkward to get to and even worse to get a Photo of but since I was going to replace the Rear Brake Hose anyway I had to pull it down low enough with some very long handled Pliers before I could cut it in half with the Garden Tree Loppers

Talking of which I had to go up to the Top of that Tree to Cut it off, which was a measured distance of 60ft as that is how long the electric cable for the Pole Saw was, because someone was daft enough to say that I couldn't do it, while Jacobra (Jack) reckoned I could (Brave or just plain Stupid you decide)



Before



After

Still a lot to come down but I will get there

Here are the Pics of the Rear Brake Pipe, which were as best as I could get at the time and in fact the whole cage removing process Start to Finish is in this Thread with lots of Pics and Step by Step instructions of how I did it

The Metal Part of the Rear Brake Pipe is held up by a Bracket that is held in place by one of the Bolts that holds the Cage in place but since no doubt you will be replacing the Rear Brake Pads anyway, once you knock the Pins out a bit of side to side tapping with a Hammer ought to free them off

Then Pull them out with Locking Pliers or Mole Wrenches

The Pics you wanted of the Rear Brake Pipe are on Page: 106 of the thread below

Removing The Rear Cage on a Pre-Facelift V12 XJS with Step by Step Photos and Pics of the Rear Flexy Brake Pipe that I cut off

 

If OB's ideas do not do it, it will be because the pads are rusted into the discs. In this event, you can try a few emergency-type things:

• get the retaining pins out, and hit the pad metal part sideways away from the disc (ie to retract the caliper piston) with a cold chisel and a BFH, if no go:
• undo the four driveshaft bolts, thus loosens the disc, then lever the disc about/hit it sideways with the BFH to in effect use the disc to lever back the pads
• if you can undo the caliper bolts, remove the handbrake calipers and hit the caliper to bash it free of the disc

 

Hey OB...cutting that rear flex....it doesnt affect the front brakes right?

 

Hi Rescue

Yes! I think it would because when you hit the Pedal all of the Brake Fluid would be pumped out of the Reservoir and then you would not have any Brakes at all
And whatever you do DO NOT TURN ON THE IGNITION if you Cut the rear Flexy or YOU WILL BURN OUT THE BRAKE PUMP and they are NLA

So if you are on a Steep Gradient you better make sure your Car cant roll away!

Or that could be a Very Expensive Day Out!

 

got the last pads out. Front brakes are bleed. Gonna fire it up and move it soon

 

Hi Rescue

If you Fire it up with the Rear Pads out you could still Burn Out The Brake Pump!

You need to be really careful here or it could spoil your day!

 

Hey OB. Just wanted to say that your thread was extremely helpful in me being able to remove the rear cage in about 5 hrs. Check my thread out for pics.

Thanks

 

We needed to buy a New Electric Kettle as ours had decided to burn itself out, no doubt caused by all the Tea that we had been drinking but all the Shops have now been closed for weeks and I also needed to get some Bolts to repair the Front Gate at 'Orange Blossom Towers'

So when we heard a Hardware Store was reopening for Business, we went down to get what we needed

Its been a long time since I'd bought any Bolts, where the Four that I needed to do the job were M12 X 100 at £1-50 each

But then the eagle eyed GF found a load that were on Special Offer M8-M10-M12 of various lengths plus loads of very useful odd ball sizes, not only that but all of these Bolts were High Tensile and Gold Passivated

Including some that would be ideal for putting back the IRS Cage, which I'd taken out for over hauling, where a Packet containing Two of these Bolts including Nuts were only 50 pence!

Bargains on a scale like that don't turn up very often, so I bought every Nut and Bolt they had and got 150 of them for only £30 Bargain or What! as they are bound to come in useful on the Jag



I've now got Three of these draws full of Bolts and am going to get some proper storage units so that I can sort them out into their different Sizes

 

I Love a bargain. Way to go GF.

Jack

 

Better than the 25 bucks it cost me for one nolt from the UK lol.

How's the car coming?

 

Hi Rescue

Lots of conflicting News reports, as to if or when the 'Lockdown' may be eased or what that may entail so we'll have to wait until Sunday in order to know for sure, as the only thing worse (car wise) than not having an XJS could be having one in your Garage and not being able to use it

So the Cage is now on the back burner, in favour of another job that I have been planning and wanting to do for sometime which was to Concrete a part of my Yard at 'Orange Blossom Towers' and then install a New Car Lift

And although I have already got one of these Two would be even more useful, as just like Liberace said 'Too Much Is Never Enough'

Where by way of a piece of luck, I found an old Concrete Mixer in a Scrap Yard, which was Sound but completely seized up and if that wasn't bad enough also had teeth missing from the Cog that turns the drum

So after freeing the Mixer off which only took Two Days! I thought I'd be able to get a New Cog from somewhere like ebay which are still available and only cost a Whopping £74 pounds! which is almost the price of a New Mixer! OMG!

Where in order to try and fix it myself, having removed the Cog I built up the missing teeth with my Mig and cut them to shape with my grinder, which worked so well that this Cog looks like a brand new one!

And then I plugged the Mixer in and Switched it on at the mains using a Broom Stick in case it went Bang! where to my complete surprise and overwhelming Joy! the Mixer actually Works! although it did sound a bit 'Clanky' until I got it greased up, although most of the ones I've heard do sound 'Clanky' anyway

So Now that I can Concrete the Yard installing a Second Car Lift is priority number one, although I haven't decided yet what type of Car lift to buy but was thinking of getting one without Runners this time, which would make it easier for removing the Cages on my other XJS's

As the Rotors on those are also going to need replacing soon, especially if it should mean an MOT fail

Then while the GF and me were having a Tea Break 'Rockabye' was playing on the Stereo, which happened to be the last track that we played on the ICE last Summer on 50 Shades, my Grey XJS

So since She hasn't been Started up until last September, we thought that we would try and get her ready, just in Case the easing of the 'Lockdown' that we have been hoping for, at least allowed us to go for a drive and a Picnic

But as for what happened will be revealed very soon

In the meantime here's a Video of my Mixer which is strangely satisfying and hypnotic