Skizzer's XJ-S

[Junkman]

Hill starts, just keep your foot on the left pedal.

 

EFA

[dollywobbler]

EFA

 

Ha! Good point. 

[Skizzer]

Famous last words. I shall watch with interest to see how easy those inboard calipers are to bleed...

 

O ye of little faith.  I'm sure* it'll be easy.  

 

Fab. You do know it's a fly-off handbrake don't you? You certainly wouldn't be the first to get caught out by that on an XJ-S. 

 

I didn't know at the time, but the seller did tell me afterwards.  We (well, they) did get it to fly* off eventually, by putting pressure on the caliper mechansim with a pry bar while someone else pulled the lever up and down.  I suppose lubing up the cable and mechanism will get it working eventually.

[Junkman]

My famous last words collection is growing at a rapid rate.

[andy18s]

Last time I was there,Halfords were doing a brake fluid change for 30 quid.....I mean,how hard can it be?

[garethj]

Fly off handbrake can take some getting used to. The handbrake warning light is very useful, you've got so much torque that you can easily pull away with the brake on.

[phil_lihp]

Stupid question:

 

What is a 'fly-off handbrake'?  I know it's an old Jag but I'm assuming it does not mean essential brake components part company with the car at inconvenient moments.

[chaseracer]

^ Well... errm...

 

[trigger]

I'm trying to think what this fly off handbrake is, I'd driven loads of these but that was over 15 years ago, I thought the handbrake was just a normal one on the right hand side of the driver?

[panhard65]

I believe it is a type that pulls up and locks but the lever will go back down. Handy really as it is on the sill side saves you impaling yourself on the handbrake lever every time you get in it. 15mpg ! wish my rolls would do that currently around the 12 mark and it has 4 less cylinders. Nice looking motor I hope it doesn't give you too much hassle

[Skizzer]

It does look like a normal handbrake lever on the driver's door sill, but it's supposed to release itself when you pull away (and as Panhard says it doesn't stay up after you pull on it, because stab wounds would result).  Naturally, being a Jaguar handbrake, it often doesn't release itself.

 

My (limited) experience with Jaguars is not so much that bits fall off as that they somehow fossilise and solidify.  They're not flimsy - most things are made of big lumps of metal held down with chunky screws and bolts - but that's clearly not quite the same as saying they're robust and reliable.

[Bear]

To release, pull right up, push button, then push lever down.

[phil_lihp]

As ever, this has been an education, thanks!  I can see how that would result in a lot of confusion.  At least with the fossilisation process, the original item is still there to be hit with a hammer, even if it's under a thick strata of iron oxide .  It's something to take your mind off the fuel consumption, anyway.

[Junkman]

Sounds to me like you have to hammer a smaller nut over a lot of things.

[xtriple]

On all my Jags I have never had one automatically release when pulling away. Maybe mine were defective (likely!). The handbrake will catch you out even when you've had it for months, driving along and you notice the big red light....

[brickwall]

^ my mum's speciality

[Richard]

I thought a fly off handbrake was one that only stays on when you push the button, have I got that wrong?

[richardmorris]

Fly off handbrake can take some getting used to. The handbrake warning light is very useful, you've got so much torque that you can easily pull away with the brake on.

I did that quite a lot in the merc when I got it. Now I don't bother using it much,

[anonymous user]

I thought a fly off handbrake was one that only stays on when you push the button, have I got that wrong?

I thought the same, pull handbrake on, push button on top to lock it, then gently pull the lever towards you to release. They are quite unfortunate when your dog decides to climb over the transmission tunnel and manages to knock it, so your car rolls into a municipal flower bed.

 

I presume the Jag one is a variation, made more complicated because it's a Jaguar.

[dollywobbler]

It's ages since I drove anything with a fly-off handbrake so I think I've forgotten how they work. I think it is pull up, press button and lever will go back down. I'm pretty sure there is not any auto-release mechanism, you have to lift the lever again, possibly with the button raised? Or is it just pull up until it passes the lock point and it'll go back down? It's a bloody stupid idea either way and starts making an electronic handbrake seem almost sensible. Almost.

[Richard]

They are mostly for rallying I think, to make it easier to do manoeuvres involving the handbrake. The button works the opposite way to normal- push it if you want the handbrake to stay on, pull the lever without touching the button to release. Very easy to forget and wonder why your friend's P&J Sunbeam Lotus isn't as quick as you thought it should be. I imagine.

[Junkman]

Has anyone ever read the owner's manual for an XJS?

[alf892]

I believe it is a type that pulls up and locks but the lever will go back down. Handy really as it is on the sill side saves you impaling yourself on the handbrake lever every time you get in it. 15mpg ! wish my rolls would do that currently around the 12 mark and it has 4 less cylinders. Nice looking motor I hope it doesn't give you too much hassle

That's the one........and if you push the button it flies off.......or you can lift the lever,to take up the tension, then push the button and release gently.

[garethj]

For rallying you definitely don't use a fly off handbrake.  If you're a cheapskate then a normal one with the button removed is fine, if you've got cash a hydraulic handbrake wins.

[Bear]

I went and played with my lever earlier.

 

 

 

Then I tried the handbrake on the XJS. So. To apply, pull it up, then it drops down. To release, as I'd said before, but I had to go and check - lift the lever up to where it takes the tension, push the button right in, and release. It's essentially like releasing any other handbrake, you just have to lift the lever up first.

 

Since my XJS has been prescribed bedrest, I haven't tried any flying anythings.

[Junkman]

For rallying you definitely don't use a fly off handbrake.  If you're a cheapskate then a normal one with holding the button in is fine, if you've got cash a handbrake with the button removed wins.

 

EFA

[Guest Breadvan72]

PHWOAR ...

 

We need to have another meet 'cos I want a play in this, or BV's, I'm not fussy.

 

SEXISM ALERT:  My heap is MOAR BETTERER because the Polish Countess has had her elegant bum on the bonnet and the seat.. Hang on, though, I have met Mrs Skizzer and she is also uber hot and is a furriner, so points are even on that.  OK, my Jag  is more rusty and therefore more shite.   Does that clinch it?

[Guest Breadvan72]

PS:   I have WHEELZ WANTZ.

[anonymous user]

Has anyone ever read the owner's manual for an XJS?

I doubt it, probably including the person or committee that wrote it. Somewhere I have a lovely handbook for an Armstrong Siddeley, which includes at regular intervals the prefix phrase "Instruct your driver"

[Guest Breadvan72]

Has anyone ever read the owner's manual for an XJS?

 

Yes.