20. Handbrake

So I sourced an XJS hand break and will be firing it in the traditional location next to the drivers door....its all very tight there but looks like it should work.

After reading many many comments on how poor the handbrake is it will be interesting to see how I get on.

As the body will be trial fitted for a while (soon hopefully) then i can see how it all works and adjust if required.

When reading the IVA reg it does make comment that the locking mech of the handbrake i.e. teeth need to be in good order and secure......mine....well as you can see below....not really so.....

The teeth are very warn in the middle - just where I will need it i would guess - so what to do....new part which is a pain to find - buy one from Dax -quite nice but £145 for something i won't use once past IVA.......so I thought I would try an reinstate the teeth.....

So I used the faithful Dremel to cut in new teeth and checking the mating with the teeth on the lever - all fits well and seems to have done the job - now just to reassemble and see how it works when on the car!

So the instructions say to pass the H/B cable round the wheel arch (i.e. between wheel and outside of the arch).

BUT......If i do this, at worst the tire rubs on the cable and at best it JUST misses it - so seems like asking to fail IVA to me.

Maybe the final wheels are off set from the hub more or something Im not sure - but I would rather avoid the issue altogether.

So.....I brought the cable inside just before the wheel.  This will obviously create a lump in the eventual carpet but you won't see it so its fine by me.


I also moved the whole assay forward by about two inches as I had placed it too far back and I ended up having too much cable to loose somewhere.  It does say this in the instructions but I read this after i had done it - well done me.

So now its all in I pulled the hand break fully on and.......the car still rolls.....well seem REALLY effective.  I hear lots of stories of how bad the hand brake is but not sure whether my shoes are set correctly - so will pop the callipers off and check....just as i realise they are all nicely lock wired one.....think Ill loose the lock wire and just thread lock them.