8-2-14  Notes on replacing rear calipers Jaguar xj6 1984

They do come out and go back in without dropping the rear axle. It involves a lot of technique but it can be done.

Tips:

Much easier out than going back in.

The caliper and the handbrake caliper will absolutely not come out as a single unit.  That's what makes it tricky.  Remove the pins that hold the handbrake caliper to the rear caliper.  2 pins threaded towards the head.  There's a plate there with anti backout tabs.  THey've got to be pushed down. 

Once the handbrake caliper is removed there's enough clearance to remove the rear caliper then the handbrake caliper.

Loosen the brake lines and pivot them out of the way.  Don't bend them if you don't have to.

The bolts that hold the caliper on will not come out or go back in without being inserted into the caliper holes EXCEPT the right top one.


Reinstalling-  Put the handbrake caliper up into the opening.  Put the bolts into the rear caliper and push the caliper up into the opening.   Loosely tighten the bolts to position the caliper.  

One at a time maneuver the handbrake caliper arms into position.   PUt a shortened 10d nale into the hole to line up one at a time.  Use a larger nail to fine tune the alignment. Use an inspection mirror to check the line up of the hole to help get the pins in.   

One at a time put the pins in.  They won't go in unless they are lined up perfectly so keep working back and forth with nail until they go in.  

steady the apparatus and work one pin at a time until it is fairly loose in the opening then remove it and put the fork plate and washer plate under the pin and reinsert the pin without moving the apparatus.

crank the arm to get the pads closer together so the pins in the plate fit in. raise the rear of the plate with a screwdriver or by hand to get the fork tips buried.  Keep the pins out partially to give more play.

Once its in, tighten it down and raise the safety tabs.

Tighten the caliper bolts.