[Rebel1]

Chris, There are two adjustments which need attention and both are a pain in the ar$e in the original jag let alone when the rear end is in a cobra.

1. As some others have mentioned is the cable adjustment. Depending on how the builder has adapted the cable run to the hand brake ears on the rear caliper but typically is a threaded nut where the cable attaches to the right hand hand brake ear lever. This adjustment really only needs attention at initial installation of the cable and typically, if adjusted properly when first installed requires little follow on attention.

2. This is the adjustment which typically is the main problem. It is the self adjusting mechanism within the hand brake lever mounted off the rear caliper ears. The levers which squeeze the hand brake ears/pads onto the rotors have a bolt which adjusts the distance between the the two ears to account for pad wear. This bolt enters the lever and goes thru an alloy tube nut which has a series of "teeth" around the outside of the nut and operates like a ratchet against a spring loaded stop.

From the factory liberal quantities of grease is applied to this ratchet but overtime the grease turns to glug and together with corrosion prevents the tube nut from rotating.

Once this ratchet seizes no amount of cable adjustment will make the hand brake work. The ONLY solution is to remove the levers, disassemble, free up the tube nut on the bolt, re lubricate and install ensuring the initial zero adjustment is done.

The Zero adjustment is simply turning the bolt which connects the two ears until the pads contact the rotor then back off a half turn. Finally install a split pin thru the bolt head to prevent the bolt from turning further.

Self adjustment operates when the pads wear sufficiently to allow the tube nut to rotate on the bolt one or more teeth and this reduces the distance between the ears/pads.

Once you get the levers apart it is all pretty straight forward. The real problem is removing and re-installing the levers. If the above is done properly when the diff is first installed and a good grease ( I use marine grease - made for outboard motors) used, then all is good for about 10 years.