240 Volvo brake pads help

[old_MrSmith_and_his_Volvo]

hello
I would like to look at getting some new brake pads for my 245

I've had some problems in the past with mechanics fitting "unknown" brake pads that squeal for several thousand k's or seem to fade once you use them on a few hills, until they cool down again.

I'm not into all this racing and lowered stuff, just want brake pads for normal driving

are the genuine Volvo brake pads good? I thought I would order some through a Volvo dealership and then get a mechanic to use them on my car.

As you can tell I don't know much about cars and things, maybe others can recommend other good brake pads to use?

I also need new brake lines I'm told on my last service.

 

[Turbosteen]

Volvo original pads will work fine, only thing is they create quite a lot of brake dust on your wheels.
I have PBR metalmasters on the 760, like those as well.

 

[old_MrSmith_and_his_Volvo]

I just have standard wheels and hubcaps so that shouldn't be a problem, thanks.

 

[coonmanx]

I am running Wagner ceramic pads in the front and they seem to work fine. However, the brick isn't getting driven as much lately since the power steering rack went kaput.

Have you thought about doing the brakes yourself? It is quite easy and would be a good time to replace rotors as well. For the money that you spend to have someone do your brakes you could buy new rotors. Also, that way you could be sure that the job was done correctly.

I'm not sure why you would need new brake lines unless they are leaking. One thing that you have to be aware of is places that want to sell you a bunch of parts and then install them. Unless you have absolute faith in that shop you could be getting screwed. With these old Volvos it really is a matter of finding someone who understands these cars. Shop around for a good mechanic and even ask here of other members. And learn as much as you can so someone won't take advantage of you.

 

[old_MrSmith_and_his_Volvo]

the problem is that I went to this mechanic in October 2010 he changed the discs/rotors and pads, but now the brakes seem to be wearing out, I don't drive that heavy on them, only done about 6,000k's in that time.
It seems you have to put your foot half way down on the brake pedal for them to pull out
whereas before you would just tap the brake pedal

no car isn't leaking brake fluid
never had to top up the brake fluid

 

[chriselalto]

Pull the wheel and inspect them. If there is still a safe level of material left, the the pedal problem could be the master cylinder.

 

[1983Turbo242]

Could be an internal master cylinder leak.

 

[Goatman]

Could be an internal master cylinder leak.

+1

 

[John2x240]

Here's an old generic brake problem diagnosis check list that I've posted on other boards:

You could first try the old "Ten Second Brake Test," see what you get, and then post the results here so someone can offer suggestions. This test is pretty generic and applies to most vehicles.

The Old Fart's Ten Second Brake Test

Before you go tearing things apart, do the 10 second brake test:

1. With the engine off, pump the pedal until all vacuum in the booster is eliminated.
2. Pump the pedal again a few times until you get a firm pedal.
3. Plant your arse firmly in the seat and push on the pedal as hard as you can, and hold the pressure for 10 seconds.

Preliminary Diagnosis:

If the pedal goes straight to the floor, you have a completely burst brake line.

If the pedal goes down fairly quickly, there's probably a loose fitting, leaking line or hose, or a blown caliper/wheel cylinder seal.

If the pedal goes down slowly, it's could still be a fitting, but not as loose, a seal, but not as bad, a pin-hole leak in a line, or the master cylinder seals.

If the pedal is just mushy but firms up a bit with some pedal pumping, there's probably air in the lines, a swelling brake hose due to a soft cover or worn/frayed wire mesh inner sheath, or the fluid level is low.

If there are no apparent problems after 10 full seconds, start the engine. If the pedal is mushy or drops excessively with the engine running, check that the booster is not building up excess vacuum (not common, but possible).

 

[Lando]

Before you put the nail in the coffin for any of your brake components, change your brake fluid.

Brake fluid is intended to be close to "incompressible" which is ideal for hydraulic systems. As your system wears, heat, fluid friction and contaminants make the brake fluid more and more compressible. Change your brake fluid and you will probably notice great results.

If you see grey goop coming out of the pushrod for your brake master cylinder or your pedal continues to fall after coming to a stop you might need a new brake master cylinder, but I would start with the fluid.

 

[towerymt]

The volvo brand pads work well. They give off a lot of black dust, but they work when cold and they work when hot. I use them on my daily driver and I've been impressed. We also use them on a 240 used in low budget endurance road racing and they perform well there too. Great all around pad, and they're inexpensive.

The rear pads should come with shims bonded to the pad. The fronts have the shims in the box but they're not stuck to the pad backing plate. I use some PTFE grease to lightly coat the back of the pad, stick the shim on, coat the shim, and install. Never have problems with squealing or vibrations.

 

[old_MrSmith_and_his_Volvo]

thanks guys for your help


I will check the brake test and report back

 

[saq]

I recently went into the pads deal with my car - asked around, looked at web discussions, talked with a mechanic that I trust implicitly.

Volvo pads are quite good. They do give off black dust, and if you're racing they might not be the best choice, but for general driving they stop well in almost all conditions and are fairly easy on the rotors for a pad. They also don't squeak.

The other pad recommended to me by the mechanic was a Japanese ceramic pad whose brand I can't remember right now. My conclusion after I looked at both was that based on the way I drive the ceramic pad would perform worse than the Volvo pad.


One note for brake system checking: I've had master cylinder seals go out in such a way that the M.C. will leak under gentle to moderate pressure, but when you stomp on it the seal will catch, so I'd amend the test to recommend one under gentle pressure as well as hard pressure.

Disk brakes don't need to be adjusted like drum brakes do so they should never need more pedal travel to activate because of pad wear. The disk system automatically advances the pads based on wear every time you use them, and it's mechanically integral to the functioning of the system so it can't "break" like a drum auto-adjust system. It's something else in your car.