Handbrake Woes!

[captainhook]

Just in time...!

2004 S60 D5 SE 75K.... started to get a clunk setting off after releasing the handbrake. No mention of work on service/maintenance records. Got both hubs opened up and replaced the shoes. Both had started to delaminate one worse than the other...lucky catch. :-)

[Georgeandkira]

Hello, I felt the "thunk in reverse" and bought hand brake shoes and the hardware kit-both from Scan Tech via a company here in the States. Removed the rotors and saw that 3 of the four shoes had NO LINING on them. One looked OK. There was tons of dust though. Replaced the parts. Brought the cable adjuster back up. All is well. I'm so glad I didn't get the destruction which so many have reported. 'Twas a 2002 V70 base with 138,000 miles. HAD to be the original shoes. Kira

[bublnsqueak]

Cracked not Delaminated

Just bought 2002 V70 XC. Handbrake needs adjusting. This thread inspired me to strip and check. This is what I found (pics attached):

Is this a problem? Its not the delamination that others have suffered from. I would just replace them but I am on a budget So I need to understand the risk (ie the chances of the shoes breaking up and costing more money). Any ideas?

Ta
Paul

[Spike1918]

There`s no lifting / delaminating of the composite / friction material and a surprising amount of meat left on them too.
Hmmmm, they might well hang on in there for some time but I know you`ll try to kick yer own ass if you put it all back together and it all comes to grief down the road!
If it were me I would go without eating anything but baked tatties for a week and replace them.;)

[bublnsqueak]

If it were me I would go without eating anything but baked tatties for a week and replace them.;)

I guess I could do with losing the weight.

Its just about balancing priorities within a budget. Lots of other things to spend my money on: Oil change, hidden coolant leak, OBD turbo code etc etc. Its just about where I put this in the order of priorities. Sounds like it can move down a couple of notches.

Cheers
Paul

[Georgeandkira]

Hello, What turbo related code did you get? By "hidden coolant leak" do you mean there are no drips on the ground? Be certain the coolant isn't going into your oil. Check the coolant reservoir to see if oily deposits aren't present. If so, that would claim top priority on anyone's budget. Refrain from using the hand brake in the meantime. Kira

[Thassos]

Cracks ?

Looks like you have some cracks in the friction material, if you look at the 2nd picture closely, I think ild be replacing them knowing the problems (& more importantly the very costly repair if they let go) others have reported - so my vote goes for new shoes (not the fashion variety) :)

Do you ever 'operate handbrake at slow < 15mph speed' to grind off any rust ?

[PeteB1]

I've just done a complete rear brake overhaul on mine this last weekend, detail here.

The shoe linings looked fine and there was little or no corrosion in the handrake area other than on the actual drum away from the shoe swept area. However, I will check how well bonded the linings on the shoes still are by using a screwdriver to see how readily or otherwise the lining can be debonded.

Several years ago, I had one of the last Vauxhall Cavaliers before they became Vectra's. At around 70000 miles or so (4 years old), one of the front pad linings delaminated without warning. No damage but it was a strange experience when suddenly the brake pedal went nearly to the floor. My own check at the roadside quickly identified the problem but there was no time to source & purchase parts as I would normally have done. I just took it into the nearest QuikFit type Tyre/Brake centre for a full front disc/pad change. The pads were not excessively worn either.

[gjuk]

Reading this I bought some new shoes and replaced the brakes and pads at the same time...

some of my shoes had nothing left on them. metal on metal.

Just as well I changed them :)

Took me 3 hours ish to change the rear dics, pads and shoes.

Jon

[V70hubMan02]

Just had the same on my V70!

Hunty,

I have just experienced exactly the same and spent yesterday removing disk to assess the damage. Basically as per the earlier post from Nick44 (see this+ Brake Disaster)
Have you been able to fix yours yet?
It looks like I need new backplate, handbrake componenents (linkages) The Hub carrier looks as though it is damaged? did you need a new hub carrier assembly? Also is the Backplate sold with the hub assembly, or do have to get the hub out to get the plate off?

Sorry about all these questions, I'm new to the forum and still in Shock! Did you manage to source used parts, if so can you recommend anyone?

Can you or anyone help me?

Thanks

[Paffel]

I took my rear discs off to have a look after getting popping noises at low speed, struggling to engage and the cable was only pulling on one side.

Glad I did, one side had completely de-laminated, and I was very pleased to change them quickly (I had a 400 mile journey the following day!)

[V70hubMan02]

Surprise!!! . I didn't know I have brake shoes as well as disc pads on the rear wheel thingies . I thought that the hand brake operated the rear pads. Wrong.. locked wheel - broken hub housing.. Volvo want £1485 to fix it. I located a second hand housing , paid my £100 , part was in wales , it was striped off the donor car posted & arrived the next day. What a service, give that man a pat on the back..With the aid of Mr Haynes fine book I will attempt to make things good, looks simples. However Mr Volvo dealer has spoken of magic that only he can perform, The act of realigning the wheels . Mr Haynes doe's not mention this in his book. So boys & girls what do you say ? Do I need Mr Volvo's magic or shall I tell him where to stick his wound.



Andre'

Andre,

Just done my first post having just suffered the same probs with my V70, Can you advise best steps to find a breaker/ 2nd user parts as you did?

I need a Back Plate, Hub Carrier and handbrake linkages, actuator etc.

Member name is V70hubMan02 better know an as Geoff.
Can you help me as I'm a bit in shock at the moment!

[Nick44]

Hi Geoff,
Best place I know for seconhand parts is the Salvo Group.
They do mail order and are sensibly priced.

http://www.salvogroup.co.uk/

As you are new you can't PM me, but you will find my phone number in the club magazine if you want a chat.

[DAitchison]

Hmmm, i've just bought a 54 plate S60 D5 with 96k on the clock and apart from a handbrake that seems high i've got no problems. However this is a scary thread!

Did Volvo ever recognise this as a potential case for recall??

I'm super paranoid now as the weekend is gone and i've got a full week of driving to and from work ahead.

Think my next visit is to euro car parts and start thinking about setting some time ahead to do this. I'm reasonably handy with mechanics but for some reason handbrakes and the shoe replacement has daunted me.

I've saved a previous write up but was wondering since the thread has evolved if there are any further pitfalls to be aware of?

[Nick44]

@DAitchison.
It is rare for them to go bang quite as badly as they can, chewing up the entire hub assembly and destroying everything.
However, it can happen.
Moral of the story is to simply check them, as you should with everything else on your car.
As you have just bought yours if you bought it from a dealer and are unlucky enough to have this happen then you should have recourse to them.
If you read through the full thread here you will find more stories of how bad they were, and fixed in time, than the full self-destruct, so don't worry uneccessarilly.
Don't buy parts until you have had a look, dropping the caliper and pulling off the disc to have a look is not much work to satisfy yourself and stop worrying.
The most common tell-tale I have heard of is pulling away from a handbrake on position in reverse, a "pong" or "clunk" as the drive takes up is usually the give away.
No, Volvo have never had a recall on it, I guess because the whole reason the hub destroys itself in the event of this type of failure is a safety one. The alloy stop for the shoes snaps off, the hub then can rotate and does not lock up, and therefore you still remain in control of the car until you can safely stop.
I have never got to the bottom of why the shoes de-laminate. There are several different schools of thought. One is that it is caused by water entering the drum space ( as this often seems to happen after a good wash) another is that on auto cars most people don't use the handbrake, using "park" instead so they never get used, the other is that it is caused by a sticky handbrake cable so that the shoes do not completely clear the drum and so overheat, thus degrading the glue that sticks the Ferodo material to the steel shoe carrier.
My money is on the sticky handbrake cable, especially on auto's as above, but that's just my opinion.