Rear Discs, Pads and Shoes Replacement - Guide
 

Guys - a quick guide...

Firstly - this post is provided as-is, It is YOUR responsibility to ensure that all work is carried out observing all required saftey precautions. Do not attempt any jobs like this unless you are fully aware of the risks and responsibilities.

The replacement of the rear brake "consumables" is a very easy job, requiring basic tools and skills. if you have ever done this on another vehicle, you will be ok here.

Ok, here is the basic setup if you have not looked before! (yes, ok, should have power washed the car first... look at all that mud...!)

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DJB_5255.jpg

If you look closley to the edge of the disc, it is the only part of the disc that is providing braking contact... not good, and, the subject of many other threads on here. It is very common however on many marques.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DJB_5260.jpg

Ok - first off, you need to remove the caliper from the mounting bracket.

This is done by the removal of two hex socked head pins that are under the two plastic caps - 1 shown in the picture below - you will see the other lower down behind the disc.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DJB_5257.jpg

When you remove the caliper, either suspend it from the road spring by a bungee cord, or lay it on the rear suspension arm out of the way, ensuring that the rubber hose is not under any stress or twisted.

The caliper bracket is removed once the bolt marked 2 in the above picture is removed- the other bold is below the first and is really obvious.

Removing the above hex pins and bolts is a very tight job, and you cannot get in with a typical socket set. The setup is very compact, which is surprising for the size of the vehicle.

I used a 10mm spanner with hex bit to undo the pins, and the longest ring spanner I could find to undo the bolts. You can see here how tight this is.. that 1/2" drive hex holder is nearly touching the roadspring. The bolts are not torqued up very tight, but as they are in with some threadlock, they have a very good grip of the threads, hence they are tight to remove.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DJB_5263.jpg

You can see the two hex pins here...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DJB_5264.jpg

Now, if, having checked that the front wheels are chocked and ensured the gearbox is in gear or in Park, you can release the handbrake.

With the caliper and bracket removed, you can undo the single 10mm bolt on the disc.

You can also see in the picture some white corrosion on the hub centre. This is from the alloy, and needs to be cleaned up before you remove the disc. A wee wire brush is excellent for this. Remind yourself to apply some coppaslip to this centre before you refit your wheel!

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DJB_5261.jpg


When the handbrake is released, I found it easy to remove the disc from the car. You may need to wiggle the disk somewhat but dont be tempted to get too violent as the small brackets that the show retaining springs atach to on the brake backplate can come off... not good, as they require welded or replaced to fix. The picture below shows these brackets with the discs and shoes removed.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DJB_5275.jpg

With the disc removed - you have this...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DJB_5271.jpg

The shoes are now easily swapped, using some small pliers to remove the springs. You may want to replace the springs as Volvo suggest, but in my experience, they appeared perfectly reusable.

You can also see I took the oportunity to wire brush the backplate and give it a hit of black smoothrite paint before changing the shoes.

Back to the pads - you can see here just how badly they were worn, and should really have been changed some miles ago. The old pad is at the top, sitting on the new one.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DJB_5267.jpg

I also took the chance to paint the new discs the day before fitting so they were ready to go on... Dont worry about getting paint on the braking surface - you actually do WANT to go over onto it sothat you get a proper edge and no visible rust when used. The excess paint dissapears after a few miles.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DJB_5266.jpg

Before you replace the caliper bracket bolts, I suggest you clean the threads with a wire brush to remove the old threadlock. Also, use new threadlock when you replace them and torque to the correct setting. You may struggle getting any torque wrench in there however...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DJB_5269.jpg

Anyway - before you fit the new disc, make sure that the hub surface that it mates to is totally clean with no grease or dirt/grit in there - if it does it wont mate and you will very likley end up with warped discs shortly after fitting them.

So, get the disc and caliper bracket back on. I did not have to adjust the handbrake - the disc went straight back on without any fight.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DJB_5268.jpg

Before fitting the pads, you need to push the piston back into the caliper. It is best practice these days with cars with ABS to undo the bleed nipple slightly and push the piston back in. This ensures that undue reverse pressure is not applied to seals in the ABS unit, risking damage. Its easy to releasethe bleed nipple and catch the small amount release with a cloth. If you are uncomfortable with this, take it easy pushing them back in, and, watch that the master cylinder reservour under the bonnet does not overflow as the excess fluid returns home. Here is the nipple, with its plastic cover removed. Given that these corrode in, apply plenty of release oil... and take it easy.

Also, clean up the sliding caliper pins so that any old brake dust etc is completely removed.


http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DJB_5265.jpg

Next, you can fit the pads and replace the caliper. It is sensible to apply some coppaslip to the mating (sliding) surfaces on the caliper bracket.

I also completed the job by painting the cleaned caliper and bracket, providing a nice clean finish!

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/DJB_5312.jpg


And the front ones, so they match!

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...ntwheels-1.jpg


So - I hope that quick guide helps someone.

David

Not a job I am likely to do on the XC90 unless I buy it off the business when I change. But excellent and informative post, and thankyou for taking the time. Photos particularly useful in the event I have to do any fault tracing myself.

Great write-up, thanks David!

Would it make sense (for forum admins) to put these diy-guides in a separate area within the XC90 forum, so they are easy to find and don't get lost in the masses of other posts?

Thanks for the complements Guys.

Some half deceint pictures always help envisage the job... glad I'm not wasting my time doing it as it fair adds to the time to do the job!

David

Hi

I have actually PM'ed a mod to see if some of these are worthy of going in the articles section, rather than sticky them or something else... and as you say, they may end up being burried and lost forever!

The articles section would, to me, be an ideal home for articles/posts like these and possibly a mod only posting section.

We just need to get a few more done! I will try, when I do a job to take some pictures and do a wee write up - I may not be a paid up member of the club, but am happy to give something back if and when I can.


David

I think it's a good idea, my (photo) instructions for the Ipod integration are still out there somewhere as well, which might help people, if not for the same install, then at least on how to dismantle part of the centre console...

Really useful post. I have this job to do in the next month, so the pics were helpful.
What specific paint did you use for the disc? I had never thought of painting this (or the stone guard) but its an excellent idea.

Hi

Check this post: its kinda burried under the side step thread! (which contains some other, similar discussion).

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showpo...4&postcount=20

OK folks, I have the discs (thanks to that nice Volvo dealer in Swansea), I have painted them so they don't corrode too badly.

Tomorrow looks like nice weather....so keep me covered I am going in!

More updates to follow.

Good luck - top engine mount replacement is my task tomorrow.

Bestgear - love the picture posts, but cant believe the state of your discs before replacement - had you not used the car for weeks?

Yip - car had been sitting for two weeks doing nothing after being washed (discs left wet, obviously)!


David

HAVE FUN... you will have it done in no time...

David

All done! PHEW. The pads and discs were easy.

Comments for those trying it themselves:

I found that I couldn't get my 7mm hex socket in to remove the caliper from the bracket. My ratchet would not fit because all the suspension components got in the way.
To get round this I unbolted the caliper and the caliper bracket as an entire unit, I then pulled this away from the disc so it was fully mobile (making sure I didn't stress the brake hose) and then removed the 7mm hex slide caliper pins/polts.

The discs on my car needed a bit of a clout to get them off but nothing excessive.

Now the hard bit! Christ on a bike, whoever invented brake shoe set up on XC90's clearly also designed that box in HellRaiser.

Bestgear is right when he says that the springs probably will not need replacing, I bought a set of the retaining springs for mine, but the old ones were fine. Getting the retaining springs out is an exercise in patience. I found it bet to use a pair of needle nose pliers to compress the whole spring, but even then it needs fiendish manipulation (not force!) to remove them.

The small tensioner spring on the shoes is easy to remove. However the main shoe return spring ( the longsest of the helical springs) is a real sod to fit. I wrestled with it for 10 minutes a side to get the shoes into a position where I could get the spring to stretch engough to locate it.

The brake shoes were shocking! One had completely lost its lining, and two were delaminating. Moral here is if you are working on the brakes, then change the shoes too!

One bit of good news. My car has the manual adjuster. After using a flatbladed screwdriver and a pair of needle nose pliers to remove the circlip I could turn the collar/sleave by hand. It needs a bit of strength (by soft office boy standards!) , but it is better than using pliers to turn.

I was dreading needing to make a bestgear type tool/pliers to re-tension the cable. I found it very easy to do this by hand. The cable is on a ratchet mechanism, so I just pulled it out several clicks. SO I NEEDED NO TOOLS FOR THIS BIT. Maybe once the brakes bed in I might be proved wrong.

Handbrake is now much better and the car is now ready for MOT!

I would always be tempted to buy the little curly springs that retain the hand brake shoes. Its common for them to have lost their tension. I didn't when I did my brakes, and had to make a thick shim to tension them back up again. According to the dealer its common.

made me laugh looking at the rear handbrake shoes like mine were when i changed them last week, u will notice the flat spot on the shoes, from when people drive off with the handbrake still on :)

I am not sure that is with folks driving off - I think they are made that way... every one I have seen has them...

David

Yes, the shoes have a flatspot on them when new. I assumed the other poster was jesting.
Handbrake now bedded in quite well, will hold the car on the steep hill outside my house. I also replaced the pedal rubber on the footbrake. £8.59 well spent to get the car looking fresh again.

Fitted the rear bearings discs,shoes and pads, front discs n pads, painted the calipers and fitted mudguards this weekend.... saved over a grand from the dealers list prices and used all genuine volvo parts.

From the experience I'd say that it's worth getting the little one inch springs that locate in the guard as they bend easily and need retensioning.They are also a real sod to resite when they have been damaged. In my case there was so much rust on the inner surface of the disc that the shoes had wedged themselves solid in there. After much persuasion using the trusty lump hammer the disc came off but stretched those little springs in the process. The long retainer springs are fine to reuse but in my case weren't as hard to resite as those little springs.

Interestingly volvo had advised me that the shoes always need replacing when doing the discs because the shoes delaminate or break up. In my case the shoes were like new but i changed them anyway as I had already bought the new ones. In retrospect I'd have been better off buying the tensioner springs and keeping the old shoes as the don't wear a great deal due to the design of the system.

Agree that whoever invented the handbrake mechanism must have been heavily into S&M !!! As for the flat spot on the shoes that is there from new and is part of the design so NOT from driving off with the brake on!

I just used a 7mm hex key and a spanner hooked over the end for leverage to remove the caliper.

Thankfully I didn't need to adjust the cable although I did expose the mechanism just in case. Unfortunately my seat won't go back far enough to get easy access to the mechanism so have most of you removed the seat to get better access to it? I don't see how you can do it otherwise, as you'd have to have mouse hands to get in there!

I will post up some pics of the calipers later if I can get them off my dead phone!

Access for me was tight, but the seat full back and up let me in ok.

Now, with all that money saved, what other toys will you buy?!?!?

David

PS - dont forget the pictures...

Hmm not the best pics but here you go....
With the money I saved I'd like to get an RSE but one with the dvd players within the headrest and a HDD linkup... Has anyone had the ebay ones fitted with the zip covers?

Just to back up what BestGear said. The manual adjustment cable is quite a bit further back than I expected. It is free floating so you can lift it up and free of the nearby wireing loom to "faff" with it.

I expected it to be in line with the front of the radio panel, but its actually flush with the front of the seat squab with the front seat all the way back.

Neat painting there... very discreet!

If you do go for the non-OEM "Ebay" headrests...remember what I said - ensure that the cables come (or can be modified to) come out from the fabric at the base of the headrest and not just from the headrest mounting pole as you will not get that to fit through the volvo seat back mounting holes... and ensure that the poles are 12mm diameter....

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showpo...1&postcount=17

It should be easiy enough to get that sorted - great value for not much cash - headrest monitors with or without integrated DVDs are very cheap now... what about a media player like mine in place of a DVD?

These headrests look ok, and at £130 or so quid are a good deal... see what I mean re the cables from the poles? These ones would be very easy to reroute the cables - they are even 12mm poles! You see the poles unscrew so that would allow you to cut and reterminate the cables to suit.

http://www.sbo2.net/88hk/photo/L0202/L0202-05.jpg

David

The kids want a dvd player so needs must....!! Otherwise a media player would be fine. What screens did you fit into the headrests in the end? i was wondering if I could disconnect the cables where they enter the screens and route the cables up retrogradely from below the seat using a sparky's fibreglass cable router kit?

I managed to pick up the OEM headrests - of dealer fit fame.

If you can get the headrest cables sorted so they dont emerge from the centres of the poles, routing them through the seat is standard stuff - I used a "sparkies" fibrglass fish/rod too.... following this...

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/i...eatwiring2.jpg

You can get power from the centre console... nice and easy.

David

cheers, so you don't rate the ebay item number 190445390538? What is the number of the one you have shown there please?

found it now, have you seen the rear view camera they offer? Looks ok.

Hi

Its not that I dont rate it, its just £££ cash and I dont think its worth it as you can find similar for less cash.

I would either buy a "cheap" ebay set or pick up a set of loose monitors and mount them in standard OEM headrests.

I was not suggesting the headrests that I added the picture for - that was just to illustrate the wires leaving the poles - given the environment you have in the back of the car, the resolution etc is of little consequence - I would buy on price and function. Its surprising what you get for not a lot of cash - and most have many built in games... and will play other ROMs if you are into downloading stuff...

Buying the self contained monitors would be a very easy fit given its just switched power to them - and they have an FM transmitter in them (well, most do) or IR/RF for headphones.

I would add that rear tinted windows is a huge benefit as most lcd screens are not that bright - plus its an anti theft benefit too - like the zipper covers for the "ebay" screens.

Did not spot the camera - do you have a link for that? I have not seen any sensibly priced cameras for the XC90 other than for a MY2010 on.


David

Clearly I need to do more research! Try item number 190449767485

We are miles OT now... but that camera is not ideal, as there no real room for it on the rear mounting panel, plus it has chromed screws and could well have a painted mounting foot that will rust as soon as it sees rain and look crap.

I have a few options up my sleeve and will share once done.

David