S40 1.8sx (not GDi) Brakes

[makedo]

I have recently changed the brake fluid on my S40 after getting back into my Golf 1.4s and nearly putting myself through the windscreen because I have not driven it for a while. The brakes on the Golf were very responsive, and while the brakes on the S40 work, so do you as the pedal travels further and does not feel as solid. I know there is no air in the system as I have performed the check without the engine on, ie without the assistance of the servo and the pedal was solid, not spongey. The brake pads still have ample covering so this is not the problem either. I performed the servo vacuum test suggested in the Haynes manual of pumping the pedal with the engine off, then starting the engine and seeing if the pedal gave, which it did. It also said let the enging run for about 2 minutes and the brake action should feel normal, but it did not day whether to keep the brake depressed during this time.
My question is, is this how these brakes should feel or do I have a servo problem? I do not want to change the servo if the feel of the brakes is normal. As I said the brakes do work well, but you have to press hard on the pedal. Any help or advice is gratefully accepted. Thanks

[960kg]

Originally Posted by makedo

I have recently changed the brake fluid on my S40 after getting back into my Golf 1.4s and nearly putting myself through the windscreen because I have not driven it for a while. The brakes on the Golf were very responsive, and while the brakes on the S40 work, so do you as the pedal travels further and does not feel as solid. I know there is no air in the system as I have performed the check without the engine on, ie without the assistance of the servo and the pedal was solid, not spongey. The brake pads still have ample covering so this is not the problem either. I performed the servo vacuum test suggested in the Haynes manual of pumping the pedal with the engine off, then starting the engine and seeing if the pedal gave, which it did. It also said let the enging run for about 2 minutes and the brake action should feel normal, but it did not day whether to keep the brake depressed during this time.
My question is, is this how these brakes should feel or do I have a servo problem? I do not want to change the servo if the feel of the brakes is normal. As I said the brakes do work well, but you have to press hard on the pedal. Any help or advice is gratefully accepted. Thanks

.....have you thought that you are comparing a Volvo to a go cart?????...Volvo`s are heavy cars....

[makedo]

Originally Posted by 960kg

.....have you thought that you are comparing a Volvo to a go cart?????...Volvo`s are heavy cars....

Well I was actually surprised by this but the Volvo, believe it or not, does not have the same solid feel as the Golf. Another thing I found out today is that the poor handling is quite scary. I was in the peak district comming back on the Cat & Fiddle road from Buxton to Macclesfield and it was raining slightly. I was not going fast and have a brand new set of Goodyear Efficient Grips on the front and the rear are still well within legal depth range when rounding a sharpish bend the car decided to go slightly sideways!! On the next bend I felt it trying to break away again, so I tested it on a clear bend when nothing was coming in the other direction and the ease with which it lost grip was very disconcerting. Is this normal?
Now I know the limits of the car I will be much more careful, it seems fine in the dry and is great cruising on the motorway, so I think i'll stick to what it does best.

[Dog_Book]

Not for mine it isnt :P i was about to say cheap tyres but then realised you have same as me. I can push my V40 hard, the back end will snap out if i go to hard even in the dry as i have a right thick rear ARB but we all know about that kind of thing and front wheel drive cars. Other than that i have lowered front end and now new sport shocks all way round. But apart from when i had buget tyres fitted i can throw my Volvo around more than some of the go-kart boys do
After i had the part worn Efficient Grip tyres fitted the car sticks to the road even more even moreso in the wet now.

[makedo]

Originally Posted by Dog_Book

Not for mine it isnt :P i was about to say cheap tyres but then realised you have same as me. I can push my V40 hard, the back end will snap out if i go to hard even in the dry as i have a right thick rear ARB but we all know about that kind of thing and front wheel drive cars. Other than that i have lowered front end and now new sport shocks all way round. But apart from when i had buget tyres fitted i can throw my Volvo around more than some of the go-kart boys do
After i had the part worn Efficient Grip tyres fitted the car sticks to the road even more even moreso in the wet now.

Thanks, did you fit sport suspension off another Volvo or is it another make? Apologies if you have put it on the bottom of your response but I do not know what OE or Zender is. Not had to work on any car for a while ( about thirty years) but I am enjoying it again.

[andy_d]

dont know what your doing but
mine stops Very well, for a 1 1/3 ton car it Sticks to the road rather nicely.
and is Very "chuck it about" solidly planted.

mines on 15's (stock standard volvo alloys) , std factory suspension (sports lowered)
toyo tr-1's and std volvo disks/pads (all new in the last 12months), dot4 (gen volvo) and replaced brake pipes for the rear, new brake hoses (this month)

sticks like ,,, to a blanket, wet/dry ..

[Dog_Book]

Front

Upper Volvo strut brace

Lower Zender wishbone tie brace

-40 mm springs

sachs sport shocks (same as the OE dynamic)

Rear

OE dynamic spings

boge sport shocks (same as the OE dynamic)

Whiteline adjustable ARB 22mm dia


The sporty volvo's like a T4 didnt allways come with the sports or dynamic so they called it set up. When you bought the car you decided at the time what set up you had. Only way to tell is from either the colour codes of the springs and shocks and the chassis code. For EG my year of Volvo 1998 and the Reg plate and the chassis code confirms my car was built with the sports package. But it does not tell you what colout code they were making it imposible to get the same from breakers etc. If you find a T4 in the breakers unless you get the reg number or chassis code there is no way of knowing your buying the sports suspension.
At 1999 you need to check if you got P1 or P2 suspension by the way. You can buy my front PI springs when i get the Eibach ones. :P

[Dog_Book]

Originally Posted by Dog_Book

Not for mine it isn't :P i was about to say cheap tyres but then realised you have same as me. I can push my V40 hard, the back end will snap out if i go to hard even in the dry as i have a right thick rear ARB but we all know about that kind of thing and front wheel drive cars. Other than that i have lowered front end and now new sport shocks all way round. But apart from when i had budget tyres fitted i can throw my Volvo around more than some of the go-kart boys do
After i had the part worn Efficient Grip tyres fitted the car sticks to the road even more even more so in the wet now.

after reading again and another post you made about suspension, i read you have odd rear tyres with one not heard of. Like Ive said, when i had rear tyres that did not grip well the back end would let go easily and in the wet not even cornering hard would push it out i never had any scary moments from the front. But like the other argument is going as soon as i put high quality rear tyres on my grip issues went away and i can now easily predict when the front or rear is ready to let go