How to replace brakes on the rear of a Volvo 850
The rear brakes on the 1997 Volvo 850 are one of the easiest I have worked with. To service only the pads, the calipers do not have to be removed. However, to replace a rotor, they do have to come off.
Begin by raising the car and removing the rear wheels. The pads are held I the caliper by two pins. Use a punch to drive out the pins. Use care with the spring clip as I was not able to get a replacement locally.
With the pins out, remove one of the pads. Leave the other in place for the moment. Use a clamp or vise grips to compress the piston back into the caliper. If you have removed the other pad, the other piston will move rather than forcing fluid back to the master cylinder.
Once the piston is compressed, insert the new pad. Then, remove the other pad and repeat the compression procedure. Inset the other new pad. Align the holes in the pad with the caliper and tap the pins back in place over the spring clip. Center up the spring clip once the pins are in place.
Repeat the procedure for the other caliper.
If the rotor is scored and need to be replaced, the caliper must be removed. There are two bolts that hold the caliper to the backing plate. Note that the there is no flexible line at the caliper. There is a loop in the hard line that allows just enough clearance to remove the caliper from the rotor. Be sure to have some wire ready when the bolts are removed to secure the caliper in place so that it does not hang from the line.
With the bolts removed, carefully pull the caliper back off the rotor and secure it with a piece of wire tied to the spring. Make sure the parking brake is disengaged. If the rotor is binding on the parking brake loosen the shoes.
Remove the wheel alignment pin using a 10mm wrench. Some penetrating oil like PB blaster may help in getting it loose. Then, tap the rotor off the hub using a soft hammer.
Install the new rotor noting the alignment of the hole for the pin. Reinstall the pin to hold the rotor in place. Slip the caliper back over the rotor and reinstall the bolts.
Replace the wheels. I found it easier to rotate the alignment pin to the top when setting the wheels back in place. Tighten the lug bolts and reinstall the hub caps.
Test the brakes before driving. Gently slow down without coming to a complete stop a few times to bed in the new pads.
You can get the parts at Advance Auto. If you buy online and pick up the parts at the store you can take advantage of the internet discount codes.
Most cars are really difficult to repair, but then again if you’re an enthusiast and you like dealing with cars a lot, then you might want to try becoming a mechanic some day.
Is it okay to place a portion of this on my weblog if I submit a reference to this web-site?