2000 S70 brake rotor question

My wife took her Volvo in for a brake job which cost $700 for only the
front brakes. The pads were not worn through and the rotors were not
scored (50,000 miles)but the pads were very thin as expected. The shop
replaced the rotors rather than turning them. CAn't the rotors on this
car be turned? As a result the brake job was very expensive and the
rear brakes will need to be replaced soon. How hard is it to replace
the rear pads? Is the parking brake involved and are any special tools
necessary other than a C clamp? On my explorer it is a piece of cake.
In fact I have never replaced or turned the rotors on that car and
things have been fine even after 175,000 miles.

.....Larry

 

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,

An awful lot of workshops seem to have a habit of replacing the discs
(rotors) whether they need it or not. They *do* have to be replaced if they
are scored, or worn below the minimum permissible thickness, or buckled. But
a lot still get replaced unnecessarily.

Whereas they *can* be machined, it is not necessarily a whole lot cheaper
than replacing them when labour charges are taken into account.

Both front and rear pads can fairly easily be D-I-Y'd if you're reasonably
competent. In my view, the front ones are easier because the whole calliper
can be released from the hub assembly and pulled away from the disc without
disconnecting the flexible hydraulic pipe - as long as you support it
properly, and don't strain the pipe. You will need a 7mm Allen key or hex
bit (not a very common size - here in UK, at any rate) and removing and
replacing the springy bit of wire is a bit tricky - otherwise no problem.

The rears are not *too* bad - and again, you don't need to disturb the
hydraulics. You don't need to touch the parking brake, either. The rear
brakes use a combined disc and drum, the drum being for the parking brake -
with its own shoes which should never wear out - and the disc for the normal
stopping brake. Whereas the front calliper only has one piston, and slides
sideways to compensate for pad wear, the rear calliper has two pistons, and
is bolted rigidly to the hub. The pads are retained by a couple of nail-like
pins which pass through interference holes in the calliper, and clearance
holes in the pad plates. These have to be tapped out with a pin punch from
the inboard side, which can be a bit tricky - but not too bad really. With
the pins out, you can remove the springy steel pad cover, and get at the
pads. In theory, the pads should slide out. In practice, they won't come
past the outer unworn bit of the disc until they have been squeezed into the
calliper to compress the pistons. You can then wangle them out, fit the new
ones, re-fit the springy steel covers and tap the pins back in.
--
Cheers,
Roger
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Thanks, but how do I retract the pistons so that I can put the new
thicker linings in? On my Ford I remove the calipers from the hub and
use a C clamp. Both front and rear use flexible rubber hoses between
metal brake lines and the calipers.

.....Larry

 

The cost on rotors is dirt cheap to the dealer. The comeback rate on
turned or resurfaced rotors, especially the hat type that Volvo uses is
pretty close to 100% for brake pedal vibration or squeal. The
replacement time is much lower than the time required for machining so
the Dealeships would rather garner a higher CSI from returning the
brakes to as new condition rather than redo the job for a second time
later at no charge plus the cost of free rotors. Training people how to
turn a rotor, even with the most modern equipment, involves a fair
amount of time and a steep learning curve to produce a reliably
satisfactory result. Brcause the results vary so widely from tech to
tech most dealerships, and small shops as well, have given up on turning
all but full size pickup, van and SUV one piece hub and rotor
assemblies.

The work on a Volvo is probably the easiest of almost any car. See reoly
to duplicate post below for some thoughts on pricing.

Bob

 

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,

Assuming there's *some* lining left, you can retract the pistons enough to
remove the pads by using pliers to squeeze the accessible bits of the pads
towards the calliper body. But *don't* lever against the disc! Once the pads
are out, you can get water-pump pliers in between the disc and piston to
retract the piston further, if necessary.

Having just looked at the manual again, I think I gave you duff gen about
the pins in my earlier post. To remover these, you tap them towards the
centre-line of the vehicle rather than outwards from the inside.

If you still have problems, send me an email off-list with a genuine reply
address, and I'll send you copy of the relevant instructions from the
manual.
--
Cheers,
Roger
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Hi Roger,

Great advice! But........ "I think I gave you duff gen", you said. DUFF
GEN! Were you in the Raff??

Andy I.

 

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,

Do you mean the RAF? The answer's 'no' anyway - duff gen is just an
expression I use for false information - don't know where I got it from!
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Cheers,
Roger
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You may not know where you got it from, Roger, but I know where it came
from.... yes, the R.A.F, WW2.
"Pukka gen" was what we called the good stuff.

Andy I.

 

I had my own Taxis for many years so I think through my pocket I can offer
advice .Your discs will not need turning unless they are ruined by pads worn
to the metal .No matter how scored the discs are .As long as the scores are
in not chucks missing .If you think about it you will have more brake area
in effect .As your pads are not worn out you have been ripped off .I found
many tried this on me when changing my tires ,they would suggest I have my
discs removed and turned ,gound down in fact .@ 50.000 miles they are like
new .$700.00 US dollars is a huge amount to pay .