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Anyone ever rebuild a brake caliper?

Help, Advice and DIY Tutorials on Volvo's P80 platform cars -- Volvo's 1990s "bread and butter" cars -- powered by the ubiquitous and durable Volvo inline 5-cylinder engine.

1992 - 1997 850, including 850 R, 850 T-5R, 850 T-5, 850 GLT
1997 - 2000 S70, S70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70, V70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70-XC
1997 - 2004 C70

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JimBee
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Re: Anyone ever rebuild a brake caliper?

Post by JimBee »

Like abscate said, the hard brake line fitting at the rear calipers on 850's is often impossible to break loose.

But if you follow that line to just in front of the rear wheel it screws into a "splitter". On the 850, those fittings, at the splitter, always crack loose quite easily. A small vice grip can get in there, or use an 11 mm open end or brake line wrench. That gives you the option of getting one from a junk yard car with the line attached, or taking your caliper with the line attached to a shop and have them get it apart—or make you up a new line to use with a new caliper.

You'll lose fluid when you open that line. If you lose too much and the master cylinder reservoir gets too low, you can get air in there and you'll need to bleed the master cylinder, as well as your lines. If you pick up a 10mm x 1 short bolt, you can wrap some teflon tape around it and plug the splitter when you take off the line.

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abscate
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Post by abscate »

rspi wrote: 21 Sep 2018, 09:37 Junkyard. NJ has a few.

Other than that, prevention is best. Replace the fluid ever few years.
It’s not helping with this crappy aftermarket stuff.

I had Fresh brake fluid on replacement in 2016 and both pistons seized solid.
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WhatAmIDoing
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Post by WhatAmIDoing »

abscate wrote: 21 Sep 2018, 12:45
rspi wrote: 21 Sep 2018, 09:37 Junkyard. NJ has a few.

Other than that, prevention is best. Replace the fluid ever few years.
It’s not helping with this crappy aftermarket stuff.

I had Fresh brake fluid on replacement in 2016 and both pistons seized solid.
Yes, these rebuilds all seem to be crap. I perpetually have new brake fluid in the system because I replace calipers so much. Last one that went I put on my log splitter, and even the hydraulic force couldn't push the piston back in. Hoping these Centric calipers turn out to be better.
'98 S70 T5M - 323,000mi - awaiting heart transplant :shock:
'98 V70 T5M - 324,000mi - my new project
'99 S70 "AWD" - 220,000+mi - gone :cry:
Knows enough to be dangerous :wink:

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