How to prevent brake seize after car sits unused Topic is solved

[Clemens]

Though I'm not the OP O see these marks on the disc. I guess the previous owner put suoer cheapy pads on there.

[FireFox31]

In the past 5.5 years, I've had to replace five calipers due to seizure closed or open. Each time, the dealership has used remanufactured calipers. Do you think the reman calipers are junk compared with new ones?

I need to determine if I should replace or repair each of my calipers. Problem is, I do all my work at a local Makerspace, so if I tear apart a caliper, it must be in working order by the end of the day so I can drive home. How can I evaluate the condition of the caliper piston without disconnecting the caliper brake line?

Can I remove the caliper, remove its pads, put a wood block in it, then step on the brakes to force the piston(s) most of the way out? Won't that let me confirm that they're working and see the piston condition, but easily let me reassemble them and drive home?

Then there's the fact that my rear brakes haven't worked in three years, even after replacing slides, shims, rotors, and pads. They don't clamp enough to wear the rust off the rotors. The rear passenger's caliper was replaced 1/13 and again 1/15, but the rear driver's caliper is apparently original! I've attached pictures of my two-year-old rear rotors taken 7/18.

FYI, I've had OEM components used for these brake jobs every time. Nothing fancy, nothing cheap, always OEM done by dealerships or Volvo specialists. And still the calipers seize and the rear brakes don't work. My only solution is to do it all myself.

[Rattnalle]

Time to replace the tubes as well perhaps?

I'd make sure I had an extra caliper on hand in your situation. Replace on the car then repair on the side. I wouldn't risk being stranded.

Over here we can get brand new calipers for about $90 with a two year warranty so I haven't bothered repairing mine apart from replacing sliders.

[Clemens]

Bite the bullet and get new reman calipers from a good source. I have been dealing with old crappy calipers for years and I wish i had gotten new ones earlier. Bosch seems to make really nice rebuilt calipers. I just got one and it is of superb quality as far as looks go. A Volvo enthusiast recommended them to me. Worth every dollar.
Also, when tackling the job be sure you have really good brake line wrenches in 11 and 10 mm. If they are rounded off like on my R you can file the nuts down to 10mm-ish and use a hammer to force the 10mm wrench on there (took 30 minutes to file it down). I had to do that on both rear ones.

[abscate]

Over here we buy calipers from FCP and never pay for them again



Flush your brake fluid every two years per the manual. I think I’m still running original rear calipers on my 1999, I’ve replaced the fronts once,last time in 2013

[PeteB]

Hope your calipers don't look like these:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=81876&p=443471#p443471

You should check your flex lines, the hole is very small and they can become blocked,
or partially blocked.

[Rattnalle]

Hope your calipers don't look like these:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=81876&p=443471#p443471

You should check your flex lines, the hole is very small and they can become blocked,
or partially blocked.

Did someone say nasty caliper?

[FireFox31]

I finally found the solution to my problem: You prevent brake calipers from seizing by checking their dust boots (and other moving parts).

After sitting unused for a year, I finally started the brake overhaul on my V70. The front right caliper was stuck slightly closed. I carefully examined the caliper and found the dust boot had come out of the caliper in one small place. This allowed moisture in which rusted to the piston, bubbling it out so it would not retract.

I had to drive home from the garage where I work on my car, so without a replacement caliper, I had to scrape the rust off the piston and reassemble it. Yes, I am replacing the caliper because ATE doesn't sell replacement pistons (and because the caliper bleed valve is rusted shut). It's a shame since this caliper is only five years old and its internal cylinder is perfectly clean.

Thanks to everyone who replied in this thread and CN90 for the caliper overhaul document.

[abscate]

That piston is done. The cylinder wall inside the caliper will also be rusted and pitted and when the rubber seal hits the Pitting it will tear, usually as you clamping down on the brake to stop for that school bus