About front axle: R & L + brake pad

[rickylala2001]

Hi,

I just wonder if the mechanic has right assumption about the front axle,

I felt my front is vibrating each time my speed up. Then, I went the mechanic to check. He tested it and he gave me the result that my front axle has to be replaced. BOTH sides. He said if I don't replace it then it will affect my transmission box. I just wonder if in 01 year car with 130000 mile car should be expected to have this kind of problem.
I try to find OEM parts because original is 530+480 only parts, not include labor.... I don't know how reliable about OEM parts but I definitely think 130000 mile car will not necessary to replace an original parts from VOLVO.

Someone with experience OEM parts please share.
Someone with experience with front axle replaced (R & L) please share.

BTW, I replaced my front break pad 3/08 in VOLVO dealer. This mechanic also suggested me to replace the front pad/disc this time. I heard brake could last 3 year up, well, at least 3 year. How come my break is bad now? Do you think that mechanic is making sense? I only commute 25 minutes/way locally. I don't drive my car to far away place, only commute to job. My mileage is 35000 mile for three years.... Obviously i drove very little and now i wonder why my break is faded so fast... (so i doubt about axle problem he suggested now.....hope someone who has experience could help me...)

Your share will be highly appreciated.

[meine39]

Sorry I can't help with the axles - I think folks here recommend a company called 'Raxles' for aftermarket replacements.

Brake pad wear is related to how many miles you put on the car, how much 'stop and go' driving you do, and how hard you use your brakes, so it's almost impossible to say how long the pads will last in terms of time.

I don't use anything but genuine Volvo pads on our 850 - they are a dusty mess and don't last very long, but they perform very well and most importantly they are quiet - you can get cheaper aftermarket pads that will last longer and produce less brake dust, but you'll probably give up something in terms of braking distance.

Volvo, like BMW, considers brake rotors 'consumables' that need to be replaced every so often - new rotors with every second set of pads does not seem unreasonable to me. Rotors used to be heavy and thick and could usually be resurfaced a couple of times, but they've become much less durable as manufacturers keep weight and costs down - if your rotors have a significant raised 'lip' on the outside edge, it's probably time to replace them.

[vegasjetskier]

The first thing to do is to have your tires spin balanced. If that doesn't solve the problem, you can try changing the brake pads and rotors. Your rotors are probably due if you didn't have them changed at the last pad change. If you still have the vibration, then you probably do need to have an (both) axle(s) replaced.

The pads "should" not have worn out in less than 20K of "normal" driving, so you still may have a few thousand miles left on them. The usual recommendation is to replace them when they get below 4mm in thickness. But if you're going to do the work to replace the rotors, you might as well replace the pads at the same time.

It is not unusual for axles to go bad well before 130K.