Volvo S80 Rear Brake Pad & Rotor Change

vegasjetskier » Here’s how to change the rear brake pads and/or rotor on your 2001 S80 T6. This might apply to other models or years of the P2 cars. Sorry if some of the pics are out of focus – it was tough to hold on to everything with one hand and work the camera with the other. I had to replace the disc and pads on one wheel of my car because one of the factory pads (yes, Volvo brand) was machined improperly and got stuck in the caliper. It kept the pad in contact with the disc and wore a bevel on one side of the rotor. This time I decided to use Akebono ceramic pads and a Centric rotor (the rotor that got ruined was a Brembo). Sorry I couldn’t include all the pics – there’s a limit of 24. Read through the whole post before starting any work.

Tools and supplies you will need

Floor jack (or use the jack from the trunk)
10mm socket or end wrench
13mm socket
Ratchet wrench
7mm Allen bit
Flat Screwdriver
Disc Brake Cleaner
Rags or paper towels
Disc Brake Grease
New Pads
New Rotor (if you are changing the rotor)
Wire brush
1 Gallon Paint Can
Hammer
Torque wrench

S80 T6 2001 Rear Brake Pad & Rotor Change

Procedure

First, chock the wheels on the opposite side of the car. Loosen the lug bolts on the wheel you will be working on. Make sure the transmission is in Park. Jack up the car and remove the lug bolts and the wheel. Release the parking brake.

Use the screwdriver to pry one side of the anti-vibration spring loose:
Then pry out the other side. Set the spring aside. Now pry at the top of the caliper to compress the piston back into the cylinder:
Then pry at the bottom. You may need to alternate between the top and bottom a few times to get the piston back in.

Now remove the plastic caps from the two caliper pins at the top and bottom of the caliper:
Now remove the wheel speed sensor cable from the two clips:
Use the 7mm Allen bit to loosen the top caliper pin:
Use the Allen bit to loosen the bottom pin:
Now set a paint can or other suitable stand near the swingarm. Slide the caliper off the bracket and outside pad:
And set it on the paint can (this is to prevent straining the brake line). Remove the pins from the caliper:
Now push down on the inside pad to remove it from the piston:
Remove the outside pad from the bracket:
NOTE: If you’re just replacing the pads, you don’t HAVE to remove the bracket, but you might want to anyway to clean and regrease it. The bracket MUST be removed to change the rotor.

Now use the 13mm socket to remove the bracket bolts. First the top bolt:
Then the bottom bolt:
And remove the bracket:
Use the 10mm socket or end wrench to remove the disc stud:
Then pull the disc off the hub. If the disc is badly rusted to the hub, you may need to use a hammer to break it loose. A couple thumps should do it:
IMPORTANT: Clean the new disc with disc brake cleaner: it probably has an anti-corrosion coating on it that needs to be removed before the disc is used.

Wire brush the hub to remove any rust or scale, then place the new disc on the hub and secure it with the stud. I couldn’t find a torque for the stud, so I just tightened to what seemed like a sufficient amount. Don’t overtighten as you might strip it.
Use a screwdriver or other suitable tool to scrape down the machined flat surfaces on the caliper bracket. This is where the pads slide as they wear down. Clean the surfaces with disc brake cleaner and a cloth or paper towels, then apply grease made for disc brakes.
Place the bracket back into position and install the bolts. Tighten the bolts to 44 ft-lbs of torque.

Scrape down the “fingers” on the brake caliper, clean them with disc brake cleaner and apply grease.
Snap the new inside pad into the piston:
Set the outside pad in place on the caliper and apply grease to the area where the caliper fingers will touch:
Clean and grease the caliper pins and insert them into the caliper. Slide the caliper over the bracket and outside pad and screw the pins into the caliper bracket. Tighten the caliper pins to 22 ft-lbs of torque. Push the plastic caps back into the caliper pin holes. Push the wheel speed sensor cable back into its clips.
Place the spring onto the caliper as shown. Tap the ears into the holes on the side of the caliper:
Now pry the spring over the top and bottom caliper ears and into position:
This is what it should look like when you’re done:
Reinstall the wheel and lower the car to the ground. Tighten the lug bolts to 103 ft-lbs. Pump the brakes a few times to bring the pads into contact with the disc. Set the parking brake and remove the wheel chocks. Repeat the procedure for the other side of the car.