1998 Volvo V70 Brake Hydraulics Overhaul

Ready For A Brake Overhaul? MVS Contributor and Member CN90 documented his thorough brake hydraulics overhaul and posted it in the forum. His tutorial is the next best thing to a Volvo tech sitting next to you saying things like “Now turn that nut counterclockwise. Good.”

Brake Hoses, Caliper Seals/Dust Boots Rebuild Tutorial

CN90’s DIY Brake Hydraulic System Overhaul on his 1998 Volvo V70 details the rebuild of his V70 brake hydraulic system’s brake hoses, caliper seals and dust boots. And if that weren’t enough, he replaced the parking brake shoes as well. And shows us how he did it.

What parts to buy and how much you should expect to pay for them are noted. Nut sizes and required tools too.

cn90 » 

I just rebuilt my 1998 Volvo V70 Brake Hydraulic System Overhaul: Overhaul Brake Hoses, Caliper Seals/Dust Boots. While there I replaced the Parking Brake Shoes as well.

My experience shows that after 12-14 years/100-120K miles, the Brake Caliper Seals start to harden causing either fluid leakage or seized Calipers (uneven pad wear, rotor overheat —> damage etc.). So at that age/mileage it makes sense to “refresh” the brake hydraulic syste. Volvo Caliper is made by ATE.

Brake Hydraulic Overhaul parts from rmeuropean.com

• FRONT Brake Rebuild Kit (Seal, Dust Boot): PN 271583; ATE (made in Germany); $13.40 x 2
  (FRONT Caliper has only 1 piston; each kit has 1 seal, and 1 boot, enough for 1 caliper, you need 2 kits per car).
• REAR Brake Rebuild Kit (Seal, Dust Boot): PN 270902; FTE (made in Germany); $14.40 x 2 (REAR Caliper has 2 pistons/caliper; each kit has 2 seals, and 2 boots, enough for one caliper; you need 2 kits per car).
• FRONT Brake Hoses; PN 3546813; ATE (made in Germany); $12.20 x 2
• REAR Brake Hoses; PN 3516568; ATE (made in Germany); $11.25 x 2

I also replaced the Parking Brake Shoes

• TEXTAR Parking Brake Shoes; PN 31262626; $32.90 x1 Hardware (this is optional). My experience shows that the Parking Brake Retaining Springs usually break after 13-14 years. I plan to keep this car for a while, so I used OEM hardware as I do not trust “Scan-Tech” hardware kit (PN 305550870 $15). I got all the hardware from a Volvo dealer online:
  http://www.trademotion.com/splash/index … eid=213784

You will need per car:

• PN 1273836 x2
• PN 9157979 x4
• PN 3546028 x2

Brake Overhaul Procedure

1. ALWAYS support car with jackstand before doing any work!

2. I use Valvoline Synthetic Brake Fluid.

3. Clean the car the day before so all sand/dirt comes off.
– Dirt is No. 1 enemy when working on brake caliper rebuild. So: clean the outside (I used an old tooth brush) of the caliper before disassembly! Spray the outside with some WD-40, wipe it clean before doing any work.
– If you replace the brake hose (you should!), Spray the connection between the brake hose and metal line with WD-40 once the wheel is removed (car on jackstand); this allows the WD-40 to work into the brake hose and metal line connection while you do the caliper rebuild. This makes removal easier.
– Better yet, spray these connections 1-2 days ahead, these hoses/lines nuts/bolts seize after 13 years!
– Use flare wrenches!!!

4. STUDY Typical Brake Caliper Anatomy.
– The FRONT Caliper: INNER Groove for Seal, OUTER Groove for Dust Boot (The setup for REAR Caliper is a bit different, the Rear Dust Boot itself has a rigid OUTER lip).
BrakeCaliperCutaway

You’ll be exposed to brake fluid if you do this to your Volvo, so please take precaution, which means at the very least proper eyewear and gloves are necessary.

This is just a sampling of the steps CN90 took… click the link below to see the rest.

V70 Brake Hydraulic Overhaul (Hoses, Seals, Parking)

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