Got this 240 wagon at auction, had all kinds of codes, vacuum leak (hose from flame trap to engine was split in two), O2 sensor and finally fuel pump/filter (both replaced) and she runs fine now, have to tweak the idle a little but she's back on the road.

I'm on to the brakes now, since I can go now it would be a good time to get it to stop.

I've heard Volvos are hard on brakes? The calipers are totally new for me, although looks like changing pads seems easy enough. Right now it does stop fine but has that low rumble not quite grinding noise. Pad thickness seems to be ok (they don't have the wear indicators I"m used to but they look pretty good). Rotors seem ok

Going through the records that came with the car (thankfully). The rear brake pads/rotors were done 3/2009 @ 177K, but then the rear was done again 11/2020 @ 13000 (odometer broke and was replaced, not sure how long it was out but going by that mileage i would be about 36-40K for pads, sound about right?

The front were last done pads/rotors 4/2007 @ 169K.

I am assuming since this is rear wheel drive it would be harder on the rear brakes? My Honda is front wheel and is much harder on front than back.

Thanks for any insight.

 

I dunno, rear pads last nearly forever on my RWD volvos.

our 240 has often had issues with pulsing front brakes, often called 'warped rotors' but in fact its more like uneven pad deposits due to insufficient heat cycling when they were broken in. I've had a lot less trouble with the front brakes on our 7/9s, which have larger rotors that are ventilated. depending on the pads Ive used, sometimes rotors only last one set of pads, but with softer pads, you get several pad sets per rotor. the rotors are really easy to change, and not that expensive.

 

I'll see what I come up with, seems like the person who had it changed pads A LOT, could also just be her mechanic "padding" some bills, pun intended.

I know on my FWD Honda, I do my front pads every 40K or so, rotors maybe every other. The rear I've only done once in 237K.

 

I had a 89 Jetta GLI that ate pads and rotors every 40k. had awesome brakes, except for that, car could stop on a dime.

for what its worth (and Im sure others on this forum will disagree), the Volvo branded pads give me the best braking performance. they are dirty, make a lot of black brake dust (if you care, thoroughly clean the wheels when they are off the car, and put a heavy layer of paste wax on them, and the brake dust will wash off easily with a hose-brush between services).