I am looking to replace my parking brake on a my 2002 Volvo s40.

There is nothing wrong here, it is just that the parking brake is old. I must pull it out more and more each time I park it. It creaks and groans. So maybe it should be replaced.


Respectfully,


Newport_j

 

Might be in need of new pads on the back. It's getting higher because it has to travel further to make up for worn pads. How much of the friction surface is remaining on the rear pads?

 

I do not know what amount of the surface is remaining. What is the part number of the brake pads and are they easy to install?

Respectfully,

Newport_j

 

Okay, I called a Volvo parts supplier and asked for part numbers for the parking brake pads. He gave them to me, but he kept calling them rear
brake pads.

I thought the rear brake pads were the actual power brake (i.e., foot brake pads). They really cannot be the same. So where are the power brake pads in relation to parking brake pads? They must be different.

Thanks in advance.

Respectfully,

Newport_j

 

They are the same. You could also have stretched cables. They can be adjusted though, to an extent.

 

My experience with the x40 pb set up is that most often when it feels slack it is because the wind-up mechanism at the rear of the brake itself has jammed open. You can check this by looking under the rear of the c at up at the rear of the caliber. When the parking brake is loosened the spring should rest up against the caliper body. If if does not or if it does not move when applied you either have a seized cable or a seized caliper.

 

There is only one set of pads on the rear. The parking brake is a function of the rear caliper. The parking brake manually actuates the rear pads to physically hold them against the rear rotors. There are no "parking brake pads" as such.

As the rear pads wear down, there is a mechanism to take up the slack. This mechanism is why you have to screw in the caliper piston when replacing the rear pads. The front calipers do not have this mechanism and you simply press the caliper piston back into the bore when replacing front pads.

Now if this mechanism fails to adjust properly then over time your parking brake handle will rise further in order to take up the slack caused by the rear pads being worn down.

To check the rear pads simply grab a strong light and look at the rear brake pads as they sit inside the rear caliper. You want to see at least 1/8th inch worth of brake pad. Anything less needs replacing very soon. New pads are about 1/2 inch thick.