So, my saga continues. I have posted earlier today about my right front rotor getting chewed up. I though it was a frozen caliper, but it was not. After disassembling as much as I could I was able to determine that the caliper is fine. I was able to collapse the piston back into the caliper with no difficulties. However the bottom sliding pin is dead frozen in the caliper bracket. I've been adding PB Blaster to it for the past several hours and hitting it with a huge flat blade screw driver and hammer. Not budging at all. I tried twisting it in its bore with BIG channel locks. No joy it's dinner time, so added more PB Blaster and will continue tomorrow.

My question is: should I just get a new/rebuilt caliper? Or should I keep trying to bang the pin out. New set of pins and boots costs almost as much as a re-manufactured caliper ($45 vs. $55).

Another question. What is the size of that hex bolt that holds the bracket? I think 10mm, but may be a bigger size?

Another question is this. I noticed that the rubber brake fluid hoses are looking rather cracked up close to the caliper where they curve. Not leaking, but cracked on the outside. Is this a common item to go at this age? Car has 210K miles. I would hate to have one of these things fail at the inopportune moment. If I should change them, what are some of the tips? The connection to the metal line looks very caked up with dirt, etc.

Thanks!

--
Vladimir. '98 S70 base, 5-speed manual - his, '93 945 (approaching 210K miles and rolling on...) - hers

I recently did this to my 95 960. The dealer quoted need for new calipers, brake hoses, rotors etc. They even had the nerve to quote $700 for the high pressure brake hoses.

I bought the brake lines for $35 each, mine were cracked too, but decided to replace, and installed them in about 25 minutes. On disassembly the caliper seals were fine, but the pins were rusted in. I used a blow torch to heat them, and a vice grip in a circular motion. Came out fine. Buffed them with a wire wheel, put on Volvo high pressure grease, all fine. Saved me about $1000 knowing the pins were the only issue.

However, I do plan to buy the pin kit late this fall. I am in the salt belt and the boots were not perfect. $150 is a fine price for assurance imho.

I have always been able to get them off by clamping on a pair of Vise Grips with the U-shaped gripping surfaces. Perpendicular to the Guide pin and clamped right on the large squared area. The just start wiggling up and down. Little by little it will come loose.

Thanks, I was just thinking I should try the Vise-Grips, but my thought was to bang on it. Little by little sounds better. Anyway, I think I have pretty much decided to get a replacement caliper. A set of pins costs almost the same as a rebuilt caliper. Also, this caliper has had a frozen bleeder on it for the past 5 years, so it's time for it go, I guess.

Thanks!

One approach to freeing up the caliper pin that is frozen is to drill a hole through the bracket itself, centered on the end of the frozen caliper pin. Use a drift inserted through the hole to drive the pin out, clean it up and lubricate it. Reassemble it and be sure the rubber boot is in good condition. To seal up the hole that you drilled, tap it and install a short screw.

If you have boneyards nearby, you could also just pick up a bracket.

Good luck!

Wow! That's brilliant. I never thought of that. However, I am looking at this from the economical point of view. A set of pins costs $45 from FCP and others. It contains 4 pins, boots, bolts and some grease. This is to do both calipers. My left caliper is fine and the pins are moving nicely. I have not seen just one pin for sale. A re-manufactured caliper costs $55 from FCP. It comes with the bracket and pins and new hardware such as anti-rattle springs. For $10 over the cost of the pin set I can have the whole clean caliper and not have to deal with drilling, tapping, cleaning (how do you clean all that corrosion from the pin bore after the pis is out? Is it possible to get EVERYTHING out?). Besides, this caliper has had a frozen bleeder on it for the past 5 years. I have not had to bleed it, but when I was replacing brake fluid that branch of the system had to be left alone as I could not budge the bleeder screw. I tried soaking in PB Blaster, heating it up, etc. Nothing worked and I really did not want to break it. So now is the time to get a caliper with a working bleeder and good bracket. it will cost an additional $10, but that's no big deal. So, I guess after having slept on it, the decision has presented itself to me. I do appreciate your solution, though. It is pretty cool.

Thanks!

The seized bleeder screw is a deal-breaker if you need to bleed, but I wouldn't trash the caliper yet. You may well find that you can rehabilitate the pin once you get it out (I've had some that were totally seized up that I freed up and lubricated and they worked fine for years). The tolerances between the pin and the bracket aren't very tight, so filling them with silicone grease and just checking them when switching from summer to winter tires and vice versa has worked for me.

I'm in Canada, where the parts prices are much higher, and exchange, shipping and taxes and return shipping for core charges for American sourced parts run the costs up, so it is often worthwhile to be more creative. I've also had better luck with junkyard calipers I get myself than with rebuilts, which sometimes leak right out of the box!

Good luck!

Well, for a rebuilt caliper to cost $55 I need to send the core back, so if I go that route I will not be rehabilitating this baby. I am getting a rebuilt from FCP Groton and they are pretty good at standing behind stuff they sell. So if my rebuilt one leaks I am sure they'll do the right thing. It is down time, of course. I have not visited many junk yards here, but I should...

Faced the same issue on my 940. Decided to put the rebuilt calipers on and new discs, car stops like a dream now. It's a sham it costs so much for pins. I could get them out with heat/pb/beatings/etc. I think they became one.

Dear Vladimir,

May this find you well. The factory-installed brake hoses are rubber, with a steel sheath, and a plastic outer shell,to protect the steel against corrosion.

I can't recall a post, wherein a brake hose failure was reported. If you want to change them, I'd replace them with Volvo brand, so you can go another 16 years.

Before trying to take them free, I'd clean the fittings and then apply PB Blaster.

I believe the caliper has to be turned, to remove it from the hose, and that the hose has to be turned, to remove it from the brake line fitting.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook

Spook, thanks for the info. I did not realize the construction was so robust. What I am seeing is the cracking of the outermost layer. The cracks are not all the way through so I can not see the layer under them. If they indeed have all those other layers (rubber and steel braid) then I think I will leave it well enough alone. Especially as we are not getting reports of this part failing. It is a mission critical part, so I was a bit concerned. Not sure how much Volvo hoses cost. The ones at FCP are $9/each. On a part such as this I would not skimp and would get a Volvo part, of course.

Thanks!

I put new hoses on mine. Cracked hoses will fail a vehicle inspection if you have them where you live. The steel line threading into the hose is really hard to unscrew, vice grips will be your friend on this one. On the RH one, I actually took the line off the car (fortunately it was a short line running up to the ABS block fitting) and heated it with a torch to get it out. Not fun work but I feel better about my brakes.

Agree with your decision on the calipers. I got mine from Rockauto.com, Raybestos brand with new brackets, and they fit like a charm. My old calipers and brackets were a rusted lump.