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Yes John, it certainly makes sense to consider replacing the entire caliper rather than replacing the seals/boots as we were discussing in an earlier thread. You can't buy individual dust covers and seals the way you used to so the available seal kit (for two calipers) isn't all that cheap. The caliper guide pins and guide sleeves are also wear items and yours will likely be at least mildly worn (depending on mileage). Worn caliper guide pins can contribute to uneven pad wear, caliper rattling and rotor warpage. These aren't cheap either. So your torn dist cover has probably got you into an entire caliper overhaul and, what with the parts costs, a replacement rebuilt caliper will likely be more cost effective plus a lot simpler to do. Reportedly there are quality differences amongst rebuilds. If you don't want to go for a good, but expensive one from Volvo, try other quality sources like FCP Groton or ipd or ask around here. If you get into aftermarket/jobber sources, price is often a good guideline to quality. Note that some aftermarket rebuilt calipers come with pads, but these pads are likely pretty cheap house brands and will have a different braking response from your other pads. Replace them with your old pads or get an entire new set of quality pads. It's also a good idea to use high temp brake grease on all contact areas on the backs of the pads to minimize the chance of brake squeal, especially with hard pads (Sylglide is one brand often found in auto supply stores).
As for replacing just one caliper, purists or those with deeper pockets would want to replace both at the same time to help ensure equal performance and minimize service events. My opinion would be to replace just the one unless your other caliper is already showing signs of caliper guide pin wear or uneven pad wear. Also, if you do just replace one caliper and then notice a slight initial pull to the side (and assuming you've done a perfect bleed) then the other caliper should probably be replaced as the guide pins or piston probably aren't moving as freely as the new one.
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Dave -not to be confused with a real expert
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