Recommendation - Slotted Rotors

[tomclick]

Has anyone found a quality slotted set (11" front & rear), rotor for an 03XC70 2.5T Turbo? I appears PowerSlots are only available for the front? Are the front and rear rotors on this model/year a different size (diameter or thickness??). I plan on using Akebono ceramic pads.

I am a pretty good weekend-warrior mechanic, I have done disk/drum brakes on other cars and I am not afraid to learn and I guess I can muddle through the the How-To .pdfs which are sparse at best and was wondering if there are any other resources on the net that would give more detail on doing front and rear.

Cheers!
Tom

[howardc64]

How-To .pdfs which are sparse at best and was wondering if there are any other resources on the net that would give more detail on doing front and rear.


The directions in the resource link on this site is pretty good. Here are few more tips.

- Get a 6 inch C clamp. You need this width to compress the piston a little.

- Get a good look at how the retaining spring is attached before you remove it so you know how it goes back on. More than one weekend mechanic have gotten this wrong (including myself :)) Maybe learn how to put it back on just after you remove it to become familiar

- Get brake cleaner to clean the protection oil film off your new rotors.

- Some hubs don't have the locating pin outlined in the disc replacement direction.

- Check that your old pads wears evenly (inside+outside pad) If not, you've got other issues. I had a caliper holder that had to be filed a little because it jammed the a pad's ears causing uneven wear.

[tomclick]

Thanks so much Howard. Good point about observing the "state of affairs" on parts you replace to understand first any indication that you may have other issues to contend with.

Another question. What is the likelihood I might need to replace the emergency brake pads (or is it shoes) while I have the rotors off. Is this one of those "while you got it apart you might as well" kind of situations?


Thanks again...
tom

[howardc64]

What is the likelihood I might need to replace the emergency brake pads (or is it shoes) while I have the rotors off. Is this one of those "while you got it apart you might as well" kind of situations?


Here is a recent discussion on this. I've not replaced mine both of my cars at 112k and 88k miles. I'm in Pacific NW.

http://www.volvoxc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13043

[tomclick]

Well through your replies and my own research it does not seem possible to get slotted rotors for front and rear for 03XC70?

[Capt. Canuck]

ATE makes slotted rotors for both front (305mm & 286mm) & rear slotted rotors for the XC70's.

http://www.ate-na.com/generator/www/us/en/ate/ate/themes/20_ate_brake_products/1_rotors_us.html

In fact I'm currently in the process of selecting parts for my brake job, pads, rotors & parking brake shoes all around and I'm looking for some advice as to which way to go.

I have the ATE slotted rotors I'd like to use and a set of semi-metallic pads instead of OE or ceramic. I was thinking of going ceramic but with issues of operating temperture, hard on rotors and compatibility I figured semi-metallics are the way to go.

My question to those who have used slotted rotor in other vehicles is whether they're better than standard OE rotors? Are there clear benefits to using them, I'd like to go cross-drilled slotted but on a price point it's really not worth it.

[06ORXC]

This is the way I had set up different vehicles in the past, not yet xc70 since I still have 5-8 k left on the brakes( but its next).

-Brembo replacement rotors, not drilled or slotted
- HPS Street brake pads
- SS Brake lines all around
- DOT 5.1 fluid flush

You will be surprised at the improvement.
The most important is that You have to heat cycle the new pads to rotors correctly.

Goodluck

[2001xc70cdn]

I was thinking if there was any way to fit the 12" rotors on? Similiar to the 305 Rotor upgrade for the V70 98-00 vehicles...305 Rotors seem to have a few more options available to them than our std 11" rotors.