Parking Brake Adjustment

[goldxc70]

Changed the parking brake shoes on MY04 a while back and adjusted handbrake. However, I noticed recently while parking on a hill that it is not very effective. Tried to make an additional adjustment at lever but there is nothing left there. Is it possible that I messed up the cable attachment at the shoes or is it a case of the cable having stretched? I'm going to take a look tomorrow but thought I'd call on the collective wisdom first.

[granlund]

Remove the disc/drum and take a look at the parking brake shoes. The Volvo original ones have a tendency to delaminate the pad from the shoe with potentially disastrous results.

[Antherzoll]

Could just be that they haven't bedded in, although i've never heard of anyone bedding in parking brakes. According to VIDA, full braking effect should take place between two and four click of the hand brake.

[goldxc70]

Remove the disc/drum and take a look at the parking brake shoes. The Volvo original ones have a tendency to delaminate the pad from the shoe with potentially disastrous results.

This is why I changed them in the first place. I was doing a brake pad and rotor job all round and found that the originals had delaminated. So I replaced them but, as mentioned, the results was not as expected.

[goldxc70]

Could just be that they haven't bedded in, although i've never heard of anyone bedding in parking brakes. According to VIDA, full braking effect should take place between two and four click of the hand brake.

As mentioned, I'm not getting the "full braking effect" at maximum handbrake movement.

[billr99]

I have the same problem probably due to the original cables being stretched. The P2 e-brake design has each cable from the rear wheel going to a spreader in the console which, in turn, is attached to the single thread rod of the handbrake adjuster. On my XC I don't get even e-braking as one of the cables is stretched more than the other. In the older Volvos like the 800 series, each rear e-brake had an adjuster (like this https://dyw03owr7vs3n.cloudfront.net/public/assets/products/98888/large/30793437.jpg?1366381592) that could provide a bit of equalization side-to-side as well as a bit of compensation for stretched cables. The newer Volvos don't have these adjusters using just a spreader bar instead. I'm in the process of ordering two of these adjusters along with their corresponding claws (https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/volvo-brake-cable-adjuster-claw-s80-30793438) to see if that allows proper adjustment. The presence of these adjusters on my R and my '98 V70, both of which also had major miles on them and thus stretched cables, took care of the problem so I'm thinking these will sort the XC as well.

Cheers,

Bill

[goldxc70]

Didn't get to look at mine today but did some research and see that there are two cables: one rear and one front. As Bill describes, the rear one goes across between the rear wheels via a spreader which is attached to the handbrake itself via the front cable and the adjuster mechanism. At this stage I have no idea which one might be "stretched" but suspect it is more likely to be the front one.

[Xheart]

Didn't get to look at mine today but did some research and see that there are two cables: one rear and one front. As Bill describes, the rear one goes across between the rear wheels via a spreader which is attached to the handbrake itself via the front cable and the adjuster mechanism. At this stage I have no idea which one might be "stretched" but suspect it is more likely to be the front one.

Stretching cable is NOT likely unless there was high-temp situation.
What is the likelihood of someone drove this car with parking brakes ON for a while and did not notice.
What make is replaced brake shoes?

This will help...
http://volvopartslisle.com/media/diagram/GR-338601.png?ver=1.3

[billr99]

Stretching cable is NOT likely unless there was high-temp situation.
What is the likelihood of someone drove this car with parking brakes ON for a while and did not notice.
What make is replaced brake shoes?

This will help...
http://volvopartslisle.com/media/diagram/GR-338601.png?ver=1.3

Depends on the age of the car and the number of e-brake actuation cycles. At 356K kms, I'm pretty sure my cables are stretched and that is knowing that the e-brakes were never overheated. I have new shoes (non-OEM but same thickness as blue box as I check them before I install them) and I still got uneven braking when they were installed. That is, with both rear wheels in the air, I could only get one to lock. This isn't a particularly new thing as I had the same trouble years ago with a 245 that didn't have adjusters at the wheels. For whatever reason, Volvo has at-the-wheel adjusters coming and going thru the years. The substitution I'm suggesting (replacing PN 31257573 with PN 3546001 and 9157213 at least one wheel) will allow one to compensate for any side-to-side differences that the spreader can't deal with as well as a bit of stretch in the whole system.

As far as the cable stretching, I think it is possible under normal use, albeit extended. You see the same thing with hood cables. I would also think that there is wear in the actuators at the wheel and other parts of the system that add up over time to use up the available adjustment. Not a lot in any one particular part but enough collectively. If you use these systems over a high number of cycles wear, stretch (and eventual breakage) does occur. I suspect that given the chance, one of my cables will eventually go. One of the "benefits" of "testing" a product to its full life. In any case, I'll report back once these adjusters arrive and I can get them installed. Its not a big thing but it, hopefully, will sort an aggravation.

Cheers,

Bill

[goldxc70]

... This will help...
http://volvopartslisle.com/media/diagram/GR-338601.png?ver=1.3

Thanks for that very useful diagram. What I was thinking is that the rear cable is not properly attached to the spreader on one side so I get partial effect and excessive brake lever movement. Due to an unforeen circumstance, I now have to put this job off for a couple of weeks but will definitely follow up when I get to it.

The replacement brake shoes were a no name but they were identical but way thicker than the de-laminated originals that came off.

[sjonnie]

My ebrake cable on my '02 is also at maximum adjustment and ineffective. I still put it on every time I stop though, lol.