Handbrake shoes alert
 

Guys,

After changing my siezed handbrake cables and shoes for "Pagid" items from Euro Car Parts, my handbrake was still very poor.

Replaced shoes with genuine Volvo shoes, handbrake now good. The Pagid shoes did not have a proper opening for the small spring to locate & I'm guessing the friction material is also different & unsuitable for use as handbrake shoes.

Lesson - pattern parts - the cables were OK but the shoes were definitely not; money and time wasted.

it is well documented to use only volvo shoes as they are a different shape and compound good work on getting it working many others have failed

Agreed with Simmy. I think Volvo is one of the few car manufacturers where it pays off to use genuine parts throughout. I've found that buying genuine parts doesn't even cost that much more.

OEM v supply manufacturer's
 

Whilst not wanting to open the OEM v supply manufacturer's argument yet again, I have to say that when it comes to brake parts the supply manufacturers' own brand units don't always perform in exactly the same way or fit correctly, the most notable exception being Bosch and Brembo which are identical to the OEM...........you can often see where the Volvo name has been ground off the part!

Longterm experience has brought me to the conclusion that it pays to use genuine parts they tend to last longer, always fit when orders are based on the VIN number - the exception are those parts sourced from Volvo specialist https://www.partsforvolvosonline.com/ which are VIN based and often exceed the OEM spec and performance.

had the same problem with these shoes + also aftermarket bump stops wouldnt fit so had to reuse existing