Cheap brakes

[Chris1Roll]

Originally Posted by andy_d

i Thought it was ATE ? but could be wrong ? or there could be more than 1 supplier?
either way i end up paying the "volvo tax" for the volvo boxed parts when it comes to brakes

This is what turned up last week for my 740:


I've gone for Bosch discs, Febi hoses and a Biggred caliper rebuild kit. Now just need it to warm up a bit!


I put genuine Volvo Discs, Pads and Shoes on the rear of my wifes XC70.

Dads' XC90 the prices were insane so he went for the basic Eicher stuff all round, 1 year and 20k hard miles (towing etc) later, they've actually been fine.


In actual fact, I've only experience bake fade/boiling the fluid twice in my life. Once aged about 19/20 while pratting about on the moors i the middle of the night teaching myself 'threshold braking' in my 440 with Volvo brakes fitted, and about 15 years ago while hammering my MR2 on a Welsh mountain (that was a bit squeaky bum time!).

It won't happen from a single 'emergency stop' preceded by driving normally.

99% of people probably won't tell the difference in feel either.

[green van man]

I have used Mintex disks all round and Mintex pads on the front, Volvo on the back on my xc70 for years with no problem.

I enjoy using the horses under the bonnet and live in a rural area with plenty of roads to make you smile. I also tow a 1650kg caravan to Scotland twice a year.

I believe we have established that Volvo make very few of its parts, they buy them in. Some will tell you that these parts are made to Volvo specs, maybe, or is it more likely that Volvo look at the manufacturers catalog and choose what suits their needs.

My first Volvo was a 460 diesel that used the Renault 2 litre engine out of the Renault 19. Renault cam belt intervals 75,000, Volvo cam belt intervals 65,000 miles. The Volvo belt I bought from a Volvo dealer was marked Renault and going on Volvo times was changed 10,000 miles before it would have been needed were the engine in a Renault. I quickly realised where Volvos reputation for reliability came from, change bits well before they wear out. Not a bad policy in itself and builds a bit of leeway into maintenance schedules.


Regards Paul.

[baggy798]

Doesn't the disc have an effect as well?

A sponsored video where the sponsored brand comes top or tied for 1st in all categories. Hmmmm!

[green van man]

Originally Posted by baggy798

Doesn't the disc have an effect as well?

A sponsored video where the sponsored brand comes top or tied for 1st in all categories. Hmmmm!

Well yes, to a degree. However, a brake disk is just a spinning lump of metal that gets squeezed by the pads when you step on the pedal. I think the variation comes in the disks ability to absorb/ dissipate the heat generated and the number of cycles it can do it for. Unless one is a metallurgist with lab facilities to hand, not sure how we average joes can differentiate.

Having stumbles across various you tube videos of “ manufacturing” plants in India and Pakistan I would truly hesitate to buy cheap unknown name brake parts. However, if it carries a known and recognised name I would suspect they would be of a similar quality to OE.

Regards Paul.