What brake upgrades are available for 850R

[simonc]

My 850R is running standard brakes all round which are not all that good, anybody ever fitted uprated discs. I'm sure i read somewhere that you can fit the later 300mm V70 T5 discs with a special mounting bracket but are they any better. I need to do something as the standard brakes are rubbish.

Simon.

[Wobbly Dave]

I ran the conventional 280mm front discs - using Brembos - they are plain and Ferodo DS Performance pads initially and then DS 2500 (after the first set wore out).

Amazing stopping power. All I have ever used since.

Personally I wouldnt worry about upgrading to 302s unless you plan to do loads of track days - in which case you will need DS3000s anyway.

Rear pad choice is not so important as 90% is done by the fronts

[pault5]

hello,
i fitted the 302mm larger discs, can't say there was a great improvment. people here say the ferodo ds 2500 pads are better.
ap do a big brake kit but at about £1500 it's out of most peoples price range!
paul.

[Tomcat]

I have the 302mm's on my car as its ex-plod, and I don't have any problems with the brakes. If you decide to upgrade to these you will need the later style T5 alloys as the standard ones are too small for the size of the discs. From what I'm led to believe you need the discs and the mounting bracket to upgrade to these, the caliper is the same one just moved further out.

[Wobbly Dave]

I wouldnt bother with the AP kit - waste of money - seeing as the pads in the AP kit are suprisingly.... ferodo DS (shock, gasp, horror!)

[simonc]

Blimey what a quick response guys ! Thanks for the info. Tomcat as it says in the heading 850RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR it has 17" wheels as standard so i'm sure 302mm discs will fit under these !

Where is the best place to buy performance pads/bremo discs for my 850 as most places don't cater for Volvo performance stuff.

Simon.

[TangoDeltaSierra3]

Euro Car Parts or GSF for discs, VT for Pads.

[Wobbly Dave]

Volvotuning are the only place in the UK where you can get the DS2500. I dont think there are any in the UK at the mo & any just go directly to VT. DS Performance (the next spec down) are still pretty damn groovy. I know that VT will have them!
If you are on a budget I recommend that you just do the fronts.
Converting to 302s if you want to is possible but the larger carriers are quite expensive -I believe they are 60 quid each or you can get them off any 70 series.

It may not be necessary to replace disks if they are OK and not badly lipped. The wear limit for front disks is 23mm. This is only useful if you have a set of measuring calipers!

The disks should also be replaced if they are cracked, warped or badly scored. Ferodo have a poster of the various problems - but sadly I couldnt find it on the net?!

[simonc]

OK thanks really appriciate the info.

Simon.

[Vikingxl]

Got ds performance on my v70 and now it stops a lot better.

[hamish]

Euro Car Parts or GSF for discs, VT for Pads.

Morning all, just logged in before we fligh out to Portugal!!!!!!

Brembo Front 208 or Zimmerman 302 - £62.00 per set
DS 2500 £114 (out of stock, not sure when next batch will appear rest assured we will be the first to receive)
DS Performance - £95.00
Hangers £60.00 each
Rear Discs - £70.00
Rear pads vary from £11.50 upto £45 depending on what you have on the front
Braided Brake lines from £55.00
Brake Fluid £12.99 per litre
Postage - lots if you have both sets of discs £25.00
All subject to VAT

Nat and Hamish

Oh, did I mention we were going on holiday today!

[dannt5]

Hi,I also had probs with the standard brakes on my 850 T5,they kept warping,tried all the supposedly unwarpable drilled/grooved disks........waist of money! best combo i found in the end was the later 302mm disks,carriers etc but useing Black Diamond disks all round with the ferodo pads,although these did warp eventualy.The only way forward is to bite the bullet & spend,spend,spend on either an AP kit or i have seen a T5 with a porshe brake kit,looked very trick,apparently on import from the USA,both these need at least 17" rims,hope this helps....

[Mrsmopp]

Re: AP kits - I have been watching various re-runs of top gear over the past week or so and not one of those cars had an AP kit on going round the track, in fact they were all wearing brembo's....................That tells me all I need to know

x

[simonc]

Thanks !

I have never had a problem with vibration/waped discs just poor brakes,they seem to fade quite easily compared to other cars iv'e had. Also since i replaced the rear brake pads the other week the brakes are better but for some reason the ABS seems to cut in too early under hard braking sometimes the pedal goes hard after a few secs & you can feel the abs cutting in when it shouldn't be, quite worrying really !

Simon.

[dannt5]

Sounds a silly question but have you tried changing the brake fluid for a good quality Dot4,if its been in there a few years it could be loosing its performance & whilst your at it just check the rubber flexi hoses arn't giving under pressure,it has been known.Are the front pads are glazed,may be worth sticking in a set of DS to be sure.Not sure about the abs cutting in early tho?? I didnt realise Brembo did a kit for the T5,any idea where to get one?? thanks

[simonc]

I will post on here what i decide to do & let u know the outcome.

Thanks Simon.