Volvo 480 Club Europe

Hi All
I have no handbrake on one side of the car. looking at the caliper there appears to be no adjustment. is it automatic? and if so is it easy to un seize. The haynes is next to useless and does even show the rear disc caliper properly.

regards

Mark

Mark 480s wrote:Hi All
I have no handbrake on one side of the car. looking at the caliper there appears to be no adjustment. is it automatic? and if so is it easy to un seize. The haynes is next to useless and does even show the rear disc caliper properly.

regards

Mark

There is a allen head cap on the rear caliper that allows the adjuster to be backed off for pad changes. I don't know if that helps at all?

As far as freeing it up if stuck.... I don't know. Hopefully someone else can help.

Richard

Hi Mark!

You may have a seized rear handbrake on one side.You could try the manual adjusters though,this may free it.

If you get under the car,look at the back of the caliper.You'll see a plug which comes out with a small allen key.Behind that is the adjuster sunk in a bit.That manually winds the piston in or out,using an even smaller allen key!!!!

It could be that the linkage for the h'brake is seized and your primary ans secondary handbrake cables need replacing.Its very common with 480s!

It is a couple of hour DIY job though and you can get the cables from a motor factor.If the caliper is eized,which they often do you can get a 2nd hand one from a Volvo breakers.

Good luck!

Steve.

The rear caliper adjusting mech is a pretty poor one if you ask me. As catgroom said, the cables are often the problem. I replaced mine with non-volvo ones and they have been ok since. They rust up inside, causing the cable to stick. Along with sticky / seized calipers, you hav a nasty combo for poor handbrake. Even with all that replaced, I still need to adjust mine every month in order to make nick parking manouvres!?

pol

Hi All
thanks for the response. I have ordered two handbrake cables (As I'm under the car I might as well do both of them) I can't see any where an allen key would go to adjust the caliper. Any one have a picture?

regards

Mark,look under the car at the caliper.The handbrake clips onto the bottom of it.Look higher up on it and you'll see a plug probably rusty.I think its a 4 or 5 mm allen key needed to remove it.Take that out,it'll need some strength,and sunken in to that hole is a 3mm I think worm drive adjuster as its known.Wind it in to wind in calipers,and vice-versa.Use a torch mate,and if necessary a wire brush as it may be a tad clagged up back there!!!!

Dont forget to adjust your handbrake up at the front on the front cable mainly,under the handbrake on the floorpan yeah?

Im on 07771 633289 if u need step by step phone advice-type rabbit!!!!!

Good Luck Captain Ferodo!!!!!

Hi guys,

Gotta do mine this week and not really had a look yet aside from the Haynes. It's slack so I just need to tighten the the adjuster.....I hope!!

Whereabouts is the exhaust heat sheild it is meant to be under?
Do you need to take the exhaust off ?

Cheers

John

no. maybe just loosen the heatshield, that's all.

Haynes does say that, but it's a lie! Nothing in the way for adjusting.

pol

oh, for adjusting, yeah, i ment for changing the cable, sorry..

Paul,

Whereabout is the adjuster?

I can't park on a hill anymore without wedging the wheels

Braking is fine though.

Cheers

John

The caliper adjuster should be pretty obvious. But maybe thats cos I know where it is! On the back face of the caliper. It is a size 5 allen I think for the cap, and 4 for the adjuster. As far as I can remember its the only sort of cap (sitting slightly proud) on the back of the caliper.

pol

Hi Paul,

Is that for tightening up the handbrake or for setting the normal brakes? I thought you had to tighten the cable to tighten the h/brake. Is that if it is just massively loose?

Cheers

John

It's quite surprising how much the caliper adjusters tighten the feel of the handbrake. But you'll probably need to adjust the cable locknut also.

pol

johnd wrote: Is that for tightening up the handbrake or for setting the normal brakes?

The stroke of the handbrake is really really small, so in order for it to work as it should the adjuster in the caliper needs to be set properly. Turn it until you lock the wheel up, then back it out slightly. After that it's time to tighten the wires. The 480 is so light in the rear, and the stock brake balance favours the front brakes so much that you need to drive real hard/be very alert to notice that your rear brakes aren't performing properly.

My favourite trick to get the cap off the adjuster is to whack it a few times flat on the face with a hammer. For me that has worked much better than a propane torch.

Hi guys,

Thanks for the info. Ill give a try tomorrow as the wheels are coming off anyway.

Cheers

John

My favourite trick to get the cap off the adjuster is to whack it a few times flat on the face with a hammer. For me that has worked much better than a propane torch.

the caps were so soft on mine that the allen bolt heads rounded off. i hammered in a torx bit of a slightly bigger size and they came out no bother. had to get new caps and sacrafice 2 torx bits but it was worth it!!