V50 Brakes : Imagine my confusion when....

[Crazy L]

I decided to replace my front discs n pads for the mot next week. So, I find there are several sizes. I hold a tape rule roughly up against the wheel. Looks like 280, maybe 290. Oh look, there is 278 and 280.

Then I read on here earlier the number is stamped on the caliper. OK, so I have to take a blooming wheel off now to find out what to buy before I buy it.

Number on caliper says 320, OK, but I'll measure disc while wheel is off, being from an engineering background. Out comes my 300mm vernier. 300 disc. hmmm.

Wow, need pads too obviously. The gap in the caliper is around 155-156, But there's more. Pads for the 280 discs are 155, and the pads for 320 discs are 156. I've yet to measure height, but thuck me, why is it such a pain in the sphincter to buy service parts? Gotta take stuff apart, measure everything, tehn put it back together before going to buy it, mental.

[SnineT]

Biggest clue I can suggest is are yours vented? i.e double sided with slots in the middle like a sandwich vs single solid discs like the rears probably are,

I had the same issue with an Insignia and it turned out of the three available I had the middle sized ones, generally the largest size will be only on the GTRSZTCC4000R hypothetical wanna race mate spec models.

[Simmy]

bigger discs tend to be on t5 or d5s ie faster or heaver cars unless some one has done an upgrade to the braking system without wanting to compound the problem its likely there are 2 types of caliper also. brakes international are a good source of info in there on line catalogue with good prices on brake components they also sell caliper rebuild kits.

[Crazy L]

Cheers for the replies guys.

I bought a pair of 300mm discs, and I took a punt on the pads too. There are two sizes of pads, 62mm high, and 73 or something. I took an educated guess by offering up a rule to the discs braking surface and bought the 62mm high ones.

I was correct, so did the job yesterday afternoon.

I just think it's a bit mental that there are so many options. I'm not familiar with Volvos tbh, I've only had it a year but spent the previous 2 decades driving VAG, and then they were older ones.

If one isn't mechanically minded, buying car parts can be confusing as hell. simple thing like brakes and you're faced with 4 sizes of disc and 2 sizes of pad.

So anyway, 2008 V50 2.0D R design, 300mm disc, 62mm pad.

[Simmy]

great news that you got there in the end its very satisfying when you suss out a problem

[andy_d]

Originally Posted by Crazy L

Cheers for the replies guys.

I bought a pair of 300mm discs, and I took a punt on the pads too. There are two sizes of pads, 62mm high, and 73 or something. I took an educated guess by offering up a rule to the discs braking surface and bought the 62mm high ones.

I was correct, so did the job yesterday afternoon.

I just think it's a bit mental that there are so many options. I'm not familiar with Volvos tbh, I've only had it a year but spent the previous 2 decades driving VAG, and then they were older ones.

If one isn't mechanically minded, buying car parts can be confusing as hell. simple thing like brakes and you're faced with 4 sizes of disc and 2 sizes of pad.

So anyway, 2008 V50 2.0D R design, 300mm disc, 62mm pad.

this is where a main dealer comes in
you provide the reg or vin, then ask them the price and "oh what size ?" on things like this,, then sod off and get them wherever you wish

[XC90Mk1]

Originally Posted by andy_d

this is where a main dealer comes in
you provide the reg or vin, then ask them the price and "oh what size ?" on things like this,, then sod off and get them wherever you wish

Very true! I do this quite often!

[Simmy]

or buy both sizes with a credit card and return the ones you dont need for a re fund

[Crazy L]

My experience of so called main dealers is less than favourable.

I can tell you free that Portsmouth Audi are pricks, as are, or were, Peter Cooper VW, also in Portsmouth. Oh yeah, and Sparshatts Skoda in Botley, about as useless as Boris johnson in a truth telling competition.

[SnineT]

Originally Posted by Crazy L

My experience of so called main dealers is less than favourable.

I can tell you free that Portsmouth Audi are pricks, as are, or were, Peter Cooper VW, also in Portsmouth. Oh yeah, and Sparshatts Skoda in Botley, about as useless as Boris johnson in a truth telling competition.

So! when does your new Seat arrive?