"How To Change 1988 Volvo 740 Turbo Brake Pads"

1988 Volvo 740 Turbo Sedan Front Look

Has anyone who is a do it your self tried to change the brake pads on their Volvo 740 DL turbo sedan? I think I can do it but looking for tips and checks and dos and don’ts.

Answer: I worked on Volvo’s for 5 years going through college. The brakes are some of the easiest in the industry to change. Very straight forward, no special tools required. You may need an extra large screwdriver or even a small crowbar to gently push (or squeeze) the caliper pistons back into the calipers so that the new (fatter) brake pads will fit. If I remember correctly, there are two pistons and pushing on one will sometimes push the other one out, so try pushing both at the same time or going back and forth from one to the other so they go back into the caliper evenly. If one gets pushed all the way out, then you are left with a mess of brake fluid on floor and the need to bleed the brakes after your done, which you can avoid. Lastly, Volvo used two different kinds of brake assemblies. One made by Girling and the other name eludes me, but they are distinctly different and not interchangeable. I could tell them apart simply by sight, but you will probably want to bring in the old pad to the parts store to match them up with the new ones as there is NO WAY to tell which ones your car has without physically looking at them.