What pads would you recommend for a daily driver that may see an occassional autocross?
I found some interesting stuff at IPD... http://www.ipdusa.com/Volvo-940960/Brakes/Brake-Pads-PBR/p-136-268-502/
Not sure if crossdrilled rotors are worth it... http://www.ipdusa.com/Volvo-940960/Brakes/Brake-Rotors-Zimmerman-Cross-Drilled/p-136-268-893/
This sounds good.... http://www.ipdusa.com/Volvo-940960/Brakes/Stainless-Steel-Brake-Lines/p-136-268-488/
Anyone else have any other upgrades to recommend?
I'm a big fan of SS brake lines, so I definitely recommend. Just make sure that you replace ALL of the rubber hoses with braided ones or you'll create a weak point in the system.
I don't recommend slotted/crossdrilled rotors. Slotting/drilling removes surface area, which means worse braking. While it used to be handy based on old-tech brake pads heating up and gassing off, new pads don't do that, so the holes in your rotors aren't necessary.
For pads, I really like Porterfield. You can't go wrong with Hawks or EBCs, though.
The other recommendation I would make is to flush your fluid and replace it with DOT 4 or better. That will give your brakes better heat resistance as it ups the boiling point of your fluid. Brake fluid is hydrophilic, too, so it should realistically be replaced at least annually, unless you go with an LMA fluid (Low moisture... urm.. activity? Basically means it's not nearly as hydrophilic, and lasts until you boil it).
1.Get the SS lines, I love them on mine. Go ahead and flush the system with good fluid while you're at it.
2.Do some research on turbobricks and see if your car has the big brakes. The 940s were bigger than the 740s but got bigger still around 1994 iirc. I upgraded my calipers with junk yard parts and bought the bigger rotors new. If you're doing lines and rotors anyway its almost foolish not to upgrade calipers too.
3.I'm running the ceramics in front and deluxe rears and love them. The fronts dust like mad but are strong and quiet.
4.Its expensive but start saving now for big sways and springs. HUGE improvement! In fact your wagon has NO rear bar stock and just adding a sedan rear helps a ton. While at the junk yard look for a 960 front bar as its close to the IPD unit. If you want Bilstiens and urethane bushings (you do) FCP has them cheaper.
Oddly, the 2-piston brakes used on many of the Volvo's are used as upgrade for 944's (as a step between full on turbo brakes and stock single pin jobbies)
You need more braking power, right? Why would you then remove surface area of the disc and potentially end up with cracked rotors?
Good quality rotor, with perhaps some slotting to reduce pad glazing.
Stainless lines to improve pedal feel and more direct action.
Highest DOT spec brake fluid that isn't slicone based. Flush the system quite wheel and ensure there are no air bubbles.
Good quality street-style brake pad compounds as you want them to heat up quickly and work right away.
If you find that you're overheating your brake fluid then look at improving cooling or moving to a more race-oriented pad.
If you find the brakes gaze easily because they are not getting warm enough, drop back a step in pad compound.
Either way, ensure you follow proper brake pad bed-in procedures to ensure good bonding and coating of the pad material to the rotors.
Stop Tech and others say NO to drilled rotors but most of them are still recommending slotted though none are saying it's the absolute/must have brake accessory
There are a lot of arguement on cross-drilled vs slotted etc. Personally from the research I have done I would go with slotted rotors but I am not sure that it will do that much. Last semester we did thermal analslysis on rotors with solidworks comparing different styles of rotors. I will look at it later. We are planning on doing testing of different rotors (plain vs slotted vs cross drilled) on a brake dyno we have. This is going to measure temperature and braking torque. We will also measure brake wear. My worry with cross-drilled is cracking between the holes on the rotors.
For a street car id say brembo rotors and carbotech pads (what i have one my car, and they work great). I know someone running PBR pads and Zimmerman rotors on a VW, and his breaks also work great, but the pads are noisy and dusty. I dont think you will notice any improvement with those rotors, but I also think they are made well enough nothing bad will happen (like cracking) from using them.
I've used the PBR Ceramics on my Auto-X 240 and love them. I'd like to try Hawk HPS next.
For rotors, I like the ATE 'Atomic' grooved rotors. The grooves keep the pads from glazing.
SS brake lines are a worthwhile upgrade. I've put them on all my cars as the rubber lines wear out. You'll get a noticeable increase in pedal feel (once you get a good bleed in 'em.)
Volvo brakes are a joy.
A decent set of braided SS lines is a huge improvement over the OEM rubber lines, especially as many bricks are hitting their 20th and 30th birthdays these days.
Be careful with EBC's pads on Volvo rotors. I and others have had OEM rotors warp even with Green Stuff's. They may have great pedal feel and initial bite once bedded, (despite what may be claimed, EBC's do need a full bedding), but I think their friction material must just run too hot for Volvo's good.
As far as rotors/calipers, a set of Jumbo's from a late model 940 make a nice upgrade, or you could scrounge turbobricks for some of the other setups people have made adapters for (Wilwood's, Volvo's own "R" brakes, Mazda RX-7, Porsche, etc).
RedBrik wrote: Be careful with EBC's pads on Volvo rotors. I and others have had OEM rotors warp even with Green Stuff's....As far as rotors/calipers, a set of Jumbo's from a late model 940 make a nice upgrade
The bigger brakes are MUCH better at staying true, at least in my case. STOCK pads will warp 940 rotors with hard use-like driving fully loaded through the mountains.
Hey, thanks for all the suggestions. I was never a big fan of the drilled rotors, seemed like poser stuff to me, I think I will get the ss lines and I will use the fluid recommended above, I see some suggestions on brake pads and that is really the only thing I'm really going to check out, I don't want to mess with installing bigger calipers or anything like that, but thanks again for the suggestions, this is really helpful.
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