Volvo 740, 760, 780, 940, 960 brakes: find the right parts

Why 700 and 900 brake parts get ordered wrong

Volvo fitted two makes of front caliper to the same models in the same years: Bendix, listed as DBA in the Volvo catalogue, and Girling. Pads, calipers, bolts and repair kits do not cross over between them. ATE calipers appear only at the rear, and the rear can also be Girling.

Read the product plate first

The product plate sits above one of the front headlights in the engine bay; on some cars it is in the boot or on a door pillar. Position E, at the right-hand end of the second line, gives the brake system: 2 = Girling front, ATE rear. 3 = DBA/Bendix front, ATE rear. 4 = Girling front and rear. 5 = DBA/Bendix front, Girling rear.

Measure diameter and thickness

There are four front discs. Ventilated 262 mm × 22 mm and ventilated 287 mm × 22 mm run with two-piston calipers. Ventilated 280 mm × 26 mm, from 1991, runs with a single-piston Girling caliper. A solid 280 mm × 14 mm disc also exists. Because 280 mm comes both solid and ventilated, measure the thickness as well as the outside diameter. Rear discs are 265 mm on multi-link cars and about 280 mm on live-axle cars (sources give 280 or 281 mm). ATE rear calipers are stamped 36, 38 or 40 for the piston size.

Tightening torques

Front caliper mounting bolts 105 Nm; Volvo treats them as torque-to-yield, so fit new ones. Guide pin bolts 30 Nm. Wheel nuts 90 Nm.

Narrow the parts

Use the finder below. Every answer maps to a fact we have checked per Volvo part number against Volvo's own parts catalogue. A part not yet checked for your answer is counted, not hidden. Still unsure? Send us your chassis number.