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francisg Member
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Has anyone ever installed the Volvo twin piston calipers and master cylinder from a, Volvo 240 series, is the caliper bolt pattern the same, will the stock J/H wheels fit? Please advise, Thanks. Francis G |
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Art DeKneef Member
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I don't have a direct answer to the question. But I did look at a Volvo 244? once for using the rear discs on the JH. Took a quick look at the front brakes also. It looked close by looking at it but I nenver got back with the parts and measurements to see how close thay actually were. The master cylinder probably wouldn't work as this has been discussed a lot and it seems the only other choice is a master cylinder from a Triumph. Art |
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JHRV8 Member
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If you will look back over this thread from last year you see that I have converted to Volvo brakes and rear axle. It is fairly easy but requires welding and re -drilling the front calaper mounts and making some spacers for the front Volvo hubs. So can be done with some fabricating ability . Go to it!! best regards, JHRV8. Also the master cylinder bolts on......works great, with a adjustment valve for the rear brakes. Last edited on 09-29-2009 03:57 am by JHRV8 |
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Greg_M Member
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I converted to Volvo 4 puck calipers on the front, required brazing bolts in the original mounting holes and drilling and tapping new ones. Later went to Formula 2 vented/cross drilled rotors, this required adding spacers to the calipers and machining up adapter plates to mount the rotors. On the rear I went to Volvo Rotors and Lotus Elan calipers with the emergency brake hangers. All this required was welding a mounting flange to the rear axel. As the piston area ratio remained about the same, the original master cylinder was retained. The Lotus calipers allowed the emergency brake to be fully functional. I will post photo's shortly. |
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Greg_M Member
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OK, here are the pictures I promised. Rear Brakes. Attachment: JH Rear (Small).jpg (Downloaded 225 times) Last edited on 10-06-2009 01:10 am by Greg_M |
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Greg_M Member
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Front Brakes Attachment: JH Front (Small).jpg (Downloaded 218 times) |
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francisg Member
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Greg, Great pictures. After doing the upgrade did you notice any problem with flexing of the caliper spindle mount, they seem so small compared to the Volvo mounts. Were you able to retain the stock Jensen wheels. I am debating on whether to go with the Volvo or the Toyota 4Runner (and Cressida rotor) options for the front, in all cases the caliper bolt holes have to be bushed and redrilled to the corect 3.5" spacing. Francis G |
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Greg_M Member
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Francis, No problems with the mounting, there should be no flexing, all of the pressure is fore/aft. If it can stand up to many years of racing including several 12 hour endurance races, hauling that car down from 145 mph, the street should be no problem. Cheers francisg wrote: Greg, |
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JHRV8 Member
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The Volvo hubs have a 5 on 41/2 bolt pattern so need new wheels or re-studding to 4 bolt hub. |
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Greg_M Member
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On my setup, I kept the stock hubs and spindles. The original setup used the stock rotors with the Volvo calipers. I later upgraded to vented rotors that I pulled from a Formula 2 car, those required an adapter ring to be machined that mounted to the factory bolt holes on the hubs and then to the rotors. The factory rotors have very little offset, so I went with rotors that had 0 offset, that allowed room for the adapter. You could also go with one that would fit over the hubs, but finding that perfect offset might be a challage. Last edited on 10-24-2009 03:03 am by Greg_M |
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francisg Member
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Greg, A few questions for you: 1. Do the the Volvo 4 piston calipers allow for vented rotors and if so what is the max thickness? 2. Where you able to use the stock wheels or if not would stock wheels fit? 3. When using the stock spindle will i need a spacer in order to use the stock wheels? 4. Where would i find longer wheel studs for the stock hub? Note the Brembo web page has a full rotor cross ref based on dimensions. Thanks for all the info. Francis G |
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Greg_M Member
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francisg wrote: Greg, 1. Do the the Volvo 4 piston calipers allow for vented rotors and if so what is the max thickness? The Volvo Calipers were originally used with the stock JH rotors. When I went to vented rotors I machined spacers to add additional width to the calipers. I used 4130 steel and had to machine hydraulic passages with "O" Ring seats. 2. Where you able to use the stock wheels or if not would stock wheels fit? Stock wheels will fit, tho now I use 14" wheels to clear the Lotus rear calipers. 3. When using the stock spindle will i need a spacer in order to use the stock wheels? Not required. 4. Where would i find longer wheel studs for the stock hub? Not required. This would not be a conversion I would recommend unless you had access to a machine shop and understood the requirements necessary to modify the calipers. I had access to a race track I could test on, and I spent many hours playing with different setups until I came up with one that worked for me. These are overkill for the street, I needed something that would haul my butt down from close to 150mph to about 45mph in as short a distance as possible without fading, lap after lap. Worked great for 30min. races, but really did the job for those 6 and 12 hour endurance races. The calipers I used are probably hard to get now, as this design was done around 1980, and the rear Lotus Elan calipers are now very expensive, if you can find them at all. Best of luck, Greg Moore |
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francisg Member
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Greg Thanks for the information. I dont know if i want to re-engineer the Volvo Calipers, but i will look at the 70's Jaguar XJ12 calipers, Porsche 944 calipers and revisit the Toyota 4 Runner calipers. Preliminary review of the Toyota calipers may be a tight fit but may work as long a the mounting holes are rebushed and drilled for the 10mm bolts used on the JH. Provided this caliper would clear the upper A arm when fully turned to the stops (without major modifications) a 1/2" spacer is still needed to make it fit inside the stock wheel. Is there any recommendation for a minimum clearance between wheel and caliper? Frrancis G |
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Greg_M Member
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Two points, if the caliper will fit inside the wheel, clearance to the upper or lower a-arms would not be a problem. As for clearance from caliper to rim, I think 1/4" to 1/2" would be adaquate. Some of the newer cars are so close you would be lucky to slip a penny in the gap. |
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francisg Member
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Greg Thanks for the info. Would you have any idea as to where i may find longer wheel studs that would fit in the stock JH hubs, i would like to to have a 1/2" spacer made between the hub and the wheel in order to eliminate any interference between caliper and wheel. I i ever get this completed in a reasonable amount of time and money i will post the solutions i used and the source of the parts and prices for others. Francis G |
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JHRV8 Member
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Frank; Most auto parts stores carry various size and length of wheel studs. If you know the tread size and pitch of the threads, you can find what you are looking for. Take one of the stock studs with you, and you should be set...... regards JHRV8. |
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JHRV8 Member
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Oh, by the way,has anyone ever looked at a stock Volvo 140,240 series with it's brakes still on the car? The Volvo front disks are radially vented and about 1plus inch thick, the calapers are 4 piston and fit this rotor, rears are not vented and use a two piston calaper and a drum brake in the rotor to be the emergency brake. just adapt these to your spindles as I have explained ,and use the whole rear axle ,and you're done. |
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francisg Member
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To all, Thanks for all the info. I still have some questions for those who have gone down this road before. I decided on the Volvo calipers and vented rotors and for now plan on leaving the rear brakes stock. The Volvo calipers have two inlet lines how do i handle this ? will the Volvo master cylinder bolt up to the brake booster without any problems with pedal travel or clearance. I am still using the stock master cylinder, should i upgrade to the TR6 unit? Thanks for the advice. Francis G |
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JHRV8 Member
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frank, as I stated before, the master seems to be a direct bolt-on. the center rod is unchanged. I plumbed the front calapers so that the two intakes for the fluid are tied to gether with a T fitting, however this is not the only way, you can run them as they were on the volvo, left rear and #1 fittings left and right, and Right rear and #2 fittings left and right, with 2 inline pressure reducers, or other designs as you like. Please read a comprehensive explanation of brake actions and modifications as found in various tomes by the hot-rod writers...... good luck....JHRV8. |
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francisg Member
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What sort of proportionning valve are you using? |
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JHRV8 Member
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Volvo uses two proportioning valves in its stock duel-diagional braking system. I used adjustable proportioning valves from wilwood.... JHRV8 |
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CarlosThe Jacker Member
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Hi, New to this board, former 240 owner, replaced nearly everything on mine at some point during our "relationship". If you use the 240 caliper, try Repco semi-metal pads, Rusty at RPR in California should have them if eBay doesn't. Volvo also sells crappy pad sets that come with some useful anti-squeal devices, the pads won't last long and will turn everything black, but the devices are worth having. If you can use a Volvo-spec rotor, consider the ATE "atomic" ones, atomic because they have electron-orbit ventilation grooves in them, they hold up very well. 240's have a godawful octopus-like gadget that proportions and warns if there's a leak, it has something like 8 lines hooked to it, lives at the base of the firewall. Use anything else for a junction, the things often develop leaks, usually blowing out the warning switch. What a PITA it is to replace and then bleed all those lines! Or you could plug the switch hole with something like JB Weld. That said, I had a wagon with lots of tools and other stuff in it, lived at the low end of a 12.5% grade, could go blazing down it and come to a quick halt for my turn at the bottom. Damned good brakes when they are right and have good pads. The atomic rotors never warped under my punishment. Looking forward to picking up my JH and being a part of this group, will probably end up doing the brake conversion myself someday. Carl |
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JodyKerr Member 
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Carl, Welcome to the club! Let us know when you pick up your JH. Jody |
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