Ok now I am totally confused. I am looking to order brake pads, etc for my 1988 240. I found a small paper ID plate taped into the trunk. On it the chart indicates the brakes are type 2. I looked at the Haynes manual but their explanation is about as clear a politicians conscience. Am I reading this right? Front brakes are Girling and rear ATE? Is that right? Thanks in advance and sorry for asking the perpetual question.

Fantastic! Thanks for all the help. I will be asking a bunch more questions REAL soon I am certain.

This is from my volvo Service Manual, Specifications, 240 DL,GL 1986-1988

The label you found in the trunk is the Service Label.

There are 9 lines available in the right hand column of the label. The explanation names them "A" through "I"

A. Version. Ten digit Version Identification Code. Long explanation.

B. Chassis type. Nothing mentioned in the book,

C. Brakes. Code 1 = Girling front and rear. Code 2 = Girling front, ATE rear.

D. Carburateur. Not applicable, left blank.

E. Fuel pump. Code 3 = Bosch. None other listed.

F. Option. "Special code number with several digits identifies special equipment, such as aluminum wheels, air conditioning, air dam, central lock, etc. "

G. Clutch. Code 2 = Fichtel & Sachs, Code 3 = Verto/Valeo

H. Alternator. Code 1 = Bosch, Code 2 = Nippondenso

I. Steering Gear. Code 2 = CAM Gear, Code 3 = ZF.

Generally the codes for brakes and steering gear are the only ones you might need.

Hope this helps. Regards,

Bob

:>)

he brakes were standardized, sort of, to all front girlings in 76. i've not seen rear girlings on any car after 76, either. 76 and later, safe bet, ft girlings, rr ates. good luck, chuck.

Rear Girlings were still quite common in the rear end in the early 80s at least in Canada. My 84 turbo had them until last year. One was seized so I replaced them with ATEs. Which leads to my second point. If you have not owned the car since new I would not rely on the sticker in the trunk. Someone may have switched out the calipers like I did. The safest bet is to look for the little girling hairpins on the caliper.

It not that big an issue anyway. I am pretty sure the rotors and pads are the same for either on the rear. They just need different hardware kits if you are replacing the hardware

interesting. when i was at the dealer between 84 and 89, we bought a bunch of new canadians to sell as we had run out of our allocation. only difference i saw was the alum bumpers on the 83-85 cars, the lack of ac in all of them and the french/english stickers. never saw the rear girlings. you are correct in the data plate, though. have seen a coupla guys try to put zf boots on a cam rack because the plate says it was a zf rack. and so it goes, chuck.

Just about every 240 I've ever seen and all the ones I've owned have had Girlings in the front and ATEs in the rear. So yes, that's probably what you have, too.
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Mike W., '79 242GT (project car), '85 245DL (daily driver 1), '87 245 DL (daily driver 2), '90 244DL (son's project car), '91 744T (daily driver 3), '92 245DL (parts car), '94 944T (wifemobile), Largo, FL