I finally got my front wheel bearings finished, thanks everyone! It took about ten days to get a new castle nut ordered and delivered.

Another immediate problem- my brakes suddenly need to be pumped before they work. Said another way- when I first press on the brake pedal it moves almost all the way to the floor, if I release and press them again they seem to then be working normally, for awhile. From doing a little reading here on the BB it seems most people would say it is time for a new master cylinder. This problem is not related to the recent work I have been doing. I see no obvious signs of leakage anywhere.

I do not want to do this work myself- I will have it done by a place that I trust, though they are not specifically a Volvo shop. Can you give me some pointers on what to ask them?

For instance, when replacing the master cylinder what other parts should be replaced that they might not replace if not specificaly asked? The reservoir? Certain seals, hoses, gaskets, fasteners, etc?

RE master cylinder: rebuilt? new but not OEM? Strictly OEM?

I put new rotors and pads on the front this past spring, the rear brakes haven't been looked at in a few years. I also had a front brake hose replaced this past spring, so the brake fluid was replaced at that time.

Thanks,
Keith Ostertag