Well, I spent most of the day wasting time on something stupid. The Volvo jobs you expect to take 15 minutes might take 5 hours. I was putting new rear (Beck Arnley) rebuilt calipers on my 89 240 project wagon and had huge problems.

Finished the front two calipers and front suspension (bushings, ball joints, new struts, wheel bearing, rotors, brake pads - the works- this morning - no problem with front brake lines and new calipers. All went on like a dream.

But on the back - both back lines will not thread into the new calipers. The old line leading into the caliper is decent and the threads on the line are OK, maybe marginal, but still able to funtion at least once. The problem is the line does not have enough room (with too much flared end) to thread into the caliper - or the rebuilt caliper is defective.

Plus, I think I bunged up the small brass ball with a hole that's in the line input hole. I cut up some old brake lines I had and tried to thread them into the caliper with the caliper on a bench - no go. I know the brass ball is squished or compacted by the flared end when you connect the line the first time. I tried to make a tool to thread in a temp line and compact the brass fitting - no go. I can thread in a brake line nut without the line, but the minute I have the flared brake line end on - no dice. Sit and spin and no force can get it started.

I wonder if the rebuilder (Beck Arnely) just did a lousy job on the caliper and threading area or is it me??? Again, I wasted 5 hours trying to thread two brake lines into two calipers! Shoot me now!!! Finally gave up about two hours ago.

My only solution is to buy new lines for the rear of the car - but I had a piece of new line and it would not thread into the caliper either - might take the damn things back and get another pair of rebuilt calipers. Is it a quality problem or am I screwing up?????

Bob Weber
49 Volvos since 1979
Hamilton, Ohio 45013