J

About a year and a half ago, i bought some Toyota rotors and I've had some horrible luck with them. My problem is that I can't decide whether it is the rotors or if it is another problem with my runner.

I was doing a brake job and couldnt' turn the current rotors (too thin) so i bought new. With the Toyota pads to match, i had some horrible chattering problems. Coming to a slow stop the pads would vibrate horribly. This was not a warped rotor pulsating, it was a pad problem. It was like dragging a sweaty palm across a glass surface. It would grab and release, grab and release.... you get the idea.

So, i changed to a cheaper pad from a local parts store. After a few weeks the rotors began to warp, so i thought, great, crappy pad, i get what i deserved! So, i bit the bullet and paid a shop to do it thinking i may have done something wrong. They turned the rotors and put on some Bendix IQ pads (i think). After about 4 months the rotors began to warp again. Vibrations on braking at 70 really pisses me off, not to mention isn't really safe. I lived with it for about 6 more months and finally had another brake job done about a month or so ago. (rotors turned, new pads)

Well, the saga continues, and i have warped rotors AGAIN. Now, none of the pads i've used have been cheap, except for the first ones. I'm happy with the braking POWER, but it just pisses me off that $200 rotors have warped 3 times in about 18 months and i don't drive like a moron either.

I have two possibilities and i'm just asking for opinions on either.

1st possibility
My rear brakes have serious issues and i'm not getting the correct braking force out of them. The lack of braking from the rear is putting extra heat on the fronts and causing them to warp. I don't know if this is the case, but i don't seem to have lost much of the shoe in the 3 years that i've owned the vehicle so that makes me worry. But, maybe that's just drum brakes, i don't know....

2nd possibility:
I was unlucky when i bought the new toyota rotors and got a set that were just manufactured crappy. (maybe it was just one out of the pair)

So, is my solution to just buy new rotors and hope they're good? Has anyone heard of getting BAD rotors before? How would i guy check whether or not his rear brakes were working hard enough? And if they're not, what do i do to fix that?

This has nagged long enough, any help is appreciated!!!

Jason

rimpainter.com

Toyota truck rotors are known to have warpage problems. Appears they havent solved it. My truck does the same thing.

J

Seriously? They're KNOWN for having warp problems? That's ˟˟˟˟ty.... Excuse my English, but disc brakes have been around for a long time and, if true, that's just inexcusable (sp?).

What about a different brand??? Brembo?

Jason

rimpainter.com

That's a possibility, but drilled rotors are prone to cracking. Gadget has some good info on his site about his brake experiences. Best thing to do is to go with stock rotors, they should have a one-year garantee. Just keep getting new ones every time they warp. Sucks, but I guess that's how it goes.

I hate that shaking during braking.

Mikey

I feel both of your pains!! My Tacoma has had 3 sets of rotors and each set has been turned once!! I give up. I have the backs adjusted up as hard as i can go but i still get the shake-your-teeth-out chatter:pat: I'm just living with it. I hate to take them apart once again (although I'm getting pretty quick at it). I was on Brembo's website and they do make rotors for the tacomas/4 runners. I'm not sure though who carries them. Anyone know??? Because if I do it again, that's what I'm going with.

rpeAMP

Make sure that your rear brakes are constantly adjusted, especially with the 2nd gens. I have had the same problem. You can tell that they need to be adjusted if the parking brake handle has to be pulled out a lot.

With the rears out of adjustment, the fronts will overheat numerous times causing the constant warping you're experiencing.

tomus1000

A few guys are running slotted rotors with no complaints. I, for one, am tired of all the vibration. I will be switching to slotted rotors as soon as my truck needs new brake pads. I will buy the pads to match the new slotted rotors.

its2slo

when was the last time you bought new rotors? i bought mine about two years ago and toyota admitted there was a problem and said they the new rotors were made differently to fix the prob., and i havent had any probs. but would love to know if i was fed a bunch of bs. thanks

rimpainter.com

Oh, I havent replaced mine yet. And, this thread is not influencing me to do it anytime soon. Glad to hear you had luck with yours, I hope I have the same luck when the time comes.

BTW: It was just a "rumor" I heard about Toyota rotors, I have no solid data to back up that claim. Just personal experience.

Kinda sucks.

DuB

I had the same problem with my front pads. I found out my rear brakes were totally out of adjustment so I adjusted them correctly. It somewhat fixed the problem, but I still get that noise every now and then.

WT

Yeah I went through 2 set of Toyota rotors this time I decide to go cross drilled I know some here are not big fans of them but I have not had any problems and its been atleast a few 1000 miles on them now (also got the performance friction pads at the same time). I would recomend adjusting the rear brakes, Using brake quite on the new front pads when you goto install them and also be sure to use a torque wrench on the wheels when you have them off for any reason. So watch them airguns (dealers, etc.)... I also found if you have that clunk problem when you brake hard and release them at a stop light (feels like something binding most ppl have this issue) greasing the rear pads in the right place does help that too (someones got a good write up on this just don't recall who it was its in the Tech section).
There u have my 2cents...

its2slo

its not a rumor, youre right, it was a problem, they said they fixed it, my new rotors have given me no trouble, but ill be sure to let everyone know if these "redesigned" rotors warp like the last ones did. so far i am happy with my newer rotors, no vibration whatsoever. now that i think about it they're three years old now and still like new, in fact my pads that i did at the same time are starting to get towards the end of their life.(guess its time for gadjets cheap trd pads! )

J

Ok, on this rear brake adjustment thing...

I know that the emerg. brake is SUPPOSED to keep it adjusted, but how many of you actually get UNDER the truck every few weeks and adjust the brakes? Does Toyota actually expect you to do that? I'm not scared to get under the rig at all, but COME ON.

Is there a technique to adjusting the rear brakes without a screwdriver and dirty pants?

What are my chances of getting Toyota to replace these rotors if i tell them the problems i've been having? Probably zilch considering they haven't done any of the work.... I hate to spend money on something that (i guess) isn't a necessity, but i just dread stepping on the brakes anymore, i actually 'engine brake' my automatic quite a bit!

Anyway, i'm glad to hear these responses, if you have anything to add please let me (us) know!

Jason