My 85 pickup is in need of some upgrade and the most noticible problem lately is a lack of adequate braking, I'm sitting on 33 in swappers a lift and it sees a lot of highway miles, with the occasional mud hole. I'm looking for common upgrades that make a big difference on a budget. I've read about v6 brakes but what is my best year it pull from andante hints or snags in the process to foresee?


Thanks in advance.

 

A google search for "Toyota V6 brake upgrade" will yield you all kinds of information on the topic.

 

Might look into a bigger master cylinder, and a dual diaphragm booster aswell

 

I recently upgraded to the v6 calipers and fj rotors on the front, I also replaced all the hardware on the rear drum brakes. It made a huge improvement on 35s.

My truck had the big master cylinder when I bought it.

 

Replacing worn brake lines will help. But IMHO the rear drums suck especially noticable in heavy traffic. I plan to do disc brakes in rear. But then parking brake can become an issue, unless you don't need one. There's a couple different set ups. I don't want to go the route using chevy rotors and calipers plus it is one of the more spendy routes next to FROR full floater set up.

 

From what I have read, the bigger issue with the rear drums is not the drums themselves, but the LSPV that controls how much work they do...or don't do. Start by wiring the LSPV arm in the fully "open" position and see if the rears do more stopping for you. When you're ready, replace the LSPV with a manually controlled proportion valve. I'm trying out the kit from Davez.


You want calipers and master cylinder from an IFS rig - one safe bet is a '90 V6 4Runner. There are several master cylinder options, what you're doing here is upgrading from 13/16" bore to 1" bore to push more fluid for the bigger piston calipers. There are several options, look for one that fits the budget and you don't have to bend lines much.

Vented rotors are from a Land Cruiser and I can't remember the years.

If you really want the icing on the cake, add in a dual diaphragm brake booster. A booster that came with the 22RE-T will be the same diameter as your current booster so that it won't interfere with the steering shaft u-joint. I found mine at car-part.com. Haven't installed it yet though.


My stock brake system had a leaky caliper and didn't stop well with the 35's. I gave all the above mentioned parts to a friend to swap it all in. All he had time for was the rotors and calipers. I get a little more pedal travel (as expected when you don't upgrade the bore size of the master cylinder) but the stopping power is much better now. I can't wait to get more components installed.

 

You forgot to mention braided stainless lines, they don't expand under pressure like rubber lines.

Been there and got that t-shirt. Have done everything but portion valve and I used a dual diaphragm from a later 4rnr not turbo. I still say the drums suck. There is a larger bore piston for drums from an FJ but I'm skeptical. The next time I open my brake system it will be to do away with the rear drums. I've had them rust up, and had them fill with mud.

I haven't decided the route to go for parking brake there is a cool write up on pirate for a DIY T-case brake. That saves the price of an Allpro or Sky t-case brake.

Oh and I still haven't unpacked the rear disc mounts I got for X-mas the year before going to Germany. With my luck I'll find them right before we move from here next June!!!! Frustration rant off

 

dual diaphragm boosters come in two diameters; the small one fits the '84 and down, without interfering with the steering wheel shaft.

i got the bigger diameter unit from a t100, it cleared the steering shaft on my '86 4runner, with minimal to no clearancing on the booster.

if you find a spacer plate behind the factory booster on the truck, and you are installing the big booster, you'll probably want to leave the plate out.

 

If you go to the wider '86 and later rear axle you will get larger drum brakes. You can also put on I think its the FJ60 wheel cylinders that have a 1" bore and are a direct replacement on the '86+ axles.

Not as good as disc's I guess but its a cheap and easy way to improve things.

 

I don`t seem to have any trouble with my drum brakes but then everything is all new.

Then I drove so I seldom need to use the brakes just for emergencies when women doing make up run red lights.