jstluise

1987 Pickup SR5, 4x4

The last time I replaced my brake pads (I replaced the rotors also) was probably 5-6 years ago, and I estimate 40k miles. I just overhauled the rear brakes (new kit + shoes) yesterday, so I thought I would do the fronts too. I pulled everything apart today and to my surprise the pads are just as thick as the new pads I bought (maybe 1/32" less)!

This seems very odd to me...I'd expect more wear than this.

The rear shoes were replaced around the same time I did the pads (5-6 yrs), and the wear on them looked normal.

I am wondering if I'm not getting enough pressure to my front during braking. I have been having problems with my rear brakes locking up when its wet out, and I suspected my LSPV. After taking it all apart and cleaning the LSPV, it seems to function properly and be adjusted correctly. I was hoping my rear brakes were binding or something, and that overhauling them would fix the problem.

Any ideas?

Junkers88

I would think the fronts would wear out faster than the rears? I did mine on the 4runner last year about this time and when I looked at them all last week there is almost no wear that I can see, of course my rears aren't doing much due to an LSPV issue that I'll be fixing here in the next week but I was surprised how little wear was on them, even the fronts look new.

MrPeepers

Dang I wish mine lasted that long, let alone be teh same as new. But honestly, I don't know what you have, but my 95 4runner has THE WORST designed brake calipers I have ever seen in my entire life. Ive had nothing but issues with them. First I noticed one pad was wearing at an angle, cause only one of the pistons on one side of the caliper was moving, and another pad looked way less worn than the others. So I bought a rebuild kit and rebuilt them. Still had issues with that angled wear. Bought new calipers at Pep Boys, still had issues. Swapped them out AGAIN, since I noticed issues within a week so Pep Boys swapped them. Now they are working OK, but just a horrible design.

jstluise

Sorry, forgot to mention I have an 87 pickup, 4x4. (top post edited)

Yes, I would expect the fronts to wear out before the rears, since the braking pressure should be more to the front than rear.

I have also noticed the truck pulling to the left once in a while under braking. Sometimes it is subtle, other times it is pulls pretty good. And sometimes it doesn't pull at all. This indicates my front left is braking more than the front right (or less pressure is going to the right). This may be a completely different issue, but I know I am getting at least some braking to the front.

Also, I generously bled the entire system when I was messing with the LSPV (in the correct order), so I am confident that the system is bled properly.

This brake system is making me very frustrated! Maybe the overhaul on the rear will at least fix the locking up issue, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Thanks for the responses.

I should add: on the passenger rear, there was uneven wear (front shoe worn more than rear shoes), which I thought was normal. On drivers rear, the wear was the same between front and rear shoes. Also, the self adjusting screws were both siezed on the rear brakes, which can't be good. I broke then free and got them turning nicely (greased), and now the adjusting mechanism works.

MrPeepers

Yeah mine when I was working with them, the combination of one caliper sticking and not working much at all in conjunction with my rears not being adjusted would make my car almost turn left on heavy braking. After swapping the calipers, twice, and adjusting the rears it is MUCH MUCH better. Try pulling the pistons out of your calipers and see if one or more are rusted in there. I had a couple that didn't want to budge.

Junkers88

Had a similar issue on my 89 although it was the front right. When I rebled the entire system I got a lot of air out of the front right (passengers side) line and none anywhere else. Then like a week later I had some grinding that turned out to be a busted piece of retaining spring (same side) that would fall in between the pad and rotor once in a while.... also for some reason the calipers are from an 86 and require different pads than the 89 ones (or so I've been told). Brake problems are one thing I'm not good at fixing which sucks since they are, what I believe, one of the most important parts of my rig.

I've even considered swapping the fronts out with some larger calipers from a Tundra and doing the rear disc conversion just to make things easier and get better stopping response. I HATE drum brakes since I can't for the life of me remember how the damn springs go back in when I have to pull it all apart.

MrPeepers

What I do now with pretty much anything I am taking apart, computers, cars, etc is take pictures with my cell phone. A picture is worth a thousand words in these cases.

Junkers88

That's a good idea! The first time I messed with drums I had to do one side at a time and use the other side as a reference... lot of walking back and forth.

jstluise

I'll have to check the pistons when i get a chance (dealing with a bad rear diff seal right now), but you could be right. I was hoping there was air in the line somewhere (causing less braking on the right), but I bled the system good. And, air in the line could cause a consistant problem, where mine is sporadic, which sounds like something (caliper piston) is sticking.

When you say you adjusted the rears, what do you mean? Adjusted the LSPV?

MrPeepers

Yeah I planned to do that once on some car I used to have, only to realize that one side was COMPLETELY different because the way the parking brake hooked up. Totally ruined my plan. I just felt like I was trying to solve one of those puzzles with the horseshows and chains where you try to get the ring off, frustration, frustration,.....boom there it is.

jstluise

No kidding! I have albums and albums from different jobs I've done, and the pictures have saved me time more than once. Very useful when doing something like a complete head job on a 3VZE!

However, I did find the rear drums not to bad just by looking at the diagrams in the FSM

Junkers88

I hate that! It's like trying to find the magic spot on a new girl friend..... all of a sudden boom there it is.

MrPeepers

I mean using the flat screwdriver to spin that little star adjuster til it's tight, and then backing up and slamming the brakes on so many times that the neighbors think you are crazy.

jstluise

I don't know how a '95 is, but mine auto-adjusts when you pull the e-brake. Like I said before, the adjusters were siezed up, but they are working fine now so I hope that fixes some of my problems.

Junkers88

On my 86 and 89 the E-brake does the adjusting. You need to have no more than 14 "clicks" when pulling the E-brake handle when it's set (I think I read that in the FSM). Mine right now tops out at 13 clicks, when I did the brakes it was a lot more than that, just kept pulling and releasing until I got fewer clicks.