Fading brake pads
 

Hello, just got back from a deer hunting trip and my brakes were scaring me the whole way down the mountain. The steering wheel kept going crazy under pressure...and then I noticed I would at times have the pedal all the way to the floor. This is without the tire smoke and screeching you see in the movies, the car would just barely slow down and this is after a brake job in April of 2012. So before I head back up next week I have a few things to do, replace the pads, rotors and fluid. I already have some ATE Super Blue fluid ready but what are some good pads and rotors I can slap on there? I found out at this thread that I could buy some pads at autozone that are apparently the same as TRD but looking at autozone's page, they don't seem to be listed under part 5024, anyone recently get these from autozone that can confirm that they still have them? How much better are TRD/Performance Friction pads compared to regular pads? I come from using Hawk HP+ pads on a miata that stop crazy fast, is this comparable? Or should I look elsewhere for my heavy braking and heavy load needs?

What about rotors?

You need to post what rig your driving. As for crazy pedal under pressure and fade, I think you overheated rotors and possible warped them. What was done on brake job 5 months ago?. I get my pads from dealership. As for rotors avoid chinese brands. There are alot of sites that sell all sorts of different brands. I spend the extra to know what i'm getting, especially brake parts. Don't compare a Miata to your rig as you probably are not using it for hunting.

Sorry, this was for a 2WD 99 V6 4runner, last time I did both the front and rear brakes, pads up front and shoes in the back.

No worries, did you machine rotors and drums? (true them)?, most brake fluid should be flushed also when doing brakes as contamination is most likely and boiling point minimizes.

No, did not turn my rotors, but did bleed my system at the time, this was only a recent occurrence when we were up in the Sequoia National forest, and hasn't happened since we got back home to Long Beach. But before we head back out in weeks I'd rather have good reliable pads than cheap one's that'll crap out on me at the worst possible moment.

Just my opinion, but I would at the minimum pull rotors off and and have them checked for minimum specs, if okay machine them and replace pads. While the rotors are off replace grease seals also re-pak wheel bearings. Bleed system again as it's possible there's air in the system still or possible master cylinder is going bad. Good luck.

Thanks for your help, any writeup's for how to do the grease seals and re-packing?

Is this an Automatic or manual??

I will bet a automatic. Then I would say you also never use your E-Brake if it even works.

With the back brakes not being adjusted up they did not help in the braking you got the brakes hot coming off the hill. Just how fast where you going and how much weight??

Now down in the flatland it all works ok.

i know of nobody around here that turns rotors or drums they all install new ones.

Yeah I just install new ones if I'm using a new type of pad. It is automatic as for the ebrake I never had the actual need to use it only stamped the brake down to test if that would do anything. We had the weight of the car, hunting equipment, 3 adult men, weight of the front defence, 120 quart cooler full of food and ice.

Anyone know who carries performance friction pads locally? AutoZone no longer carries the brand and neither does kragen

On a 99, there won't be any repacking the wheel bearings. Toyota did away with that when the body style changed in 96.

As far as pads go, get yourself some factory pads. You can't go wrong with what Cameron the truck originally.

As far as rotors go, again, factory are good, but I personally have power slot rotors on my truck with factory pads. I had similar issues to you with my truck, and the slotted rotors have helped the most with fading.