95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners 4th gen pickups and 3rd gen 4Runners

Front Brake Upgrade

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Old Oct 14, 2007 | 03:59 PM
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From: Woodway, TX
Front Brake Upgrade

My front rotors are warped pretty bad, I'm about sick of the shaking steering wheel when I stop. I am looking for some rotors that will withstand the heat better then OEM, along with some new hawk pads. I also thought about picking up some braided brake lines as well. Any suggestions to what I should use for rotors and lines?
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Old Oct 14, 2007 | 04:05 PM
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ive heard good things about ebc brakes... definately get drilled if you can...

my brakes do the same thing, but they squeak reallly bad... i need to get some money to do that...

check out autopartswarehouse.com for rotors..
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Old Oct 14, 2007 | 04:07 PM
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From: Woodway, TX
Originally Posted by infiltrator
ive heard good things about ebc brakes... definately get drilled if you can...

my brakes do the same thing, but they squeak reallly bad... i need to get some money to do that...

check out autopartswarehouse.com for rotors..
I've heard that drilled are prone to cracking, but then slotted rotors will get mud stuffed in the slots. Ya, mine are squeeking too, there's plenty of pad left, don't know what the squeekings about, but that and the shaking are driving me crazy.
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Old Oct 14, 2007 | 04:10 PM
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Hawk pads, brembo rotors.
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Old Oct 14, 2007 | 04:24 PM
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What about front brake lines.......any suggestions?
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Old Oct 14, 2007 | 04:25 PM
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brembos are a good choice and go well with the hawk pads

you can get crossed drilled or blanks, let someone chime in on which is better for the setup

ss stainless steel brake lines would be the best bet, i think toytec sells them they're just not displayed on the site

Last edited by MillerPKA; Oct 14, 2007 at 04:29 PM.
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Old Oct 15, 2007 | 02:03 AM
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Originally Posted by RooRRunner
brembos are a good choice and go well with the hawk pads

you can get crossed drilled or blanks, let someone chime in on which is better for the setup

ss stainless steel brake lines would be the best bet, i think toytec sells them they're just not displayed on the site
I think I might go with the brembo blanks, or the EBC slotted set. Any other suggestions?
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Old Oct 15, 2007 | 02:18 AM
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My recommendation:

1. Brembo blanks
2. Stock pads
3. Goodridge SS brakelines - Best price at: http://www.hrpworld.com/index.cfm?fo...action=product
4. Adjust your rear drums. Otherwise your front rotors do all the work to stop our overweight trucks - increase predisposition for warping. Search for the thread.

Crossdrilled/slotted - Once useful at ventilating outgassing. Not necessary unless you do some serious racing, and even those that do, there are pads today that allow efficient heat ventilation. Crossdrilling will decrease the weight of the rotor, which will make it heat up faster, (think a small metal pot vs. a heavier metal pot... Which will boil water faster?), and result in "stress risers." Slotted will give you a fresh pad surface every time you step on the brake... which may or may not improve braking, but will force you to buy pads more often. In conclusion, crossdrilled/slotted rotors are pretty much only for aesthetic purposes. If you think they're sexy and have an extra $20 per rotor to spend, go for it.

Off of the Baer FAQ:

"Will slotting or crossdrilling my rotors improve my car's stopping performance?

DEFINITELY NOT! Crossdrilled or slotted rotors do produce a strong visual appeal behind a modern open wheel, and they do have a performance edge when pad outgassing occurs. Outgassing occurs at extreme temperatures when the bonding agents that hold the pad material together break down into a gas form. This gas creates a pneumatic barrier between the rotor and the pad, reducing friction. Crossdrilling or slotting creates a path for the outgassing that occurs during extreme braking conditions. However, these conditions can virtually never be reached on the street! Short of a complete system, performance brake pads, a proper Teflon lined braided stainless steel hose set and quality brake fluids are the only direct replacement upgrades that can be combined to deliver measurable stopping improvements in the context of direct replacement components on the OE brake system."

www.baer.com
Go to baertech, then to F.A.Q, (frequently asked questions)
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Old Oct 15, 2007 | 04:25 AM
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Originally Posted by guapo83
Any suggestions to what I should use for rotors and lines?
Save yourself the headache.

http://www.ultimateyota.com/index.ph...=26&topic=54.0

Last edited by MTL_4runner; Oct 15, 2007 at 05:10 AM.
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Old Oct 15, 2007 | 04:56 AM
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why not OEM rotors i picked them up and my dealer for $72 a few weeks back.
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Old Oct 15, 2007 | 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by MTL_4runner
I'd really like to do the Tundra upgrade, just don't have the $$ right now.
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Old Oct 16, 2007 | 02:01 PM
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I never had a problem with my X drilled and slotted Brembo rotors . they are great , I can go from 80 to nothing with out break fade. I am using Napa pads . For me the best investment after the S.C.
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Old Oct 16, 2007 | 03:44 PM
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OEM rotors will just warp again... that is the problem in the first place.

I went with Brembo slotted and OEM pads. 25k miles on the set and they aren't even half worn. I towed a 4000lb trailer across the USA and have no warpage. If I did it all over I'd just go with Brembo blank rotors.

I had considered doing the Tundra upgrade, I even had the parts, then wondered why I was going to change when my current setup is working fine. I sold the Tundra parts.
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Old Oct 16, 2007 | 06:46 PM
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I was talking about OEM tundra rotors

Originally Posted by 111db
OEM rotors will just warp again... that is the problem in the first place.

I went with Brembo slotted and OEM pads. 25k miles on the set and they aren't even half worn. I towed a 4000lb trailer across the USA and have no warpage. If I did it all over I'd just go with Brembo blank rotors.

I had considered doing the Tundra upgrade, I even had the parts, then wondered why I was going to change when my current setup is working fine. I sold the Tundra parts.
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Old Oct 16, 2007 | 06:50 PM
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so slotted rotors actually work? and for brakes i plan to use raybestos... the mechanic who did my last brake job used some shoddy nonbrand brakes.. yet theyre still at 80%, and i got it done in march.. so he must have done something right......
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Old Oct 20, 2007 | 05:23 AM
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Please excuse my ignorance as I have never done a brake job, but, would it be a bad idea to only replace the rotors (I have about 50K miles on my pads and rotors) and leave current oem pads. As a total novice, it would seem very easy to replace rotors (as many have recommended Brembo blanks with oem pads) and not have to worry about bleeding, etc. I have seen that some get their brake pedal screwed up afterwards. Or, if you're pads have been rubbing on warped rotors, will it mess up the new ones? Thanks in advance.
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Old Oct 20, 2007 | 05:30 AM
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Originally Posted by casey225
Please excuse my ignorance as I have never done a brake job, but, would it be a bad idea to only replace the rotors (I have about 50K miles on my pads and rotors) and leave current oem pads. As a total novice, it would seem very easy to replace rotors (as many have recommended Brembo blanks with oem pads) and not have to worry about bleeding, etc. I have seen that some get their brake pedal screwed up afterwards. Or, if you're pads have been rubbing on warped rotors, will it mess up the new ones? Thanks in advance.
If you're going to replace the rotors, you need to replace the pads as well. You might as well, since you'll have it all taken apart. Its not that hard. Takes about 10 minutes per side once you get the hang of it.
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Old Oct 20, 2007 | 05:40 AM
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Can you change rotors withou changing pads? In short, yes. And I've done it, but only on junk cars or something I was going to sell immediately. Read on. To echo guapo's post, you should change the pads when changing rotors. A few reasons why.

1. A pad will wear along with a rotor, sometimes more obvious to the eye than others. When you change the rotor and install a worn pad, you will not get 100% friction surface initially, and when it does wear in it will be uneven.

2. If your current pad is 50%, why risk wearing it down to metal and scrapping out your new rotors prematurely?

3. Changing the pad does not require brake bleeding. The only extra step besides physically pulling the pad out and replacing it is pushing the piston back into the caliper, usually using a C-clamp. There is no reason to open the brake line during this process, thus eliminating any need to bleed.
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Old Oct 20, 2007 | 05:48 AM
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Thanks for the replies. I've mostly read about the Tundra upgrade and wasn't sure I wanted this to be my first attempt. I understand now that the bleeding was due to caliper replacement. Replacing oem rotors and pads seemed a little more doable, and if I don't have to bleed, I think I'll try this first.
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Old Oct 20, 2007 | 06:08 AM
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Piece of cake. But for a first timer I would recommend having an experienced friend oversee your work, since brakes are a major safety issue and shouldn't be taken lightly as we often do.

Just go Brembo as far as rotors. You'll be glad you did.
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