I dont know much about cars but im all up for tearing crap apart and learning, well brakes are pretty much dead, when i brake it pulls to the left and with brake full on floor im still not slowing down to good, also noticed a weird sound/vibration coming from the right rear of the car while braking on the freeway. So anyways heres the dilema, Pep Boys wants something like $250 for the brake pads installed.

1) Would other places be cheaper?
2) Is it hard or could i do this myself, with a good book or writeup to tell me what to do?
3) Should i just fork over the $250 and have PepBoys do em?

Thanks.

 

uh.. don;t pay anyone except yourself a good pat on the back.. brakes are easy but if u are a first timer.. just remember oiw things went. and most of all take your time..go with toyota pads and rotors.. u won't have any problems. if u want more performance related stuff check out DOWEY OFF ROAD.. i ha never bought anything from them but i hear they are good.. good luck

 

OEM brake pads I think are the best... id rather do it myself because its easier on the wallet and i think its more fun

 

Here's a good link on break pads.

http://www.nationalfleetparts.com/3types.htm

 

This is one area where I use nothing but OEM equipment. I once used aftermarket low brake dust pads. The dust was incredible. It would collect in a fraction of the time what my OEM ones would. I switched them out after about a month back to Toyota!

I will never do that again.

Doug

 

Actually the best pads is made by a company called Performance Friction. They also make the TRD pads, but these are much cheaper adn they have a lifetime warranty, too. You can pick them up from Autozone under part number 4364, which are made specifically for 3rd generation 4runners. They work great!

Chris

 

Stick with OEM, IMO. Brakes are easy to replace. Only if you knew how easy it is to replace them, you would not spend the $250.00
for someone else to do it.

 

i run raybesto's from meineke.. they stop and don;t squeal. i prolly won't go back to them but i will see how funds are when i need brakes.. BTW.. anyone still on orginal rear brakes?? mine or original an my sweetie is uh 17 yrs ol i think

 

I went with Gadget's recommendation and bought the performance friction pads for a 96 landcruiser (i've got a 97 runner). Autozone guy and myself compared the alleged TRD pads (I'm saying alleged because they're labeled as Performance friction, not because I doubt the licensing deal.) to the standard pads kicked out on his computer. The mounting brackets were identical. The cut of the pad was a touch different, but nothing serious.

Given the choice between lifetime TRD pads for 37$ and lifetime Autozone pads for 34$, i don't think its a hard choice.

What I'm debating now is the use of a lifetime pad at all. I must be one of the few people without warped rotors (but i've only got 73k miles), and am wondering if I should buy cheap pads that go out in 20k miles but take it easy on the rotors. Guess I'll know in a few thousand miles.

 

Just curious... why the 96 Landcruiser pads over the 97 4Runner pads (if you have a 97 4Runner)? Sorry, if I've missed something.

 

Gadget's recommendation on his site was before that begain making a pad for the 4runners, so he found out that the landcruiser pads were the same. Now, though, you can just go in and 4364's from Autozone and don't have to lie about the vehicle it's going on.

Chris

 

So are the 4364s and 5024s the same identical pad? I just came back from A.Z. and thought something was strange when I saw the pad for the 4Runner come up too. I thought maybe someone was on to something... like "no brake dust" with the 5024s... I'm a dreamer like that.

 

Don't know, but all I know is that the 4364's are for my 4runner, because I went ahead and called Performance Friction to make sure. You might want to do the same!

Chris

 

Wow, when did you guys find performance friction pads for 4-Runners? Reason I ask is that when I went in to Autozone I asked for the Landcruiser pads, then asked for 4-runner pads to compare to. 3 weeks ago (here in Colorado Springs), A-Z listed std pads, lifetime pads, but no Performance Friction pads for a 97 4-runner.

 

I'm suprised no one has mentioned this yet (or maybe I just missed it). If your truck is pulling when you brake, it has been my experience that you need to have your calipers rebuilt. You can do it yourself but I've always found it cheaper and easier to swap them at the auto parts store. Suddenly this job just got a lot bigger than just changing pads. Now you will have to bleed your brakes also. If I remember correctly, the torque on the caliper bolts is 90 ft/lbs.

I'm not sure about the sound/vibration coming from the right rear of the truck when braking on the interstate. I think you'd need to remove the drum and take a look at that one.

Well good luck,

 

Although I'd be the first to say to do the brakes yourself and save a bunch of money, don't compromise your safety. If you have never done brakes before, I suggest you find a friend that knows what he/she is doing and have them help you. If your truck is pulling to one side while braking, it is probably a caliper problem, which is a bit more difficult to fix. Don't mess around with brakes, they save your life everytime you drive.