When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I just picked up an 89 4Runner DLX - 22re 4cyl 5 spd. It needs a new master cylinder and booster. I was looking around the web and forum for brake upgrade recommendations and found bolt options to put 2nd-3rd gen brake calipers, rotors, master, and booster on 1st gen 4Runners. But I also saw some references that the 88-89 4Runners may already have those V6 items on them. Can anyone confirm what brakes I should have now and if there is a need for upgrading all those parts, or if I just need the master cylinder and booster? References for replacement booster say it is single diaphragm versus dual, which makes me think the upgrade is still needed, as the later gen booster is dual.
If your 88 or 89 4Runner was equipped with the 22re then it almost certainly had the "small" brakes.
If you choose to start upgrading, you need to be sure to upgrade everything. That is, booster / master / front calipers at the same time. Otherwise the balance will be off and your brakes will not work very well.
One good combo is the following:
Dual-diaphragm booster
S12W calipers (V6 4Runner calipers -- the 4cyl ones had S12+8)
15/16" master cylinder
I used this setup for a while happily. A lot of people spring for the bigger 1" master but that decreases your hydraulic leverage. However, I "upgraded" my wheel cylinders to T100 ones which are larger, and at that point I found the 1" MC was necessary to retain a good pedal feel.
If you search you can find some good calculations to help you figure how to match upgrade parts.
If your 88 or 89 4Runner was equipped with the 22re then it almost certainly had the "small" brakes.
If you choose to start upgrading, you need to be sure to upgrade everything. That is, booster / master / front calipers at the same time. Otherwise the balance will be off and your brakes will not work very well.
One good combo is the following:
Dual-diaphragm booster
S12W calipers (V6 4Runner calipers -- the 4cyl ones had S12+8)
15/16" master cylinder
I used this setup for a while happily. A lot of people spring for the bigger 1" master but that decreases your hydraulic leverage. However, I "upgraded" my wheel cylinders to T100 ones which are larger, and at that point I found the 1" MC was necessary to retain a good pedal feel.
If you search you can find some good calculations to help you figure how to match upgrade parts.
i
Do you not also need to upgrade the rotors when doing the other stuffs you listed? Pardon my naivete, but the truck is at a mechanic buddy's and I haven't had a chance to really go through it yet in detail. Was working on collecting information. Since I know it already needs a Master Cylinder and Booster, I figured adding the other parts and upgrading now is a good idea. Thanks for the information.
Best way to confirm this is to check on RockAuto or something and look up replacement rotors and calipers between different 4Runner years. I am 99.99% certain you will not have to change rotors to utilize the S12W calipers on an IFS truck.
Not sure if this is hijacking a thread or not, but I am in the process of swapping everything from a 91 V6 4Runner onto my 86 4cylinder. Everything is on but the master cylinder. I had it on and was dealing with some serious issues bleeding the brakes, but narrowed it down (i think) to air in the MC. Anyways, I pulled the master back off and was looking closely at the booster and I don't know if this is how it's supposed to look. Can someone verify that the area where the rod goes in and out looks okay? I'd hate go get it all back together and the culprit is some seal i can easily replace on the booster while everything is off....
When i got the booster/MC from the donor, I just pulled the entire assembly off in one piece, so when I pulled the MC off, this was the first time i separated the two and they were really one there, so I doubt they were ever separated before.
I am guessing the brakes from the 4Runner you never used ??
Just brought all the parts home correct ??
Not sure just what that is grease or some sort of sealer .
Maybe an attempt to fix a leak that really did not work .
No it is not normal
Who knows one finds strange and interesting things done to these vehicles
Never used them myself. Just pulled off another 4Runner as one piece. I hope it's not a leak. The back of the master looks fine, so I don't know? That really pisses me off though if it's a leak.
Never used them myself. Just pulled off another 4Runner as one piece. I hope it's not a leak. The back of the master looks fine, so I don't know? That really pisses me off though if it's a leak.
I'm dealing with a similar issue, bought a new master and calipers, been trying to bleed it but still feels like their is some air in the system. I wondered too if there was a gasket that makes any seal between the MC and the booster? I am the point of removing the LSPV on my 86 4runner because its just less to the equation, once I figure it out i'll plumb in a manual portioning valve under the hood by the master cylinder.
Considering trying some new SS flex lines, current ones look ok, but they may be bulging under pressore or something.
Next time I have my MC off to bleed it ill snap a pic of the booster push rod area to compare.
I'm dealing with a similar issue, bought a new master and calipers, been trying to bleed it but still feels like their is some air in the system. I wondered too if there was a gasket that makes any seal between the MC and the booster? I am the point of removing the LSPV on my 86 4runner because its just less to the equation, once I figure it out i'll plumb in a manual portioning valve under the hood by the master cylinder.
Considering trying some new SS flex lines, current ones look ok, but they may be bulging under pressore or something.
Next time I have my MC off to bleed it ill snap a pic of the booster push rod area to compare.
Well I am going to assume you know what you are doing more than me. Since ive never worked with a master cylinder before, and when I pulled it out it was still attached to the booster, I thought the splitter at the back of the MC was part of the MC. So I was trying to bleed those two lines (shouldn't have even disconnected them). Then I realize to bleed the MC I need to disconnect it from the front and side. The less things to disconnect the better. But now that the MC is out it made it much easier to really get those two lines back on the splitter. And bleeding the MC is much easier off the vehicle.
Well I am going to assume you know what you are doing more than me. Since ive never worked with a master cylinder before, and when I pulled it out it was still attached to the booster, I thought the splitter at the back of the MC was part of the MC. So I was trying to bleed those two lines (shouldn't have even disconnected them). Then I realize to bleed the MC I need to disconnect it from the front and side. The less things to disconnect the better. But now that the MC is out it made it much easier to really get those two lines back on the splitter. And bleeding the MC is much easier off the vehicle.
I don't know much more, I just learned what a master cylinder is after diagnosing my issue and looking up youtube videos, i'm not far from ya brother.
I purchased some speed bleeders from amazon online $28 for a set of a 4. Going to delete the LSPV and rebleed all 4 with the speed bleeders, hoping for success at that point.
one set is the front and another set is the for the rear.
I am still not sure if i need a gasket/seal between the booster/MC to effectively bleed the brakes? I don't think I do but when trying to solve a problem you look at all probable causes.
I ended up taking mine to Midas and had them bleed the brakes. It's really close to my house and I had enough brakes to get there...they just weren't quite as good as I thought they should be. They charged me $85 to flush the fluid and bleed everything and at this point I was more than happy to pay the money. I did all the hard stuff and now they work great!
Jul 26, 2016 | 06:49 AM
