Hey all,

I am getting ready to change the front brake pads on my 94 pickup. This is the first brake job I've had to do on it. Just wondering if there are any quick changing tips you guys could give me.

 

Make sure you have the 54mm socket for the axle nut. A torque wrench is a good thing to have too.

Steve

 

You dont need that stuff just to change pads. The only tools I use, just to change pads, are a lugwrench, floorjack, jackstand, needle nose pliers, large slipjoint pliers or screwdriver, fine sand paper, disk brake grease. Loosen lugnuts, jack up truck, support with stand, remove wheel, remove spring clip wires, remove 2 pins, pads fall out. Install is reverse. Just remember to use the screwdriver and slipjoint plires along with the old pad to push the caliper pistons back into the caliper, otherwise the new pads wont fit. Watch the level of fluid in the brake fluid res. so it dont overflow. Clean the rust and junk off the areas of the caliper that the pads move withen with the sandpaper. Put a small coating of disk brake grease on the slide path. Do the same with the pins. Put it all together. Check brakefluid. Do other side the same way. before you drive it, crank it up, slowly depress the brake pedel several times untill it is firm. Now test. A lot of us, myself included will use a torque wrench to tighten the lugs to 80 to 90 ft lbs in a star pattern for alum. rims so as not to threaten the trueness of the rotors.

 

Oh that's right! I was thinking rotor. Good catch.

Steve

 

Finally started this job today. Wouldn't as bad as I thought it would be. I was thinking that I would have to have the rotors turned, but they turned out being ok for now. I think I'm going to look into buying new rotors and installing them in the summer. The rotors on it look like they've been turned a couple times already.

 

Usually people say not to turn toyota rotors, they're too thin. My chiltons says not to. I think there was a thread on the main forum where some people said they turned their rotors and they warped quick.

Just a FYI.

Steve

 

When you push the pistions back into the caliper I would sugguest open the bleeder screw. This way you don't back flush any junk out of the caliper into the brake system. You will need to bleed the brakes after you do it this way.

 

I always push the pistons back on the caliper. As a matter of fact I found a bad caliper while doing this. I had to replace the brake pads and the drivers side caliper.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Robinhood150
[B]Usually people say not to turn toyota rotors, they're too thin. My chiltons says not to. I think there was a thread on the main forum where some people said they turned their rotors and they warped quick.


I heard that also but I couldn't flip for the new rotors when I last changed my pads so I went ahead and had it done and just told myself that if they warp then I'll get new ones. well, that was about 10k miles ago and they seem to be still better than they were. I miked the thickness before and after the turning/shaving they were still well above the minimum recommended thickness. It may be the kind of driving that is done also. I try not to slam the brakes on unless I wake up while speeding through a school zone, hey, it happens here as many schools there are in Houston. I also don't ride them unless I'm going down a steep incline while wheeling.