2006 4runner brake frustration

[sajer]

First time post , long time lurker.

I have 2006 limited that decided to give us trouble on a trip last month through the Appalachian mountains. Nothing like flying down a steep grade and the brakes decide to start shaking and jumping during heavy traffic. Yeah, it was awesome.

So we got home and I did some research and felt like it had some issues with possible brake buildup on the front rotors. When I bought this truck late last year the pads were new as were the calipers and tied rods. The rotors looked resurface , so I was a bit concerned there were more issues. After tearing apart the brakes and cleaning them up the shaking stopped , though there was some judder in the brake pedal. Over the last couple of weeks it got worse and the truck started shaking when pressure was applied.

So I ordered new Higher end centric rotors along with some of the powerstop evolution pads. Got them on and bled the brakes and then broke them in per the instruction. Braking was fantastic and no shaking! I thought I had it.

So I drive to gas station about 10 miles away with no stops to let the brakes cool and boom the front starts shaking again. I check the rims for heat and the front left feels a little warm, but nothing major in 90 degree heat. Drive home and make two slow brake stops and the truck is shaking like crazy now? I check the rim again and you can feel the heat and smell the burn.

When I changed the pads I checked the caliper pistons for movement and they all moved.

Any ideas what else might have gone wrong?

Sorry for wall of text guys.

thanks

 

[4Reak Show]

I would go back to basics. I've seen it over and over where the high end expensive brake pads and such turn out to be garbage for a daily driver. I always suggest to use just basic el cheapo napa brake pads and slap those on.
Also, don't forget about the rear! Especially if it's rear disk. A front brake issue would traditionally shimmy in the steering wheel as well as the pedal whereas a rear issue word shimmy in the seam of your pants (more so the body of the vehicle) and the pedal. Likely excessive runout of a rotor when it heats up.
Buuuut there are a few other things for free I would try:
Make sure your front bearings are in good shape. With front end lifted, put one hand on top of tire tread and one hand on the bottom and wiggle. Hard. You're looking for ANY play. You may feel a noticeable clunk if it's bad enough. Also check side-to-side with hands on the fore and aft of the tread for steering tie rod play. You just don't know.
Don't forget, the tires are actually the item that literally stops the vehicle by gripping the road. Brakes stop the tire, the tire grabs the road and the vehicle stops. Try and duplicate the issue and see if you feel it more in a specific corner, then move the suspected tire to the kiddy corner and see if it follows the suspected tired.
Let us know what you find out and good luck

 

[sajer]

Well , I pulled the left front wheel and went back over everything and inspected the pads and rotor. I then checked the pistons on the caliper and the lower inner is not retracting or expanding now.

So if the lower was not putting enough pressure on the inside lower would that cause the violent shaking?

Guess im going to NAPA tomorrow morning and picking up a new caliper. This easy bake job is getting pricey.

thanks guys

 

[4Reak Show]

Well , I pulled the left front wheel and went back over everything and inspected the pads and rotor. I then checked the pistons on the caliper and the lower inner is not retracting or expanding now.

So if the lower was not putting enough pressure on the inside lower would that cause the violent shaking?

Guess im going to NAPA tomorrow morning and picking up a new caliper. This easy bake job is getting pricey.

thanks guys

I always say you gotta fix what you know is broken before going any further. You know the caliper is f*cked so gotta do that either way. We always do it in pairs seeing as how they have equal use. Definitely start there and see what happens

 

[oljedi11950]

Just an FYI if getting new calipers , NAPA worked great on son's 05 , some of the guys have had decent luck using 5th calipers being how we haven't(knockonwood) problems so far ! But ya get a pr 10-1 gonna happen other side .

 

[Nostromo]

Yup, I just went through the same thing. I have 190k on a 2005 SR5 4x2 and I am on my 4th or 5th set of calipers. It's a common problem and there are dozens of threads. I recently replaced all 4 calipers after thoroughly flushing my brake fluid. I plan to go nuclear on the brake fluid replacement (maybe every year) to see if I can get a little more life out of the calipers but like a previous poster noted the bleed screw on the front calipers is on the top and the fluid in the bottom probably does not get purged. I don't know but it makes sense. For the moment I have nice smooth brake but who knows how long that will last.

 

[sajer]

Well , NAPA had the front left caliper in stock , but no right. So i installed and bled brakes and so far after about a 5 mile trip no heat buildup, breaking is solid, no smell of burning, and best of all no shakin!

I will see how it is on the trip to work tomorrow and next weekend I will replace the right side just in case. I hope this is the last of it for awhile!

Thanks guys