5th gen TE brake job...

[SShink]

Yes, I searched around T4R.ORG quite a bit before posting...

My 2013 TE KDSS needs brakes and I am trying to figure out if I should do it myself. I used to professionally build drag cars, so I have a pretty good grasp on the how-to's of brake jobs, but haven't done many newer vehicles. I just have a few questions, so I don't unknowingly screw something up...

1) Do you have to open the bleeders to get the pistons back into the calipers?
2) Are all 4 rotors "hat style" rotors, meaning that they come right-off the hub without unbolting anything?
3) Any other common pitfalls to look out for?

Thanks!

 

[marshal]

Yes, I searched around T4R.ORG quite a bit before posting...

My 2013 TE KDSS needs brakes and I am trying to figure out if I should do it myself. I used to professionally build drag cars, so I have a pretty good grasp on the how-to's of brake jobs, but haven't done many newer vehicles. I just have a few questions, so I don't unknowingly screw something up...

1) Do you have to open the bleeders to get the pistons back into the calipers?
2) Are all 4 rotors "hat style" rotors, meaning that they come right-off the hub without unbolting anything?
3) Any other common pitfalls to look out for?

Thanks!

no
yes
no

 

[SShink]

no
yes
no

I was about to question the robustness of your knowledge on this, but when I saw that 1engineer liked it, I take it as word.

Thanks for the info!

 

[TOY2G]

Yes, I searched around T4R.ORG quite a bit before posting...

My 2013 TE KDSS needs brakes and I am trying to figure out if I should do it myself. I used to professionally build drag cars, so I have a pretty good grasp on the how-to's of brake jobs, but haven't done many newer vehicles. I just have a few questions, so I don't unknowingly screw something up...

1) Do you have to open the bleeders to get the pistons back into the calipers?

Nothing has to be opened or blead to do the brakes.
2) Are all 4 rotors "hat style" rotors, meaning that they come right-off the hub without unbolting anything?
3) Any other common pitfalls to look out for?

Thanks!

1) Do you have to open the bleeders to get the pistons back into the calipers?
Nothing has to be opened or bled to do the brakes.

2) Are all 4 rotors "hat style" rotors, meaning that they come right-off the hub without unbolting anything?
All 4 rotors are held in place by the caliper mounting bracket (2 bolts each) that have to be removed before the rotor comes off. Furthermore, the rear rotors are also drums for the e-brake. so if you have ever driven with the e-brake on, you may have a little trouble removing the rotor/drum.

3) Any other common pitfalls to look out for?

Rust, you may want to plan on replacing calipers, slide pins, caliper bolts, and lug nuts if you break them. In any event, it is not a bad idea to use antiseeze on everything when you put it back together.

 

[brian0128]

How many miles did you get out of the factory brakes?

 

[SShink]

How many miles did you get out of the factory brakes?

Unfortunately, 37,900. My daily commute is stop and go on surface streets, so I rarely ever drive on the highway. I don't use my brakes hard.

 

[Greenamphibious]

Unfortunately, 37,900. My daily commute is stop and go on surface streets, so I rarely ever drive on the highway. I don't use my brakes hard.

i traded my 2011 in with 79k city miles and original brakes and they still had life on them.... you must be riding the shit out of your brakes

 

[BlacknTan]

I open the bleeder to retract the pistons since the advent of ABS.

I don't want to push possibly contaminated fluid back through the module ... And the last thing I want to do is damage an expensive ABS module!!

 

[marshal]

you could always use a c-clamp

 

[SShink]

i traded my 2011 in with 79k city miles and original brakes and they still had life on them.... you must be riding the shit out of your brakes

I certainly do not ride my brakes and only drive with one foot. The worst one was the right rear...the pad is locked-up in the caliper. The others aren't totally shot, but they will need to be replaced soon. I wonder if the upstate NY salt/winter had anything to do with it?

 

[SShink]

Pad wear, oil change with brake fluid top-off, pad wear, oil change with brake fluid top-off, pad wear, oil change with brake fluid top-off, pad wear, oil change with brake fluid top-off = a lot of fluid in the system including the reservoir

Push piston back in caliper = brake fluid all over under the hood. Hmmm, maybe opening the bleeder isn't such a bad idea as long as the reservoir is kept topped-off while I pump them back up?

 

[05Rrunner]

Everybody has their way of course but I never add brake fluid for several reasons number one it's a great indicator of pad wear real quick
second I don't like cross contaminating different brand brake fluids
Third when you slip in those new pads and you push the pistons in the fluid goes right back to the top perfect.
Fourth when it's time to do brake fluid flush I perform that with fresh sealed fluid all same brand that's a different procedure then installing brake pads.
Fifth when you open up a can of brake fluid and put it on the shelf it attracts moisture no matter how tight you put the lid on so it's very important when adding brake fluid once a year or so that you use fresh fluid not some can that's been sitting around.

 

[SShink]

Third when you slip in those new pads and you push the pistons in the fluid goes right back to the top perfect.

Except when the level has been topped-off when the oil changes were done. Then, it goes all over unless you suck some out ahead of time.

 

[05Rrunner]

Except when the level has been topped-off when the oil changes were done. Then, it goes all over unless you suck some out ahead of time.

Totally understand but I avoid that by doing all my own service including oil changes and not topping off brake fluid but point noted to others out there , however if you're having somebody else do your oil changes you're probably having somebody else do your brakes.

 

[SShink]

however if you're having somebody else do your oil changes you're probably having somebody else do your brakes.

Oil change every 10,000 miles, first 3 oil changes were free...doesn't make much sense to do that myself.
I planned on doing pads/rotors myself, but OE Toyota parts were $483 + tax from the dealership...yesterday, they quoted me $648 to do the entire job with OE Toyota parts. Hardly makes sense to kill a Saturday to save $150.
besides, I have to budget my "wife-allotted in-garage time" to finish this project;

Thanks all for the advice and info!

 

[brian0128]

Oil change every 10,000 miles, first 3 oil changes were free...doesn't make much sense to do that myself.
I planned on doing pads/rotors myself, but OE Toyota parts were $483 + tax from the dealership...yesterday, they quoted me $648 to do the entire job with OE Toyota parts. Hardly makes sense to kill a Saturday to save $150.
besides, I have to budget my "wife-allotted in-garage time" to finish this project;

Thanks all for the advice and info!

What parts were you planning on replacing for $483? Just pads and rotors all the way around?

 

[SShink]

What parts were you planning on replacing for $483? Just pads and rotors all the way around?

Correct

 

[stir_fry_boy]

Correct

OE rotors are super pricey. Pads are cheap. You should be able to resurface rotors at least once before chucking them, especially the rears. I usually don't even resurface rears at all, just throw on new pads after checking thickness of rotors, that they are in spec.

You can get super premium rotors for WAY cheaper than of price of OE. Like Centric premium for example.

Sorry, $700 for brakes every 38,000 miles is just insane. If it were my car, I'd resurface the front rotors, throw on new pads front and back and be done with it.

 

[WFO_Racer]

My then 15 year old son replaced the pads on my 2010 TE. He complained it took him longer to jack up the front end then it took him to do the pad replacement .

Easy job to do.