Brakes from hell, help me 4th gen 4runner crew

[Otgixxer]

So since I bought my 4runner 4 years ago, the rear brakes have always been an issue.

My rear drivers side has always been super hot, like to point of making spit sizzle.

So about 2 years ago I replaced the brake pads and found the rear drivers caliper was stuck. No problem I just replaced it and bled the brakes.

Well even after that they still ran kind hot, so I just let it be and forgot about it.

Well a few weeks ago my brakes started pulsing so I figured it would be a good time to do everything. Front and Rear.

I bought all new pads (medium quality) and rotors (medium quality) from the local auto parts store, and started wrenching. Now i've done brakes on my uncles 4th gen and he had a stuck front caliper so I made sure to double check mine.

Front drivers side had 1/2 of the caliper stuck, so I replaced it. Passenger side was all rusty and the boots were falling apart so I replaced it too.

Rear rotors were stuck in place with the might of thor as usual and it took a lifetime to remove them (crud built up in the ebrake area so the pads were sticking to the rotor and didnt want to come off...etc)

So I finally get the rear rotors off, buy a brake hardware kit and replace any parts looking worn or ugly. Slap everything together then bleed the brakes.

I have a air powered brake bleeder, so I connected to my compressor and started with the back right, then back left, then passenger front, and finally drivers side.

I go to drive the 4runner and the brakes feel spongy. hmmm must not have gotten all the air out.

I bleed them 3 more time in the same procedure, and still acting the same.

few days go by and I had a buddy come over and we manually bled the fronts and nothing but clean fluid came out of the lines in the 10 minutes or so I spent on them.

Still brakes are spongy and feel like crap.

Fast forward a bit and I go to put my boat in the water (long hill on the way to the ramp) and my rear drivers brake is again hot as ****, this time smoking it was so hot.

after it sat over night the rear brakes started clicking when I go in reverse. I take the rotor off and its god some rust on the inside of the rotor, so i sand it up and it seems to not make the noise anymore. I imagine it was just the shoes sticking on the rotor/drum as they went around.

Yes I had the key on when bleeding the brakes, i've been working on cars for 20 something years and never had any issues.

I have an appointment on saturday for a shop to try and bleed the brakes for me, i'm to the point where I just dont know wtf is wrong.

My thought is the fronts are not bled all the way so the rears are over compensating and making them run super hot... but I dont understand why they arnt bled....

I'm almost to the point where I take it to a toyota shop and just have ****ing everything replaced... its driving me insane.

Ideas guys??

 

[TechWrench]

Just a thought about the rear brakes. The pads fit kinda close in the calipers, and with the small spring clips at the bottom of each pad, there isn't much room for error there. I have found, over the years, that in many cases, rust build up, under where the spring clips sit, can cause the clips to ride up and tighten up against the pad backing plate. This will not allow the pads to retract properly when the pressure on the pedal is released. If you haven't already, remove the pads and these clips and using a file, clean all the rust out of these slots. When done, I use a little bit of never-seize under the clips when re-installing them. When you install the pads, they should fit snuggly, but be able to move back and forth with little effort. If they are too tight, there is something (probably rust build up) causing them to bind. Once I learned this 'trick', I have not had any problems with pads sticking again.

 

[Otgixxer]

Just a thought about the rear brakes. The pads fit kinda close in the calipers, and with the small spring clips at the bottom of each pad, there isn't much room for error there. I have found, over the years, that in many cases, rust build up, under where the spring clips sit, can cause the clips to ride up and tighten up against the pad backing plate. This will not allow the pads to retract properly when the pressure on the pedal is released. If you haven't already, remove the pads and these clips and using a file, clean all the rust out of these slots. When done, I use a little bit of never-seize under the clips when re-installing them. When you install the pads, they should fit snuggly, but be able to move back and forth with little effort. If they are too tight, there is something (probably rust build up) causing them to bind. Once I learned this 'trick', I have not had any problems with pads sticking again.

Good advice man, I'm going to do that tonight :cheer2:

 

[nevada]

ive seen it happen MANY times...
are you sure all the calipers are on the correct side?
with the bleeder on TOP?

 

[Otgixxer]

ive seen it happen MANY times...
are you sure all the calipers are on the correct side?
with the bleeder on TOP?

yes

replaced them 1 at a time.

I seem to have sorted out the spongy brakes by doing more manual bleeding.

 

[Otgixxer]

Just a thought about the rear brakes. The pads fit kinda close in the calipers, and with the small spring clips at the bottom of each pad, there isn't much room for error there. I have found, over the years, that in many cases, rust build up, under where the spring clips sit, can cause the clips to ride up and tighten up against the pad backing plate. This will not allow the pads to retract properly when the pressure on the pedal is released. If you haven't already, remove the pads and these clips and using a file, clean all the rust out of these slots. When done, I use a little bit of never-seize under the clips when re-installing them. When you install the pads, they should fit snuggly, but be able to move back and forth with little effort. If they are too tight, there is something (probably rust build up) causing them to bind. Once I learned this 'trick', I have not had any problems with pads sticking again.

So this afternoon, I man'd up and replaced the ebrake shoes, i'm actually getting pretty good at it, and replaced them with no problems. I cleaned every part, sanded and filed the pads to make sure they moved smoothly, even got a ebrake hardware kit and replaced the old parts and springs.

So I got to test drive and its pulsing like crazy just driving with no brakes on at all. I pull in front of my house to check things and the drivers rear is really hot again, but only in the middle of the rotor, indicating to me that its the ebrake on that side catching.

I'm thinking since that rotor was hot to the point it was smoking a few days ago that the rotor on that side is warped, so I am going to buy another rotor tomorrow morning and retest.

Question for you guys, whats the procedure for setting the ebrake tension after replacing them?

I backed them all the way out then slowly tightened till I felt them grab a bit, then backed them off 1/2 turn.

Ebrake seems to work as it stops the truck, but maybe I have them set to tight? Having them backed all the way out seems like they will be to loose :dunno:

 

[TechWrench]

So this afternoon, I man'd up and replaced the ebrake shoes, i'm actually getting pretty good at it, and replaced them with no problems. I cleaned every part, sanded and filed the pads to make sure they moved smoothly, even got a ebrake hardware kit and replaced the old parts and springs.

So I got to test drive and its pulsing like crazy just driving with no brakes on at all. I pull in front of my house to check things and the drivers rear is really hot again, but only in the middle of the rotor, indicating to me that its the ebrake on that side catching.

I'm thinking since that rotor was hot to the point it was smoking a few days ago that the rotor on that side is warped, so I am going to buy another rotor tomorrow morning and retest.

Question for you guys, whats the procedure for setting the ebrake tension after replacing them?

I backed them all the way out then slowly tightened till I felt them grab a bit, then backed them off 1/2 turn.

Ebrake seems to work as it stops the truck, but maybe I have them set to tight? Having them backed all the way out seems like they will be to loose :dunno:

First, the brake shoe system inside the rear disc rotors isn't an e-brake, and wasn't designed to stop a moving vehicle. It is actually just a parking brake, designed to hold vehicle in place when parked only.

According to the manual, (and assuming the system parts are installed correctly and in good working order) with the rear wheels off and the lug nuts installed (to hold the rotor in proper alignment) you are supposed to tighten the adjuster until the shoes disk locks, then loosen the adjuster until the disk turns smoothly, about 8 clicks. Also check that when adjusted properly, it should take about 5-7 clicks of ratchet assembly when depressing pedal to engage parking brake.

 

[Otgixxer]

First, the brake shoe system inside the rear disc rotors isn't an e-brake, and wasn't designed to stop a moving vehicle. It is actually just a parking brake, designed to hold vehicle in place when parked only.

According to the manual, (and assuming the system parts are installed correctly and in good working order) with the rear wheels off and the lug nuts installed (to hold the rotor in proper alignment) you are supposed to tighten the adjuster until the shoes disk locks, then loosen the adjuster until the disk turns smoothly, about 8 clicks. Also check that when adjusted properly, it should take about 5-7 clicks of ratchet assembly when depressing pedal to engage parking brake.

Although I could have gone without the explanation of what a parking brake is, I appreciate the info.

I will be replacing the rotor this am and giving it a shot, fingers crossed this is the last of it for awhile. I need a break (pun intended)

 

[Dylan]

Just a thought about the rear brakes. The pads fit kinda close in the calipers, and with the small spring clips at the bottom of each pad, there isn't much room for error there. I have found, over the years, that in many cases, rust build up, under where the spring clips sit, can cause the clips to ride up and tighten up against the pad backing plate. This will not allow the pads to retract properly when the pressure on the pedal is released. If you haven't already, remove the pads and these clips and using a file, clean all the rust out of these slots. When done, I use a little bit of never-seize under the clips when re-installing them. When you install the pads, they should fit snuggly, but be able to move back and forth with little effort. If they are too tight, there is something (probably rust build up) causing them to bind. Once I learned this 'trick', I have not had any problems with pads sticking again.

I think this is happening with my driver's rear caliper. I knew there were notorious issues with the fronts, but the rears had an issue when I installed the pad. They pad wouldn't seat well in the channel. I used a wire brush, but probably need to go back with the file like you explained because I don't think I got enough cleaned out. I hear an occasional pop in the back from the pad finally releasing after being stuck from the channel.

 

[shahsmerdis]

I think this is happening with my driver's rear caliper. I knew there were notorious issues with the fronts, but the rears had an issue when I installed the pad. They pad wouldn't seat well in the channel. I used a wire brush, but probably need to go back with the file like you explained because I don't think I got enough cleaned out. I hear an occasional pop in the back from the pad finally releasing after being stuck from the channel.

This is definitely happening to me.

I have to file them down, the rear pads are not sitting correctly. they have to be jammed in. the clips are gone at this point. Filing them down and replacing them putting in new retaining clips. OEM of course. and see what happens. might just do a 5th gen upgrade if things really start to piss me off.

thanks

 

[shahsmerdis]

Although I could have gone without the explanation of what a parking brake is, I appreciate the info.

I will be replacing the rotor this am and giving it a shot, fingers crossed this is the last of it for awhile. I need a break (pun intended)

Did you ever get this fixed?

 

[Dylan]

This is definitely happening to me.

I have to file them down, the rear pads are not sitting correctly. they have to be jammed in. the clips are gone at this point. Filing them down and replacing them putting in new retaining clips. OEM of course. and see what happens. might just do a 5th gen upgrade if things really start to piss me off.

thanks

I ended up just getting new OEM rears with a lifetime NAPA warranty. Problem solved.

 

[subspd]

So new rear rotors fixed the issue?

 

[shahsmerdis]

So new rear rotors fixed the issue?

Pretty sure caliper.