Front Brake Pad Life!
- Thread starter Koz
- Start date
Ghostrider
Registered User
Did my fronts over the July Fourth week. I had 68K and could have gone atr least 10K more but I was doing other stuff and wanted to get it done. I replaced rotors with Brembos and OEM pads. I kept the old rotors and will get them turned for future use.
You DEFINITELY do not need to remove the caliper bolts during the front brake pad replacement. Doing so is asking for more trouble in the future. You pull the spring clip, tap the pins out with a nail or properly sized punch, lift the pads out, compress the pistons using a pair of channellocks as mentioned above or a small prybar, slip the new pads in an you are done. Also, pads below 40% will not damage rotors. Pads at 10% won't either. Pads at 0 will though, so 10% is a good place to change. Milling rotors is ok but you will rewarp eventually. All rotors can and do warp, so the ones at autozone etc are probably good enough.
I have to be really honest. I hear a lot of pretty bogus advice on this forum when it comes to maintenance especially. Kind of like the advice people give when they really don't know what the heck they are talking about, or worse yet they know a LITTLE and they make it go a long way. If you are getting 20k out of a set of pads, you are driving like a retard. If your rears wear out first, well I guess I just don't believe that unless there is a mechanical malfunction.
Also, what many of you people consider 4wheeling is nothing more than driving on a dirt road. If you actually did wheel, then pics of a g-wagen in a mud puddle wouldn't give you all chubbies. Wheel you junk, break it, then learn to fix it right. Then give advice. I mean christ, there are people talking tech on here that don't even have confidence in their skills enough to change oil with out getting all panicky about it.
Those of you with REAL ideas, tech needs, etc. CHeck out ih8mud.com or pirate4x4.com for an eye opener.
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Rant over
I have to be really honest. I hear a lot of pretty bogus advice on this forum when it comes to maintenance especially. Kind of like the advice people give when they really don't know what the heck they are talking about, or worse yet they know a LITTLE and they make it go a long way. If you are getting 20k out of a set of pads, you are driving like a retard. If your rears wear out first, well I guess I just don't believe that unless there is a mechanical malfunction.
Also, what many of you people consider 4wheeling is nothing more than driving on a dirt road. If you actually did wheel, then pics of a g-wagen in a mud puddle wouldn't give you all chubbies. Wheel you junk, break it, then learn to fix it right. Then give advice. I mean christ, there are people talking tech on here that don't even have confidence in their skills enough to change oil with out getting all panicky about it.
Those of you with REAL ideas, tech needs, etc. CHeck out ih8mud.com or pirate4x4.com for an eye opener.
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Rant over
Koz
New member
meatball said:
Contrary to what you may think, worn pads will generate more heat and transfer it in a braking system. Not only to the rotors, but also generate more heat to the calipers and brake fluid. Compressing the pistons with pliers or a pry bar could damage the pistons (rocking back and forth), seals, or the calipers themselves. Pistons should be compressed as straight as possible. Pads with 10% material left could very well cause problems. Each vehicle
Koz
New member
meatball said:
I also pull a trailer 3 to 4 times a year.
Thanks for the apology, no big deal!
The friction material does act as an insulator but unfortunately is does absorb and dissipate heat. Nowhere near as much as metal, but it does. The less material (mass), the more heat transferred. This is why some worn pads overheat and glaze. This in turn overheats the rotors and calipers. Many times, stuck pistons and warped rotors can be caused by this overheating.
Koz
greasefingers
New member
Koz you stinkin Taco driver, jump-ship Lexus lover, Amsoil user Jerzey HICK! :chair: I have never used the Chair-beater Smilie, so I thought this would be a good time.
greasefingers
New member
A blower on a Taco is just too cool. Now it
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I am at 34,500 and will be doing fronts VERY soon. Starting to pulsate and it drives me crazy. That is about as far as I have gotten on any car's brakes. Finanially - it is hitting hard. All of a sudden I will have to get new brakes (rotors turned), 4 new tires spark plugs, filters and I am buying the Toyota 100k warranty. Overall, this will likely cost about $2,000. Rough month! To top it all off my wife just got a new Honda Odyssey.
Elusive
New member
easy to do
Tom,
the job to replace the pads and rotors is very easy. I just changed out my pads last weekend, due to a squeak. I still had about 50-60% of the pads left and could have just lubed everything back up, but just chose to put the new pads on. The rotors will knock off pretty easy so in all it is a quick job. If you just need to replace the pads there is not need to take off the caliper, just compress pistons with channel locks, lube anti squeel shims, pins and put back together.
you should check out this site. Though its for a 3rd gen, it is mostly the same.
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/4Runner/?
Tom,
the job to replace the pads and rotors is very easy. I just changed out my pads last weekend, due to a squeak. I still had about 50-60% of the pads left and could have just lubed everything back up, but just chose to put the new pads on. The rotors will knock off pretty easy so in all it is a quick job. If you just need to replace the pads there is not need to take off the caliper, just compress pistons with channel locks, lube anti squeel shims, pins and put back together.
you should check out this site. Though its for a 3rd gen, it is mostly the same.
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/4Runner/?
So do those "pad retaining pins" just slide out? Also, is that retaining spring just exposed, or does it become exposed after removing the retaining clip/pins? Also, will a squeeze clamp work as well as a metal c-clamp for the caliper? It also states to let some brake fluid out while pressing the calipers for the new pads - did anyone find this necessary?
This is where I got my information: http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/4Runner/maintenance/brakes/
This is where I got my information: http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/4Runner/maintenance/brakes/
TechWrench
Senior Member
tomhaney1 said:
You may have difficulty using a C-type clamp to compress the front caliper pistons in because of their design. It is a four piston type caliper, so all four pistons have to be seated. Also, as long as you haven't added any brake fluid to the system, you shouldn't have to remove any in order to install the new pads. The fluid will be pushed back up the brake lines into the reservoir and return the level to normal. If, however, someone has 'topped' off the fluid level, then you may have to remove some.
Elusive
New member
The pins are held in place by a couple clips that are easy to pull out with needle nose or goose neck pliers. If they are a little dirty you can use a nail and lightly tap with a hammer to help free them out, but i didn't have to.
It is correct you wont need to drain any fluid. when you compress the pistons, just do both pistons on the same side at the same time and slowly. just imagine a pair of these in each hand.
It is correct you wont need to drain any fluid. when you compress the pistons, just do both pistons on the same side at the same time and slowly. just imagine a pair of these in each hand.
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Recently, all of my brake warning lights came on while driving and stayed on. I pulled over, turned the car off, turned the car back on and since then, I have not seen the brake warning light.
I took the car in to the dealership for a regular service and they say that the lights came on because my pads were ready to be replaced. I have about 17k miles on it. The service person said that I had about 20% pad life left.
17k seems pretty early to me. I remember when I used to drive Hondas and had to replace front pads about every 20k.
Funny thing is, I had an 04 4runner with the same specifications as my current 06 and I think I got 25k or slightly more out of my first set of front pads. Has the pad compound possibly changed?
Hawk
I took the car in to the dealership for a regular service and they say that the lights came on because my pads were ready to be replaced. I have about 17k miles on it. The service person said that I had about 20% pad life left.
17k seems pretty early to me. I remember when I used to drive Hondas and had to replace front pads about every 20k.
Funny thing is, I had an 04 4runner with the same specifications as my current 06 and I think I got 25k or slightly more out of my first set of front pads. Has the pad compound possibly changed?
Hawk
