Front Brakes

[Berry]

Recently purchased a new/old 1998 4Runner Limited and have been basically checking everything out. Never had a 4 wheel drive before and impressed with how this 4Runner is built. I did have a question and it's not an issue just curious about the front brake lines. I have done quite a few brake jobs on various autos I have owned but never have a seen a solid steel brake line that feeds directly into the caliper. Every single car I have worked on down to my BMW has flexible lines. Is this normal and do you have to actually remove the line from the front caliper when working on front brakes?

 

[Uneek]

Unless I'm mistaken, I believe the 3rd gen also had fixed 4-piston front calipers. Can't speak specifically on the 3rd gen, but if the setup is similar to the 4th gen, it's a hard line from the caliper to part way up the spindle arm and then it's a flexible line. If you need to remove the caliper, there's a bracket that holds the hard line on the spindle arm. Once the bolt to the bracket is removed, it'll give you the room needed to move the caliper around.

You don't need to remove the caliper when changing the pads. There are two pins that hold brake pads in place. On the end of each pin there is a clip, remove that clip and the pins will slide out. Once the pins are out, the pads will slide out of the caliper.

 

[Berry]

Unless I'm mistaken, I believe the 3rd gen also had fixed 4-piston front calipers. Can't speak specifically on the 3rd gen, but if the setup is similar to the 4th gen, it's a hard line from the caliper to part way up the spindle arm and then it's a flexible line. If you need to remove the caliper, there's a bracket that holds the hard line on the spindle arm. Once the bolt to the bracket is removed, it'll give you the room needed to move the caliper around.

You don't need to remove the caliper when changing the pads. There are two pins that hold brake pads in place. On the end of each pin there is a clip, remove that clip and the pins will slide out. Once the pins are out, the pads will slide out of the caliper.

Thanks for your reply-What if the rotor needs to be removed? Also could those lines be replaced with lets say steel braided lines or rubber?

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Thanks for your reply-What if the rotor needs to be removed? Also could those lines be replaced with lets say steel braided lines or rubber?

If the rotor needs to come off you can remove the support bracket for the line and allow it to flex as a "caliper assembly" on the rubber portion of the line. All rules still apply: Be gentle, don't hang the caliper on the rubber hose etc.

There's no reason you couldn't have a braded stainless line.


I know it seems like a pain but how often do the rotors come off? You're talking about having to remove two (maybe it's 4) extra bolts, not that big of a deal IMHO.

Keep in mind I'm a 4th gen guy but I'm pretty sure it's the same setup.

 

[Berry]

If the rotor needs to come off you can remove the support bracket for the line and allow it to flex as a "caliper assembly" on the rubber portion of the line. All rules still apply: Be gentle, don't hang the caliper on the rubber hose etc.

There's no reason you couldn't have a braded stainless line.


I know it seems like a pain but how often do the rotors come off? You're talking about having to remove two (maybe it's 4) extra bolts, not that big of a deal IMHO.

Keep in mind I'm a 4th gen guy but I'm pretty sure it's the same setup.

Thanks for the reply!