Remanufactured calipers- Any better/worse than others? NASTRA, RAYBESTOS, etc?

[Cape 4RUNNER]

Front right caliper locked up, rather than wait for the left to go as well I am going to replace both front calipers. Due to outrageous Toyota prices I am looking to purchase online from RockAuto.

Are there any brands of remanuf calipers that are better or worse than others (Beck-Arnely, A-1, NASTRA, Raybestos)? Also should I get loaded or semi loaded calipers? Does it matter?

Many thanks!! :hatsoff:

 

[Jed]

I'm pretty sure that all remanufactured calipers use an original Toyota core. I researched this a while back and came up empty.

I went with Raybestos remans. They have a slightly different dust boot design than the OEM boots, so I'm hoping that they will not seize. The only bad thing about remans is that the calipers themselves tend to develop a coating of surface rust after driving just one time in the rain. At least my OEM calipers weren't all rusty right away. Still though, I'll trade off surface rust for frozen pistons any time.

 

[Cape 4RUNNER]

Any input on wether to get them semi or fully loaded?

 

[Jed]

Either way is fine as long as you don't care which pads are included. Personally, I'd just get the calipers and then buy pads of my choice separately.

 

[offshorebear]

I'm going to subscribe to this thread because I'm tired of the crappy Toyota's seizing every 10k miles.

 

[chayos00]

I'm going to subscribe to this thread because I'm tired of the crappy Toyota's seizing every 10k miles.

My god! I'd be overdue for 3 sets or calipers, if that were the case!

You guys have me worried about this. Damned shitty manufacturing! Hopefully my 2008 will be spared from eating that bullet!

 

[Jed]

My god! I'd be overdue for 3 sets or calipers, if that were the case!

You guys have me worried about this. Damned shitty manufacturing! Hopefully my 2008 will be spared from eating that bullet!

It seems like a fact of life for those of us who live where they salt the roads. I'm not saying that it ONLY happens on vehicles driven on salty roads, but I do think road salt plays a big role in the pistons seizing. Mine were a gigantic rusty mess. I should have taken a picture of them before I turned them in for the core return money.

 

[paraordnance]

is there quick and sure way to check if they seized? I'm still on extended warranty and will make them replace it if they seized.

 

[Cape 4RUNNER]

is there quick and sure way to check if they seized? I'm still on extended warranty and will make them replace it if they seized.

I think they only way would be to take them apart. My front right is seized and I notice no difference driving or braking (no pulling to one side and no abnormalities)

 

[Cape 4RUNNER]

Just an update:

I ordered two calipers for left and right front brakes, it only cost 73 a caliper after core so I figure why not when the pads need replacing anyways and the caliper is 110k miles old and likely due to freeze soon.

I went with the Raybestos professional grade remanuf calipers from RockAuto.com and the Raybestos professional grade cermanic pads to go alone with them. Total price shipped came to $310, minues the $110 core prices upon return of my old calipers I am looking at a total cost of $200 for the front calipers + pads + whatever install costs come to. Not bad. Ill be using NAPA premium rotors as well.

I will update you all once everything is installed!!

 

[Jed]

is there quick and sure way to check if they seized? I'm still on extended warranty and will make them replace it if they seized.

If they are seized, the pads will wear unevenly. It's actually really easy to see through the slot in the back of the caliper.

If you really want to be sure, it's as simple as pulling the pins and sliding the pads out and then you can see if the pistons can be pushed back into their bores.

 

[Pilotmatt]

I just had my calipers checked at a shop when I had a bunch of other mx done. Sure enough the rear calipers were seizing with pads down to 10% and 20%. The fronts were still at 65% and working fine.

$650 total for reman calipers, pads, rotors, and labor.

$650 for timing belt, water pump, coolant, etc.

$100 for spark plugs ($14 each for oe iridium! I didn't feel like shopping around.)

$50 for sull synthetic oil change.

I really hope the mx is not like this often! Already did the accessory belt a few months back. Tires and refinished wheels to go ($1100).

 

[tsi71dp]

Brakes

I am new to the forum and 1st time owner of a Toyota.
Purchased a 2005 SR5, really like it.

I knew it was going to need brakes and tires, and believe me it was part of the deal. Took it into the shop, left front rotor was toast, ended up with;

1. New left and right front rotors, back rotors turned, ceramic pads all around,
calipers checked out, etc. Over 3 hours time, cost $725, and this is without what I will need to buy below for around $150.

Now this will blow your mind;

I knew something was wrong with the parking brake, but never did I think
that the entire parking brake assy on the left rear would be gone! Only the parking brake cable was there! I am ordering all the parts to rebuild the parking brake.

It sounds like all you guys are really into taking care of your trucks like I am.

Anyway, after I get the brakes all back to my expectations, I will be going after new tires. I'm trying to hold off on the new tires so I can do a 3/2 lift and put bigger tires on it than what it came with, along with wheel spacers.

Anyway, really like the site.

 

[Jed]

The rear calipers? That's very unusual.... the rears are a floating caliper design that tends not to have problems. It's the front calipers that are a 4-piston fixed design that seems to be the big issue on the 4th gen (and soon to be a problem on the 5th gen too!)

 

[Pilotmatt]

It wouldn't surprise me if I got screwed out of a brake job, but the truck brakes like new now. What else can it possibly need now? If the engine goes out I'm going to park it in the middle of the lake in Feb and watch it go away in April.

 

[oblivionis]

I purchased Centric re-manufactured calipers, Centric rotors and EBC Greenstuff pads. All this from autopartswarehouse.com for $326 delivered. Car-X quoted me $960 to get all that done. It took me 1 hr 40 minutes to install everything. The calipers look almost exactly the same as stock but they were powder-coated so I shouldn't have problems with rusting. My wife called me this morning on her way to work saying that somebody cut her off on the highway causing her to to slam on the brakes and they worked great.

BTW, the reason I replaced calipers, rotors and pads was because the front rotors were warped and I was suspecting that a seizing caliper was causing them to over heat.

 

[Jed]

... The calipers look almost exactly the same as stock but they were powder-coated so I shouldn't have problems with rusting.

Are you sure they are powdercoated? I've never seen that from a caliper manufacturer....much less a discount manufacturer like Centric!

 

[PWGUNNY]

Hmmm!
I have an '04 v6 sport 4x4 and I just had a seized right front caliper. The week before my buddy with the same truck had his calipers replaced. I have 87,000 miles, my buddy has 48,000 miles.

 

[charlier180]

The rear calipers? That's very unusual.... the rears are a floating caliper design that tends not to have problems. It's the front calipers that are a 4-piston fixed design that seems to be the big issue on the 4th gen (and soon to be a problem on the 5th gen too!)

I suspect that my DS rear calipers may be seized as well. The one pad is less than half as thick as the other one. That is is worst one of the four. Two of the other four also seem to be wearing noticeably unevenly. Only the PS Front caliper has pads that are about the same thickness and are much thicker than the other three wheels.

I have an appointment at the dealer next week to have things checked out.
From my reading, the Toyota Platinum Extended Warranty should cover any caliper replacements I need. The rotors are a different matter. Have not noticed and shimmy so hopefully the rotors are ok. I will see when it comes to the pads. I can't see how Toyota can say the kind of pad wear I have (with < 35K miles) is "normal". Time will tell. Will report back next week.

 

[Jaybob7]

Correct Caliper Size

So I am going to replace my front calipers on my 2004 4Runner (SR5, V6, 4WD). My caliper is stamped with "WL" initials. After much research, I am going to go with Raybestos. There are two models listed in RockAuto for Raybestos calipers.

I have 17" wheels.

Do I need 13.30" or 12.5" calipers?

FRC11550 - 12.5"
FRC11549 - 12.5"

FRC11557 - 13.30"
FRC11558 - 13.30"

Thanks!
Jay