Rotors and brake pads recommendations?

[zimdba]

Akebono vs. Hawk LTS

How does the Hawk LTS stack up against Akebono? I've heard good things about Akebono, and I've also heard that Hawk has taken a slide quality-wise since the last time I installed their pads. I guess my priorities are, in order:

1. Braking performance
2. Quiet
3. Low Dust

I don't care if they only last 50K miles as long as they meet these criteria.

 

[Brian3676]

I would agree if you can stick with OEM there's nothing wrong with that.

For a daily driver, I would also highly recommend Centric Premium Rotors and Akebono Pads. They are as good as OEM and reasonably priced. I've used hawk pads and EBC pads on various cars and Akebono hands down has less dust and noise.

I also recommend the stainless brake lines and flushing your fluid often for the 4runners cuz of the stuck calipers mentioned above.

For slide pin lube I recommend Napa Sil-Glyde.

I've done quite a few brake jobs for my cars and my family and I have found this combo to be a winner in my book. Best part is most of this can be bought with free 2 day prime shipping. Rock auto and autoanything also ship fast.

Thats because they are OEM pads. They supply Toyota and many other auto manufactures.

I use Akebono pads on lots of stuff with Centric rotors, always great. For a little more budget minded person, the Stoptech kits are great.

Napa used to be good, but now seems to just be another AutoZone type product they think is worth 40% more

 

[danronian]

I went with Brembo rotors and Akebono pads. Only a few hundred miles so far but they are great.

 

[Woodsblaster86]

My calipers seized for the second time so I went with fifth gen runner calipers they have 3mm larger pistons and haven't had the seizing issue the fourth gens too I also went with one fifth gen rotors and pads which are thicker than fourth gens rotors. So far no issues completely bolt on.

 

[Tooltime19]

How does the Hawk LTS stack up against Akebono? I've heard good things about Akebono, and I've also heard that Hawk has taken a slide quality-wise since the last time I installed their pads. I guess my priorities are, in order:

1. Braking performance
2. Quiet
3. Low Dust

I don't care if they only last 50K miles as long as they meet these criteria.

I didnt like the LTS pads compared to the higher stopping ability of the HPS pads. I tried the LTS once on my Ford Expedition and noticed a big change for the worse compared to the HPS pads I used prior on the same vehicle. The HPS pads are going away from what I hear in favor of their new super awesome 5.0 pads. I recently put these on my T4 and I can tell you, they are a great worthwhile high bite pad. One of the major reasons I have been using Hawk products over the last 20 years is because they have great cold, and amazing hot pad bite. I will not switch pads no matter what. I even put the HPS on my Charger SRT8. They were just as good if not better than the factory Brembo pads.

 

[V8T4R]

I changed to the Brembo ceramic pads and they dust a lot more than I was expecting for a ceramic type. Stopping power is about the same as was stock. I've had them on for a couple thousand miles now.

 

[Silver4RunnerIS300]

Went with EBC Rotors on my recent brake overhaul. No issues thus far. Nice coating on them and very effective after bedding them in.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/EBC-RK7237

I reused my Wagner Thermoquiet pads which still have plenty of life left in them after 30k miles so far. No issues with previous rotors either.

 

[Keyen702]

Questions for you guys who replaced the brakes yourselves

It was my first time replacing brakes and rotors as mentioned. I only had time to do both the fronts so that's what I did so far. I noticed after that there is a slight, very quiet little "swish" or a little weird sound when I barely apply the brakes. Maybe half an inch of movement on the brake pedal and you can hear the sound. Its only at that part. I'm guessing its nothing major but it annoys me and I don't don't know what it could be. Maybe its the cable? The brake pad itself? Anyone have any idea? Planning to inspect the sound more tomorrow while changing my rest pads and rotors.

BTW the sound seems to be coming from around the brake pedal area itself.

 

[BioHAzard050]

I just went with autozone duralast gold pads. Had em on several cars, no issues with wear and they stop good.










My az employee discount dosent hurt either haha. :thumb:

 

[zimdba]

I didnt like the LTS pads compared to the higher stopping ability of the HPS pads. I tried the LTS once on my Ford Expedition and noticed a big change for the worse compared to the HPS pads I used prior on the same vehicle. The HPS pads are going away from what I hear in favor of their new super awesome 5.0 pads. I recently put these on my T4 and I can tell you, they are a great worthwhile high bite pad. One of the major reasons I have been using Hawk products over the last 20 years is because they have great cold, and amazing hot pad bite. I will not switch pads no matter what. I even put the HPS on my Charger SRT8. They were just as good if not better than the factory Brembo pads.

Hmm, they don't have a rear pad listed for my vehicle in the 5.0 performance pads.

 

[Tooltime19]

Thats true. The 5.0's are a very new product. Im currently running the hps in the rear and the 5.0 in the front and I cant brag enough. Im a frequent hard aggressive driver and I just love the pad and rotor combo. Like I mentioned in earlier posts, Ive been running the Hawk HPS and Centric Power Slot slotted rotor combo for over 20 years with multiple vehicles. Good luck!

 

[zimdba]

Thats true. The 5.0's are a very new product. Im currently running the hps in the rear and the 5.0 in the front and I cant brag enough. Im a frequent hard aggressive driver and I just love the pad and rotor combo. Like I mentioned in earlier posts, Ive been running the Hawk HPS and Centric Power Slot slotted rotor combo for over 20 years with multiple vehicles. Good luck!

So the 5.0 in the front and HPS in the back? Low dust, low noise, great braking? Low fade? Sounds good to me. I'll probably replace all 4 corners when I rotate the tires.

Also, with the thread, what about rear rotors? I'm pretty sure my rear pads & rotors are OEM. Do I even need to bother?

 

[Tooltime19]

At min, have your rear rotors machined if there is enough material. My oem rears were out of tolerance. Like the fronts, I went with the slotted from Centric/Powerslot, and am very happy with the much improved stopping performance.

 

[T5RUNNER]

I can't stress enough how much you do not want drilled or slotted rotors on any street vehicle, but especially a truck that will see off-road use. They eat pads, clog with dirt, can't be resurfaced, reduce rotor surface area, and absolutely do not improve braking distance for a single panic stop.

The only thing that can effect you braking performance on a stock system is pad choice, and they are always a trade off. I love hawk pads for my track car, but find ceramics do the best overall job on trucks.

 

[Tooltime19]

Maybe if your off road of choice is mud only.
But lets just agree to disagree. I know what I know.

 

[Tooltime19]

I do agree on the cross drilled rotors however.

 

[truc.karl]

To me, centric rotors are good. For the pads, I like the bite and braking power of Hawk and Akebono.

 

[zimdba]

I ended up going with the Hawk 5.0 pads for the front, HPS for the rear, and I'll make a decision on the rotors after I get it up in the air.

I got the EBC Red Stuff for the X5 fronts.

 

[Tooltime19]

Thats awesome! You wont be sorry. Just be sure to bed them properly. They may take a couple of days for them to bed in 100%. But you will be happy im sure. Allow for cool down time when approaching your final destination during the bed in period. The biggest single mistake I encounter with brake jobs is customers driving around hard then putting the rig away with hot pads and rotors. This and sitting a a long traffic light, sitting in one spot with your foot on the brake pedal also causes hot spots and potential rotor warpage. Once they are fully bed in you wont have to worry. Our 4runners have very tight tolerances at the rear rotors thus not allowing for good rotor cooling. T4's are famous for rear rotor warpage because of this. The three off road customers who use their rigs like me have eventually went with the slotted rears and that appeared to solve the problems. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[Bumbo]

Do you need a micrometer to measure the rotors or will calipers work?

For pads, I have used Akebono and OEM... I want to say Akebono are better but it might be placebo effect, but they are nice pads.

Note:
The calibers have a recessed notched towards the top which seems to give enough clearance when dealing with the raised lip on the top of the rotor...