Talk to me about 4R front brakes

[Super-G]

So it's time to replace the front brakes on my 2002 4WD 4 Runner Sport Edition. I'm getting the squealing from the sensors so I pulled a wheel tonight and the pads are definitely low. I also measured my rotor diameter and I have the 12.5" rotors.

I've always been a guy who replaces pads and rotors instead of slapping a brand new pad on a used rotor. Plus it's just easier to buy new rotors than to pull your brakes apart, leave the car on jackstands while you drive your old rotors to a shop to be turned and pay the $$ only to come back and hour later. I'd rather just replace everything with new and be done within an hour or two.

So what's good to use? Obviously OEM would be ideal but I'm sure pricey. I saw a company on ebay from Chicago who sells 2 new drilled and slotted rotors plus ceramic pads for $105.00 shipped to my door. Anyone have any experience with these? Or is there a known company where past experience has shown them to be a good product?

This 4 Runner is a daily driver and hauls my kids around too. I don't wan't to cheap out on brakes. Any and all feedback is appreciated.

 

[blizz86]

General consensus on 3rd gen section of this forum: Perform the tundra brake upgrade. The stock brakes are definitely under engineered for the weight of our trucks, and the tundra brakes are the best mod we have performed. Plus if you are already shelling out 100 alone on good rotors, it makes sense to just upgrade to tundra components.

I used:

NAPA reman'd calipers
NAPA premium rotors
TOYOTA OEM semi metallic pads
TOYOTA OEM shims

For all these parts, i used said my truck was a 2005 Tundra V8 4x4.

I think the ceramic pads come with attached shims (alone, they are pretty pricey) but i am unsure if you can take them off in the future if you want better pads. As for performance, semi metallic has much more stopping power vs ceramic. You're looking at around 350 for everything.

 

[zooroadbaja]

I believe I read a few guys run the Brembo rotors and said they're a good alternative to the OEM ones.

 

[chrisdowling84]

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...ements-231mm-13wl-tundra-calipers-rotors.html

I used this to do my tundra upgrade. Definatly worth it, no more brake wobbling

 

[RobD]

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-g...ements-231mm-13wl-tundra-calipers-rotors.html

I used this to do my tundra upgrade. Definatly worth it, no more brake wobbling

What everyone's said thus far. I did mine yesterday. The difference in rotor size is unreal. I used the NAPA remans with their premium rotors.

 

[4yotaguy]

also, what everyone said, I plan to do the Tundra upgrade once I get my metal to metal moneys worth out of what I have left....Awesome color ride BTW, don't see many of those around where I am.

Also, if you are cautious enough to not pad-slap, I would (if not going with Tundra or Brembo) advise against off-quality brake parts on the cheap. I would rather do a pad-slap on a decent condition OEM rotor than replace the rotor with a poor quality cheapo one!