Vastly different wear on front driver's brake pads

[Metzbower]

I just had new tires installed and looked at the front brake pads. The driver's front outer pad looked great, but the inner pad had most of its lining worn off. What can cause this?

I read through the Hane's manual for replacing the pads and it seems straight forward, but I still would want the rotors turned, which I can not do. So I am having a local Toyota-only shop do the front pads, and check out the rear.

I am thinking labor should be about an hour to do the front, including turning the rotors. Is this reasonable?

I am at 104k miles on the original pads, do the rotors really need to be turned/trued up? There is just the slightest 'lip' where the pads did not touch the outside edge of the rotor.

Thanks!

 

[fourwd1]

A frozen piston in one side of the caliper would make the other side work harder and wear faster.

 

[TechWrench]

I believe all 4th gen's have the 4 piston front calipers. In most cases, the inside pistons (usually the lower one) seize up first. With this type of caliper, the pad on the same side as the piston will wear out first, because the piston doesn't relax after use, which causes the pad to maintain contact with the rotor and wear faster.

 

[Metzbower]

Thanks - that might account a little for my mileage decreasing recently. I am not feeling any pulsing when I brake, so hopefully there is no rotor warp. And I just got the the third set of tires - went from stock Dunlops to Yokohama Geolanders, now to Michelin Latitude Tour, so I am hoping the mileage goes back to around 19 mph overall. I put 104k miles on the original brakes, but with a lot of highway driving, I'm not surprised. I'll get the pads back, or at least see them, to find out if the passenger front has the same wear.

 

[KB084RUNNER]

Read this thread....it is long but worth it.


http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/57869-frozen-calipers-how-many-others-had-problem.html

 

[Metzbower]

It only needed new pads in the front, and was good to go. No seized pistons and no difference in braking (was never an issue). Rear pads are still great.