14 replies to this topic

[Toddhom]

I need to replace my brakes.  My rotors are shot with a lot of hot spots on them.  I need new pads and rotors.  Since I am 4-500 lbs over gross vehicle weight I feel I need to choose pads and rotors that can can take the heat due to the extra weight on my truck, especially on the downhill.  Any recommendations on pads and rotors? 

 

Todd Homchick

[wicked1]

How are your brakes in general?  My tacoma doesn't like to stop.. it's scary.  I have to push the pedal down as hard as I can to get any stopping power.  I've never skidded or had ABS engage because they never grip enough to cause the wheels to lose traction.  
I mean.. It's fine for average driving.  But I think if there was an emergency sudden stop situation, I would not stop. 

 

Also what trim level is your truck, because the offroad one has better brakes than the base model, which is what I have.

Also hoping others have suggestions..   Some aftermarket brands should be grippier than OEM. 

[fish more]

Skip the brakes, buy a larger truck to be safe for you and others on the road.

[JHanson]

Please read this article. It should help you avoid wasting money on useless "upgrades."

[Wango]

JHanson,

thanks great article. I have often wondered about brake "upgrades".

[ntsqd]

The best all-around Toyota truck brakes come from using all Toyota parts. Their pad compound's friction vs. temperature curve is the best match for truck use. Their rotors meet the thermal dissipation constraint that Mr. T intended the brakes to have.

 

There are very few "upgrade" parts out there that don't improve one aspect of performance by compromising some other aspect. If the Stop-Tech rotors mentioned in the article do still weigh more than OEM rotors then those would be a good option. As long as the increased unsprung weight isn't a concern, which is unlikely in a truck.

 

Brake parts from the local big box auto parts store will certainly cost less. There is a very good reason why. Those parts are not as good as the OEM parts. They won't last as long and work as well as the OEM parts.

 

There are threads and articles out there about putting Tundra brakes on Tacomas. I am unfamiliar with any of them. In general making this change results in a larger rotor diameter and one that is thicker as well, which will increase brake torque, thermal dissipation, and unsprung weight. However, to make it all work there may be some compromises that have to be made that are either individually unacceptable or are not good practice (like grinding on a caliper body!). Proceed down that path with caution.

[wicked1]

I spent the morning doing a bit of searching..  On recommendations from people on the tacoma forums:

https://sosperforman...-2005-21-tacoma

People say these fit 16" wheels.  There is a 16" wheel rotor option when ordering (even though I just noticed the link says "fits-17-plus-wheels".  Larger than OEM.

 

And then some swap the rears to disks.. But for me that would require changing the master cylinder.  Apparently if you don't, there's not enough pressure in the system because the new rear breaks have more volume for fluid..

https://sosperforman...ot-ps2-dot-ta16

There's a 'big' option for that too, but I think is too big for 16" wheels.

As for just replacing pads, ntsqd is right that everything is a compromise.. But that compromise might be less dust and longer life with the OEM, which is a trade-off I'd be willing to make on an off-road truck. 
I get everything in the article JHanson posted..  W/out larger mass for the heat, they'll still fade.  But for a situation like ours (or at least mine), I'm not having issues w/ long sustained down hill braking.. I down shift for that anyway.  I have issues making an emergency stop, which it sounds like different 'performance' pads could help with. 

[wicked1]

Skip the brakes, buy a larger truck to be safe for you and others on the road.

I'll buy the truck if you buy me the new larger camper which fits on the larger truck (and the flatbed it sits on), and widen all the trails I drive down.. Which are not wide enough for a full size F250 size truck. 

[moveinon]

On my previous truck I put on the Tundra upgrade and it certainly improved braking quite a bit for low-cost from a junk yard for the parts.  But it also required me to do some cutting I did not want to do again.  On this truck , when I needed to replace the brakes I went with ARB slotted rotors(not drilled) and green pads.  They improved braking some but not a lot.  I have no idea about change in emergency braking as I have not had to since the change.  The pads will wear faster than OEM but they do not have the buildup problem OEM pads and rotors are known for and the rotors clean much faster.  I am happy with the change after 20,000+ miles and have found replacing pads is no big deal.  I also replaced and upgraded the brake fluid with this change and would certainly suggest that.

[ntsqd]

One upgrade that can be done to any vehicle is to annually flush the brake system with new fluid. This raises the boiling point of the fluid and it gets any junk out of the system.

 

Excepting silicone, brake fluid intentionally absorbs moisture to keep it from settling and rusting or corroding brake parts. This same moisture also degrades the boiling point of the fluid. I insist on a fresh, sealed bottle of brake fluid every time I work on brakes. It is more expensive to buy it that way, but I buy the smaller bottles unless I'm starting with a fresh system that has no fluid in it. An opened bottle, capped, sitting on the garage shelf will soon have enough moisture in it to make it not worth using. Dispose of what you don't use when finished because what is left won't be good for anything in a couple months or less.