Time for new brake pads. What are you using?

So after almost 90k miles, it's time to replace my front brake pads on my '08 2.7L SR5 Prerunner.

What brake pads are you using? Where did you buy them? Any input?

Thanks in advance!

 

Considering the 90k you put in the last ones. I would go with getting your rotors turned and replacing the old brakes with OEM.

I paid about 65 for mine at the dealership and I replaced them at around 95k. You can't cheap out on brakes. They will fail on you. It happened to me when I had the lifetime bakes from AutoZone. I was going through a set every 4mos

 

Autozone Duralast ceramic pads and Duralast blank rotors. $150 for everything and they're doing great. I changed them about a year ago, still quiet and they have a better bite than stock in my opinion.

 

When should you change them?

 

Whenever they need it. It will vary greatly depending on the driver and driving conditions. Some people are as early as 25k miles, some are getting 90k miles out of the stock pads and rotors. You should give them a visual inspection every 5k miles when you rotate your tires and listen for squeeling (that's a good indicator that they're shot).

 

They do squeak but only after it rains or is raining. Should I be concerned? Also, when am doing a inspection what am I looking for?

 

Thanks, man.

I just called the dealer and they had them in stock.

This will be the first time I have done this on a car (I have done it on motorcycles), is there any trick to it on the tacoma? is there a good walkthrough on the site?

 

here is a good link found in the DIY thread in the 2nd Gen forum

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/38025-diy-front-brake-pad-change.html

 

You shouldn't necessarily be concerned every time you hear a squeek out of your brakes. Mine make a horrible squeeling noise the first time I move it after it rains, then it goes away. The noise is just surface rust wearing off the rotors.

When you inspect your brakes, you should be checking the fluid level in the reservior and then, with the wheel off, you should be able to see the top of the brake pad. The pads have a groove down the center so when pad is worn down to where it's even with the bottom of the groove, you should replace the pads. You also want to check wear on the inside pad vs. the outside pad as one might be worn down much more than the other. Typically, when you replace the pads, common practice is to either turn the rotors (have the ground), or replace them. Now-days, replacement rotors have significantly come down in price to where it's not overly cost effective to have the rotors turned when you can replace them for $10 more.

 

Thanks for the help mike.

 

I like Brembo blanks and Hawk HPS pads. They also have a light truck pad that you can look at.

 

Power stop truck & tow kit(rotors & pads) with braided brake lines.