Warped Rotors

Anyone take their new out of the box rotors to be cut before installing? Every new rotor replacement from my last 2 Tacomas I have never had them cut 1st. The last few rotor replacements, after 15k the wheel vibration and steering wheel shake starts and it's starts as soon as I touch the brake no matter how fast I go. Can be felt all the way to the full stop. I have a 2018 Sport TRD. Maybe I need higher quality rotors? Toyota OEM of another brand?

 

Many shops will turn new rotors before installing for this reason.

 

You using Aftermarket brakes and rotors?

 

How often do you replace your rotors?

 

yes

 

Well this will be my 2nd set. At around 35k I replaced just the brakes as they were pretty worn. At 45K had a lot of wheel shake and vibration so I replaced with new rotors and brakes. Now at 65K

 

something is wrong if you are wearing out pads and rotors, or warping rotors that often.
Are you overloaded?

 

Not at all. Don't tow either but a lot of city driving here in NJ. I am not so sure the pads are wearing that quickly but I always change them if I replace rotors. I think the next set will be brought someone to turn them before I install. OEM's or something better? like slotted rotors or is that a waste of money??

 

If they didn’t pulse when you first put them on, they didn’t need to be turned.
Are you properly bedding in the brakes after installation?

Another thing to note: Your OEM should have lasted longer than 35k if you are not towing.
To help alleviate this problems in the future, you could try an alternate braking technique.
Simplified , you don’t want to to creat more heat than necessary.
And the heat that the brakes create, needs to be uniformly transferred to the rotor.
It’s never good to stop fast, and come to a complete stop for a long period.
What this is doing is heat soaking one spot in the rotor while stopped. This can cause irregular pad transfer and “hot spot” on the rotor. Which can produce pulsations in the brake pedal and steering wheel.

Moat people don’t like to hear it.
But I’d say 80% of the time you have a pulsation, it’s driving style induced.

 

Slotted are in my opinion a waste of money if your driving habits don't take advantage of what they're meant for. The 2011 Tundra I just got rid of would warp rotors if you sneezed. I did at times pull upwards of 8k with it, but that wasn't often and when I did I used engine braking a lot along with the trailer brakes. In the early years of the Tundra I did a lot of highway with little braking and I still had warping more than I always thought I should. When I started doing more short distance driving I'd have to change the fronts nearly every 30k. Last warping incident though was caused by a sticking caliper.

I just sold the 2011 Tundra and got a 2023 Tacoma since I didn't have the need for a big truck anymore. I had a Tacoma from 2008-2011 and never had rotor problem one. Who knows what will happen with the new one.

 

160K second set of front pads there is a huge difference of where you drive I'm in rural Maine.

 

this is a very good point!
After hard braking, I’ll always try to stop short at a light, so I can occasionally creep forward, as not to hold that hot pad and rotor together. I’ve got one particular and frequent spot this is a must, 75 mph highway, exiting steep downhill to a light that’s almost always red.

 

Yes I hope it was done properly. Did it several times

 

That is exactly what I do as well.
I also try to stop sooner and and “pump” the brakes during a long stop.
Such as getting off and interstate ramp.

I have never to this day experience warped rotors.
And I tow fairly frequently.

Maybe I’m just lucky?
I don’t know? But I’m going to continue what I’m doing since it seems to be working.

 

In my experience, I have had warped rotors but improperly tightened alloy wheels. Snug the lugs by hand. Then tighten to 3/4 torque value in a cross cross pattern. Then torque to the full spec value, again in a crisis cross pattern.

No warped rotors on the last 20+ years

 

You shouldn’t have to cut a quality new rotor, go back and use oem pads and rotors.

 

That's what I think I will do. I will get rotors and brakes from Toyota. So new OEM rotors should not have to be cut?

 

No.

 

Pretty much 99.9% of Tacoma owners take their brakes beyond 70K before 1st service. Get OEM pads and rotors and start over.

 

Advics was the OE supplier for the 2nd Gen trucks.
I’m not sure if they were for the 3rd Gen. But I wouldn’t be surprised if they were.