Are my brakes abnormal?

Hi everyone!

So I recently bought a used 2017 SR5 4x4 LB with 42k on it. It's my first ever truck and I love it every time I drive.

Anyway, a couple weeks ago, I took a trip a couple hours south on the highway. When I was coming back I had to slam the brakes on a couple of times because of typical highway phantom traffic. During at least one of those times I was certain I was about to get in a car crash. I guess I was driving about 70'ish. I don't know how to describe it, I had at least a good few car lengths between me and the next car - I don't live driving up peoples' butts. The truck just slowed down really slowly... I have no idea if that is expected in a truck, or if something is up with mine. I drove my (now wife's) RAV4 later that week and was shocked at how much more responsive the brakes are in it. Yes, I get that it is way way lighter, but I just want to double check how much worse I might expect a tacoma's braking to be than a RAVs.

I have a long road trip coming up (San Francisco -> Seattle) next week, so I booked the truck in for a service today, just to get the basics looked at. I was really expecting them to tell me I need new pads or something, but lo and behold, they didn't suggest any extra work. The work sheet says I have 10mm pads on the front and the drum shoes at at 4mm. By the time it was ready there was nobody around to probe deeper into the brake checks, so I just left. (I've attached the work sheet)

I'm wondering if I should make an appointment at the tire shop down the road for a brake inspection, or do you think I am just too used to small car brakes?

Cheers,

 

It's probably just different from what you are used to. You probably had a car with discs all the way around. The drum brakes in the rear are durable but do not stop like a smaller vehicle or truck with disc brakes

 

This is your first truck... it will steer different...brake different... handle different... ride different... you get the idea. Enjoy it!
My Tundra is much different than my Tacoma lol.

 

Wow! That work order is littered with all kinds of add-ons!

Premium Engine Treatment! Yay!
A/C Odor Treatment! the best eva !!

Geez!!!

 

I agree with the lighter vehicle comment but have to kindly disagree with the drum brakes being the cause. Heavy semis have all drums except the front. In a panic stop (and I’ve had a few) the rear brakes will skid before the anti locks kick in. This means the drums work perfect. With 80% of the force on the front I would change the pads out to OEM. You never know what the previous owner did. Maybe they got cheap ceramic pads which will last but not create enough friction. Putting in brake pads are probably just a step down in the hard scale from changing your oil and filter. It’s worth a $40 try.

 

Tell me about it... I want to know what ENHANCE is

Funny thing is, the shop guy said to me that he misquoted me the $285 figure when I came in, he reckoned this should have been a $600 bill with the AC work. Yikes..... (Still $300 is rough, but everything is expensive as heck in SF)

 

rehab work is NOT intuitive...……………….if Ur vehicle is in the shop

if U have concerns...…………………………..be specific express them

true many shops use the fear factor to run up bills

yet NOT given a heads up they don't look at Everything

4x4 typically DONT have Brembo like brakes

true some of the pseudo/macho Raptor types are pressed to harness all that HP

in the works /trails snappy sportscar brakes are a liability

they will lock up & skid ………..resulting in straight ahead plowing

the very reason some have descent control ???

allowing for good control

 

I have measured my pads with calipers a couple times, and estimate based on current wear, they will last 80-100k miles. I drive easy, so your results may vary.

 

more & more 18 wheelers are coming stock ' DISC ' ALL corners...…………………...even trailers

easily stop 30% shorter than drums= NO Flat Spots

hill descents are better

when drums got hot they expanded...………………...resulting in LESS Braking

with discs slowing / stopping is reliable & consistent

 

Rear drum brakes are what is know as "self energizing" drum brakes on the back of a Tacoma is part of the reason Tacoma's stop quicker that the other smaller trucks. With all the anti lock stuff they feel as if nothing is happening. There is generally little weight in the back of a Tacoma so it's a good blend of breaking.

 

A locked up tire has very little traction anti lock etc makes you think it's not stopping but the Tacoma has very good breaking as compared to other small trucks.

 

It's all relative anyway ;-)

 

The only test I’ve ever seen of all the trucks at once Tacoma was at or near the bottom. The brakes are fine but drums are in the back simply because they’re cheaper. No other reason.

 

Yeah I will probably do this once I get up to Seattle and have a bit more space and some jack stands

 

I was wondering if there could be some air* in brake lines, pushing the pedal in, it feels pretty soft to apply, again, compared to the RAV4. I also read Toyota has something called brake assist, which I believe is meant to "listen" to how you're braking, and electronically brake harder or not depending on whether it thinks you're trying to a sudden stop or not. I wonder if that has a learning aspect to it and might be bent to the previous owner somehow. Feels like a stretch...

 

See if you can find one (good luck in these times) to test drive. Now, a brand new one will feel better, as the rotors won't be glazed over, as yours likely are, even if just slightly.

 

Whats abnormal are the things on that loaded bill

 

I think there was a braking system recall on this year truck. I would make sure the recall was performed for the brake booster pump. Could have something to do with braking not feeling right.

https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2018/04/2017-toyota-tacoma-recall-alert.html

 

Well that is debatable there are more parts cables etc involved and because they don't do much because of the weight shift last forever. A drum brake uses less pedal effort than a disk. All of the small trucks tested were all with in a few feet of each other in breaking distance like around a foot or so I don't see where that is a great deal of distance. Of all of my Toyota trucks I never had to do rear brakes two had in excess of 300K.

 

Brake fade. You said several hard stops in a row. The hotter the brakes get, the less responsive they become.