Brake pads/ rotors warping

Like I said it the pulling on the steering wheel is not all the time most of the time the steering doesnt pull but can hear the faint sound of brake dragging when it does pull its always to the right and most noticable at highway speeds and also seems to happen after making hard turns which might just be a coincidence….

 

Look closely at the wheel bearings like bishop mentioned

 

There basically brand new and spin very easy when pads are removed and I know it could be only when full weight or load is on the bearing…

If the axle nut isnt torqued to the 200ish ft lb dont remember exact spec atm possibly cause this issue? Just something I just thought about?

 

Well I swapped out brake bada on the driver side and rotor double checked the entire front end for proper torque before leaving friday for a 300mile round trip to a mudfest.

Truck drove very nice no pulling of steering besides the messed up back roads.. On the way down there felt like there was times it was dragging but when stopping for gas wheels were nice and cool was probably the 30mph winds I was fighting…

today on the way home no issues even avg 16mpg cruising 80mph most the way that is with 33’s and 4.56 2800rpm cruising best Ive gotten in a long time.
Now lets hope it stays this way..

 

Is that with the old calipers that you put back in the earlier post, or is that the new calipers?

 

Driver side is still the one I purchased from rock auto a while back and the passenger side is with the old one I had laying around that I rebuild for a spare.. Only new parts are pads and rotors on both sides

still need to pull the one apart i took off the passenger side that is questionable

 

Well back to trying to figure it out again Drove fine this morning and during lunch and on my way home started dragging again passenger side again Not as bad as before but noticeable and can smell the brakes when I got home and both front wheels were hot to touch with temps over 200deg…

what would make both front wheels to get that hot backside of hubs were cool so definitely coming from the brakes….

 

Are you still using the StopTech pads through all of this? Maybe you mentioned you ditched them and I missed it. I had them on my truck and their behaviour was....odd. I have used them on LOTS of other vehicles and been perfectly happy with them...but my truck wasn't a great experience. Stopping was like turning on a light switch...but it only seemed to be that temperamental after driving for a while and letting the pads warm up. My theory was the pads just got crazy grippy after they warmed up. If you have ever driver a set of race pads on a proper prepped race car you will understand what I am getting at...they just have no grip until you can smell them.

I went and grabbed some Akebono pads from Napa and the behaviour went away. https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/AKEACT906B?impressionRank=5

One other thing I had on a set of Brembo's. The pads were rubbing up against the caliper body just enough that they weren't releasing freely. Maybe pull them out and grind off a bit (just a real little bit) of the ears on the pads on the side where it seems to be hanging.

 

Im pretty sure the pads I have on are indeed the stop tech ones this weekend Im gunna go get some new rotors and pads ill take a look at the ones you mentioned and try again

Also ill look closer to see if the ears are touching I did notice that on one side a tiny piece of the ear was missing figured it was when i set them on the concrete or matbe something hit them in the process of messing with the brakes..
Thanks for the ideas will give it a shot this weekend

 

with the caliper off the truck try reloading them with pads and pins (no springs). If you can't move the pads REALLY freely on the pins that's a problem. The solution might be as easy as shaving down the backing plate some with a dremel. It worked on my STi. The pads were all sorts of hanging up and it turns out the bonehead that installed them...(me)...just shoved them in there and didn't make sure they were free floating.

 

Probably did the same thing thanks ill give it a try

 

@toytaco112 try some brake lube on the bottom outside edge of the pads it's a common fix for sticky subaru pads. I keep meaning to do this to mine but keep forgetting.



to clarify further the pad lube goes in the edge that drags on caliper at very bottom not the braking surface of pad.

 

Note above was not my idea but there have been others talking about brake clunking as a common problem. May not be related to rotor warping (could also be knockoff or cheap rotors or even just driving style). I drive minimal miles and even I’ve warped a set of non-OEM rotors faster than worn out pads even though the were bigger than stock. My current pair are OEM. (I have WH calipers and Lexus/4R rotors)

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...en-tacoma-today.6499/page-11717#post-27693370

 

So Thursday evening last time i drove the truck I faintly heard a clunk noise when I pulled into the driveway didnt pay much attention until yesterday it popped into my head “Bet its the brake slide pin came out” what do you know looked at passenger side and the bottom slide pin was missing the clip and was sticking half way out.. slid it back in put new clip everything seemed fine took truck for test drive and now that side is dragging pretty bad and can feel something isnt right… vibration can feel the tire vibrating im sure its from brake dragging..

Didnt have time tonight to pull tire and inspect going to do that tomorrow morning

This is the 3rd time that the pin has come out of those slide pins over the years ive owned the truck this time I even had a cotter pin in it. So kind of dumbfounded how ot even came out…

But truck was driving 100% better before this happened… Just my luck….

 

Well pulled passenger side did not see anything damaged pulled brakes and caliper and reinstalled made sure they slid back and forth on the slide pins which they did. Took a file and removed all dirt and red paint(stoptech calipers) where the pads slide in took a drimel and cleaned up around edges of brake pad reinstalled caliper and greased all parts slide pins and the little ear on pad put all back together. And did the same thing to driver side….
Took for a 20mile test drive and no issues so far hopefully this works.

 

I've never tried it but I've read on forums some people have put 2 sets of springs in to keep pads off rotors. I think 1 is standard but I haven't looked in a while.

I too have the Stoptech calipers and the pads outlasted the rotors from the kit, but it was a great way to get a refurbished set of calipers and painted too!

 

Yea I tried the 2 spring with no luck I think the pads just had a little edge on them and with the red paint peeling the pad was catching and not releasing all the way at least thats my theory but we will see if it works or not

 

@toytaco112

You good?

 

Nope still having issues. Not quite as bad or often but still noticeable

 

"I went and grabbed some Akebono pads from Napa" I found that interesting that is solved your problem - I just put on Akebono after seeing a Scotty Kilmer video on Youtube - he said they were the best.