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Front brake questions

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by mightytacomightytaco, Jun 9, 2019.

  1. Jun 9, 2019 at 3:02 PM
    #1
    mightytacomightytaco

    mightytacomightytaco [OP] Active Member

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    Mack
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    It's stock except for the Trac Rac and DU seat covers _-:)
    I have a 2013 base with 45K miles.
    The dealership is telling me that my truck needs new front calipers...and pads, and rotors, to the tune of about 1 large. They don't repair, they replace. The issue they reported is two lower cylinders sticking, one on each side. rotor and pad wear is not an issue from what I can see but I have noticed a bit of a tug when I brake recently...so I'm going to go ahead and deal with it.
    I always do my own brakes so a few questions:
    Where can I get the best price for OEM parts?
    Should I use OEM? Cost matters to me but I also don't want to be doing a brake job every other year...
    Why replace the calipers? I should be able to rebuild the cylinders...or are these subject to failure?
    Our winter roads are sloppy. They use salt on them...brakes suffer here so I am not surprised that I'm having issues....I have replaced calipers on my cars pretty frequently..
    Any other advice/comments will be appreciated. This is my first go around with brakes on this truck...
     
  2. Jun 9, 2019 at 3:19 PM
    #2
    Backt

    Backt Well-Known Member

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  3. Jun 9, 2019 at 3:24 PM
    #3
    mightytacomightytaco

    mightytacomightytaco [OP] Active Member

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    It's stock except for the Trac Rac and DU seat covers _-:)
    Thanks Backt.. I read that before posting. He's doing his thing with pads and rotors...I'm trying to deal with a couple stuck cylinders. I haven't pulled a wheel yet to look at this (this came up yesterday) but it seems like I should be able to rebuild the cylinders if they are not too messed up...but...if that is not a recommended fix I'll pony up for the calipers... @gunny1005.....who be dat?
     
  4. Jun 9, 2019 at 5:00 PM
    #4
    george3

    george3 Well-Known Member

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    Seat belt beeper, Cabelas (Weathertech) floor liner gray, Covercraft Seat Savers in Taupe, Protecta Heavy Duty Rubber Truck Bed Mat, Pop n Lock PL5200, Pace Edwards Full Metal JackRabbit, Wolverine oil pan heater, Scangauge2, afe pro dry s filter, Remote Underbody 4 Piece LED Light Kit (White) used as Bed light, DIY Washable Cabin Air Filter, PA15-TOY, 4x4 Illuminated Switch, full synthetic, Redline Tuning Hood Support, Smittybilt Nerf Steps black powder-coated
    If you look at the pads and the pad on one side of the rotor is
    almost gone and the pad on the other side of the rotor is good suspect a caliper. You can get a rebuilt caliper from a automotive store with a core charge you get back when you turn in the old caliper. If you have done brakes B 4 it's fairly easy - watch YouTube if you need help. You usually don't need rotors but you will have to judge that when you see them. I suspect the dealer would like to sell you a $1000 brake job because it is as I've said fairly easy and they will make $8 or $900 on a hours work. I could be wrong - I was wrong once B 4 but it's been awhile.
     
  5. Jun 9, 2019 at 5:23 PM
    #5
    fb40dash5

    fb40dash5 Well-Known Member

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    I mean, I'm assuming with pads, rotors and calipers, a good bit of that is gonna be parts. Although you could argue that if they're using OE (and probably even if they decided to go aftermarket) plenty of the parts $$$ is markup and they're still making that for their 1-1.5 hours, too.

    I'd normally say save your $$$ and get coated reman calipers, but A1 Cardone (the biggest reman'er of calipers, and I think one of only 2 major ones along with BBB/Nugeon) decided last year to move caliper reman activities to Mexico, which resulted in huge quality/QC declines, and from what I've heard they've now decided it wasn't working and they're moving it back to Philly. So a lot of stuff is rare as hen's teeth right now, and the Cardone stuff from MX that might be in the pipeline is hit or miss. I've got a set to do the 4Runner big brakes in the back of my car, and I'm debating returning them for now and re-buying when some US-remanned ones are available again. Get some 3/16" Viton tubing and big 40cc syringes off Amazon, crack your bleeders with them on there, and see what happens when you try to push the pistons in, doesn't cost much of anything.

    Also, look at braided lines like the ones (believe they're Goodridge) that Wheeler's sells. Sample size of 1 (or 2, I suppose) but I put a set on my 1st gen way back when, and 15 years and 125k miles later it's still running around on its original calipers from 2001. Lots of sticking calipers start with a hose swollen shut or that developed a flap in the liner that acts like a check valve... piston can't retract, causing drag and extra heat, extra heat makes the fluid expand and makes the drag worse, eventually it's locked up solid after the pistons weld themselves into the bores.

    OEM pads and rotors are good, in pads at least I'd say there's options like Advics or Akebono that are either the same or just as good, although they're not cheap, buying OE online might not be much worse... never had the urge to price out stock replacement pads, just looked at the TRD ones and decided I wasn't paying $80+ for those. As for rotors, there's probably not much that's really as good as OE. Raybestos coated ones are pretty good, and the coating resists rust everywhere but the braking surface, so there's that. I'd avoid drilled/slotted stuff, IMO it's not needed and is little more than looks (if you're into that sort of thing) and an invitation for cracking rotors and cheese-grater-ing pads in short order. I had an acquaintance who insisted on putting Stoptech on his 4Runner and all the rest of his family's Toyotas, they were pretty much all in for brake pads every 15-20k miles. Glad you can make mom' Camry look like a race car, now she can need new pads almost as often as one, too!
     
  6. Jun 9, 2019 at 6:11 PM
    #6
    Backt

    Backt Well-Known Member

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    Gunny1005 is a parts guy for a dealership. He gets members a better price on parts vs going to the dealer. Just send him a parts request and he will send you a quote.

    http://www.customtacos.com/tech.old/files/05FSM/repair.html
     
  7. Jun 10, 2019 at 4:14 AM
    #7
    george3

    george3 Well-Known Member

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    You sound very knowledgeable - I got reman caliper from Advance - guy said it was A1 Cardone renamed - haven't had any issues - used coated rotor - I could check what I used for pads if anyone cares but I know they were ceramic. If you used coated calipers how did the coating stand up - my caliper is rusted - I live in NJ - lots of salt on the roads during winter.
     
  8. Jun 10, 2019 at 4:33 AM
    #8
    mightytacomightytaco

    mightytacomightytaco [OP] Active Member

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    It's stock except for the Trac Rac and DU seat covers _-:)
    Good information folks....thank you all.
    So no one is doing the cylinder rebuild?
    Yeah...no slotted or drilled. This is my duck truck...the highest performance challenge it gets is driving through a muddy corn field.
    Mack
     
  9. Jun 10, 2019 at 4:36 AM
    #9
    KaptainH

    KaptainH Well-Known Member

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    They are ripping you off. To change all this is simply plug and play. If you have any tools or remote capabilities to turn a wrench and flush your brake lines change it all yourself. You can even UPGRADE to bigger brakes for cheaper. Less than $500. See my link. I have seen people who rebuild their caliper but for the hassle and money I'd do the below mod.

    https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...t-oem-parts-part-s-provided-installed.443656/

    But as for the parts: I would use BREMBO blank rotors ($100 for the set), and you can use O'Rielly auto parts pads they are basically OEM and they have a life time warranty so when they get low take a hammer to them and get new ones free. Calipers I'd get remans from NAPA
     
  10. Jun 10, 2019 at 12:05 PM
    #10
    mightytacomightytaco

    mightytacomightytaco [OP] Active Member

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    It's stock except for the Trac Rac and DU seat covers _-:)
    Ain't nobody ripping me off...they offered to do my brakes and I respectfully declined after explaining that I've done my own for 50 years. Brakes are about the easiest shade tree mechanic job that you can do..all you need are a jack and jack stands, a few sockets, a brake wrench, a torque wrench and if your old lady isn't coachable, a power bleeder (everyone should have one of these!) to make it easy. The markup on brake jobs is silly...
    That is an interesting thread link...thank you. The option of putting bigger on makes lots of sense as long as it's pluga pluga.
     
    KaptainH[QUOTED] likes this.
  11. Jun 10, 2019 at 1:55 PM
    #11
    taco_rhyno

    taco_rhyno Well-Known Member

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    I just put factory rotors and TRD pads on. Works great, was under $250 delivered. Here are part numbers.FF97556E-1DC4-470A-B8E2-A1067B041CCE.jpg
     
  12. Jun 10, 2019 at 2:00 PM
    #12
    coopcooper

    coopcooper certified youtube mechanic

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    stickers and sticker accessory's
    wow when I called Toyota the other week they said no one in north america had those pads in stock, cock suckers.
     

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