Serious front wheel wobble when braking

I am thinking warped rotors. Remember the weight of the 93 compared to todays Tacoma has changed a lot. If it was fine before the trip but after the damage I think rotors, replace with slotted to help reduce heating

good luck

 

I am going to add my vote for warped rotor(s). Did the brake pedal pulse up and down at all? That can be another sign of a warped rotor. (Pedal pulses up when the wide spot in a rotor pushes the brake pads apart putting reverse pressure in the brake system.

 

4 pistons, maybe one or two seized, gets you an uneven squeeze on the rotor. I like a nice even squeeze.

 

Well as it turns out, and to my disgust, the stock Tacoma rotors are garbage and now that this truck is in the mountains of CO it is quite evident. So it looks like I'll be ordering some Power Stop rotors and pads for it. I talked to the dealer about the problem and they said they'd be happy to diagnose it and the cost only $145 per hour, but, they said, it probably wouldn't take an hour,, LMAO yeah! you already know what is wrong!

As for Bilstein 5100's I'll go with the 22 OR shocks for now as I'm keeping the truck stock for the time being. The price was very good for that upgrade. Off with the blue and on with the yellow. Got to get the left rear spring attended to to correct the sag with a full tank of petro. Nobody likes sag. As for my 93 Pickemup it still has the factory brake rotors on it and it's been to hell and back all over CO mtns. and Utah deserts with no problems. It now has 127K on it. Toyota is cheaping out on it's metal foundry processes, or they got taken on the rotors.

Here's a feedback post on an Amazon Power Stop item for sale. And there are many more like it all vover the net.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Performance
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2022
Style: Rotors + PadsVerified Purchase
Used these products for some time. First used them when the rotors on the new Tacoma were obviously junk; they warped when hot and caused severe pulsing when driving in mountain country. This is a common problem in rotors caused by failure to maintain casting production quality. Replaced those original brakes with only 25,000 on the truck with the standard product from this manufacturer and it was night and day. Around 150,000 miles I changed them again and around another 150,000 miles once again. Recently with a total of 366,000 miles on the truck I changed them again but his time for this heavy duty version. Why not for the few extra bucks, brakes are really important and not a place to try save money and the solid smooth feel of stopping power means a lot.
(As an aside I'm in the casting industry and know exactly what causes the problem, alloy desegregation caused by pouring the molten iron below temperature to save money. When the rotor heats it leads to differential expansion so a flat rotor is no longer flat. I first bought this product thinking there's no way a premium after market company would be caught using junk rotors and I was right. I'm just surprised Toyota got caught this way because you can see form the mileage I have on this truck its a high quality truck.)

Thanks to everyone for the posts and information.. I have more to learn I'm sure.

 

The power stop kits are amazing. I have had both the Evolution and Extreme pads and would definitely recommend the Extreme, especially if you're doing taller/heavier tires or towing ever.

127k on stock rotors is pretty tremendous mileage. It can happen to any of them. I wouldn't knock Toyota for that. I've seen them warp a lot more when people don't know how to properly install brakes/bleed fluid or torque wheel lugs.

 

Be sure to post post install results.

I personally have never experienced steering wheel wobble you describe based on brakes, other than when I was driving a vehicle that threw a front shoe (4 wheel drums way back when).

I've only experienced pedal pulse, including on SCCA cars, mountain carving and HPDE days.

I'd be more suspect of a misbehaving caliper, especially one with multiple pistons.

But your actual investigation will reveal all.

 

Power stop , trq and many other rotors, on Amazon especially, are made in China..

 

Your pulsing sound more like ABS activating, which feels completely different than a warped rotor. Also completely different feel/behavior than a caliper issue (I've only really seen them stick and drag - pretty much any other caliper issue would be a master cylinder or fluid problem). Warped rotors are very apparent when they're the issue. You feel it in the entire vehicle vs just the pedal.

 

Make sure to break them in properly or you will warp the new ones as well.

 

Yup no kidding.. steering wheel seat passender seat everywhere.. and it wasn't pusling it was "wobble" like the front wheel was moving side to side rapidly. It only happened on the downgrad north side of Lizard Head Pass coming into Telluride. Some pretty healthy braking required there.

 

Just picked up Raybestos performance rotors. Made in China as well! Can't win!

 

I’m left wondering if the vocal minority saying the stock brakes are crap is failing to use engine braking on long descents.

 

"Well as it turns out, and to my disgust, the stock Tacoma rotors are garbage and now that this truck is in the mountains of CO it is quite evident. So it looks like I'll be ordering some Power Stop rotors and pads for it. "

Yeah, I disagree on that. At the very best, Powerstop rotors are no better than OEM. I would go OEM before I went Powerstop....and yes, I have used PS in the past with very sub-par performance (warping).

 

I cooked a brand new set of Powerstop drilled and slotted rotors as well. Had to bring them in to be machined. Pain in the ass!

 

Every aftermarket rotor you can buy for the Tacoma is made in China....the OE rotors are very likely cast at Waupaca Foundry here in the states...Looks for a "WF" casting mark on the rotor somewhere to confirm.

<--20 years in the aftermarket brake business

 

I have experienced the same thing in CO while coming down the passes. Its 100% front rotors. Powerstop rotors and same for pads or just oem pads.

Replaced mine and it was right as rain.

Also, get in the habit of using engine braking to take some of the stress off of the brakes.
Plus steel braided brake lines in the front and back and DOT 4 fluid will help. Especially if you cary extra weight.

 

I betcha, at the miles your at, Ya got new set of pads on the original front brake rotors. Just a wild ass guess.

 

Right on...

 

Well today I was changing the shocks out for the Bilsteins and hit a snag,, I'll post that in another thread,,., but I got a good look at the calipers and pads and it is probably true that the pads are newer
pads. And I think they are cheapos to boot., The wear indicators are like newer pads..

 

Yea, it's just too tempting to just throw on a new set of pads. They will stop the vehicle and get Ya by but ya gotta turn the rotors or at now a day prices just buy some new rotors.