Tacoma brakes

[dunerking]

I was just rotating the tires on the Taco,and noticed that the front brake pads are done.Just curious what you other taco owners are averaging for your front brakes.I have a about 24,+++ miles on it.

[mgobaja]

I have 89k on mine and am on my 3rd set of brakes ( 1 factory, +2 i have done ), but still have lots left of the rear.

[WannaB-class5]

My Roomate is a tech and said that is about all you will get out of stockers. If you complain enough you can usually get free replacements the first time. His recomendation (and driving style always effects this) is to buy factory. Your rotors will like you better and your breaks will last in the medium range. You can always get more metalic break pads which will last longer but is harder on your rotors and will not stop as well. The opposite is true for a softer composition. This is all break school stuff and not Toyota specific but I am on my third set of breaks on my Ranger and I have over 80,000miles.

[ZTFab]

I am an ex-Toyota tech from Longo and WannaB's roomate is right....
Factory parts are always better on Toyotas, IMO...

I have 105,000 on my Tacoma and put my 3rd set of pads on at 96,000...I've always used factory pads...they may be a little pricey at first, but I used to have customers who would use cheap pads and come back to the dealer with squealing, grinding, and almost always in dire need of new rotors due to the ultra hard compositon of the "lifetime" pads they bought at "Ghetto-Zone"....of course driving style is a HUGE factor in brake longevity but I Pre-run, chase, and tow with my Tacoma as well as drive it daily and I have to say that Factory pads seem to be the best choice for over-all performance and lifespan....just my 2 cents......

[dunerking]

Hey,thanks for the insite on your experience with the brakes.I picked up the new pads at Toyota,not bad at $48.00(fronts).Had to be the easiest brake change I have ever done.Can't complain when all you need to change teh pads is a pair of needle nose pliers.However I did not have the time to turn the rotors,will this hurt the life of the pads?Thanks

[ZTFab]

No, not turning the rotors won't cause the pads to wear any faster than normal....it will take just a little longer for them to "seat" with the rotor....as long as your rotors aren't warped, glazed, or cracked, you'll be fine....

I never turn my rotors when I service my brakes unless they are causing a vibration when I brake or they were overheated by excessive braking (which will usually cause hot spots to form and then the rotor is junk anyway)....

IMO, turning the rotors just takes material away unnecessarily and causes the pads to actually wear faster due to a difference in heat transfer caused by the thinner rotor...I've used this method for years and my brakes always last for a decent amount of time and they always stop when I want them to....

[Whitewater]

Either my brakes aren't working right or I'm the exception to the rule but I've got 155K on my 98 and am on my 3rd set of brakes.
I just put new coilovers on the front this last weekend and the pads look like new. Haven't checked the rears lately. This truck is driven semi hard in all types of terrain.

[ZTFab]

Either my brakes aren't working right or I'm the exception to the rule but I've got 155K on my 98 and am on my 3rd set of brakes.
I just put new coilovers on the front this last weekend and the pads look like new. Haven't checked the rears lately. This truck is driven semi hard in all types of terrain.


I'd say they're working exceptionally well....

I was just wondering...is your truck a manual trans or auto? Standard 2wd or PreRunner/4wd?

[Tom_Willis]

Try The Brake Man in Camarillo. They sell OEM pads and rotors cooled with Liquid Nitrogen(?) and brought down to almost Kelvin zero. They really are smoother than stock. My '01 has 33's on it and braided stainless lines added due to a long travel front. The new setup works really well; great "feel", low effort and fast, straight stops. I kept the old (unturned) rotors as spares

[ZTFab]

They sell OEM pads and rotors cooled with Liquid Nitrogen(?)


I believe they are cryogenically tempered.....
Basically it's like heat treating in reverse.....they freeze the part with liquid nitrogen(like the T1000 in Terminator 2!!) to about -300*F and hold it there for a specified time.....this aligns the microstructure of the grains in the cast part and relieves internal stress points caused by misalignment allowing the part to handle much higher loads and wear....I'm pretty sure the process is done before any machining takes place allowing closer tolerances for the final product without excessive material loss......

I may not know all that is involved with the process..I'm open to correction/education if anything is incorrect or missing....

[Whitewater]

I'd say they're working exceptionally well....

I was just wondering...is your truck a manual trans or auto? Standard 2wd or PreRunner/4wd?

98 Manual TRD 4WD

[ZTFab]

I've found that brakes tend to last quite awhile longer on a manual trans application because you can downshift and use engine braking far more effectively than an auto trans......