2000 Toyota Tundra front brakes replacement

[Tomioka]

Hope you guys had a great Memorial day weekend as I finally got the time to do network maintenance and work on my neighbor's truck. This time I have a 2000 Toyota Tundra V6 5MT reg cab long bed work truck in the garage needing a front brake job. I'll also be trying out new parts and parts combination that I will use in future brake jobs.

Loosen lug nuts, place jack under vehicle with jack stand ready.

Position jack stand under frame, remove tire and lower floor jack onto jack stand.

Inspect brakes to see how well they have worn and take pics so you can share them on your favorite forum. This truck has 126,000mi on the original pads and rotors. The rotors still look good without any deep gouges or excessive rust and can be resurfaced if there is enough meat on the rotors. I would recommend new rotors on a 17 y/o truck. If cost is a limit then resurfacing can be performed if within min.thk. spec.

Jeez what happened to the drag reduction clip?

Connect a piece of tube onto the bleeder into a container. Use a 10mm wrench to open the bleeder. Using a pair of Channellock® Pliers®, clamp onto the pad and caliper tabs to squeeze the pistons into their bores. Adjust clamp opening and keep squeezing until pistons are fully reset.

Pistons are fully reset. Remove the pin retaining wire and two pins holding the pads in place. If reusing the pins clean the pins using a wire brush and sandpaper. Or make it easy and buy new pins.

It's time to remove the calipers so we can remove the brake rotor.
NOPE! NUH-UH! DON'T THINK ABOUT PAD SLAPPING NEW PADS ON AN UNSURFACED OR OLD BRAKE ROTOR. YANK THAT ROTOR OFF NOW YOU FILTHY MORTAL! OR THE GOD OF COMEBACKS WILL PAY YOU A VISIT!

Unbolt the 12MM bolt holding the hardline to the steering knuckle. On 4 wheel ABS trucks there is a plastic clip that goes into the oblong hole. Unclip ABS wire before removing bolt.

Use a 17MM socket and breaker bar to remove caliper to knuckle bolts.

I like to rest the caliper on a bucket so it gives me a working surface to clean the caliper.

It's nice to have a sledge on hand to hammer off those stubborn rotors. These rotors aren't being saved.

Use a wire brush to clean hub surfaces. Shoot and wipe down with brake cleaner and a cloth. I would dab some anti seize on the hub surfaces if reusing old rotors or uncoated rotors. I'll be using coated rotors so no need in this application.

Here's why I like to rest the caliper on a bucket. Gives me a solid surface to work the wire brush in the pad contact surfaces. Clean pistons and pad contact areas with brake cleaner and a cloth.

Time to install new pads and rotors. I'll being using NAPA's Ultra Premium 100% Polymer coated rotors & Akebono brake pads for caliper casting S13WE. I'll be using this parts combination for future brake jobs.

I might have found my favorite brake pad.

Looks beautiful. Al least it will prevent the rotor from turning into an ugly rusting mess within a couple of hours.

Installation is the reversal of removal.
--Install rotor and use a lug nut to hold rotor into place. -Reinstall caliper and torque 17mm bolts to 90 lb-ft. -Reinstall hardline bracket to knuckle (12mm bolt.) Prep new brake pads for installation by greasing pad backing plate edges contacting caliper. Dab a bit of grease in the pad holes where the pins go through. Pads can be installed either way. Insert bottom pin first through pads and caliper. Install drag reduction clip on top part of brake pads. Insert top pin through clip and through caliper. Install pin retainer clip.

Finished pics

Boy does it look sexy. I love the high gloss black from the Akebono pads against the matte grey rotor.

Looks great behind those disgusting brown steelies and curb rashed tires (pass side.)

New pad vs 126,000mi pad.

Final thoughts:
Did an initial break in by doing 35-20mph stops several times and to remove the coating from the pad swept area so pads can get proper break in. I also took a lunch brake since I didn't have breakfast, it's been get up and go so finally I can get some rest. If you look closely at the pic with the 17mm socket wrench, there are bumpstop lettering on the control arm, it means the shocks are bad and is hitting the bumpstops. I haven't recommended shock absorber replacement yet since the owner has been talking to me about getting rid of the truck but just wants to keep it with now a lot of work done to it. Plus it's been a while I've driven a manual transmission truck. Having an MT does make it fun to drive, if not driven daily as a commuter because it will get sick fast.

 

[Lubener]

Reminds me of a soap opera.

 

[Kira]

VG+ post. Thanks for the effort. Those darn wire spring gizmos are always so....flimsy...or weak.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Thank you for posting

Coated rotors are awesome

 

[Tomioka]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Thank you for posting

Coated rotors are awesome

It's the first time I've seen standard coated rotors pop up on NAPA's catalog. At the same time their AdaptiveOne brake rotors seem to have disappeared. I'm guess they are trying to compete against Autozone's coated rotors and Bosch QuietCast at O'Reilly.
When I did all four brakes on my Silverado with low-end rotors I would paint the rotor hat and vane area with hi-perf black enamel paint. So far it has been holding up. With the OEM wheels showing a lot of the brake components I don't want to be looking at a rotting mess when I clean the wheels or walking toward my truck.

 

[CBR.worm]

That's pretty impressive. When I had my '00 Tundra, I don't think I ever hit 25k on front pads and rotors. Rears lasted over 100k though.

 

[HangFire]

Sorry, but that's a sad Hack Job with only a random chance of avoiding near-future problems.

No mention if a brake qualified grease was used. Looks like you used Moly axle grease. If so, wrong.
It looks like you re-used those sad pins?
Worst of all...

You did no check of runout on mounted rotor. Even though you used quality rotors, there's no guarantee they went on square.

I used the same brand rotors for a recent brake job on my Pilot. I had to reindex one rotor to get the runout below the factory service manual spec of .004" or less.

Here is the picture of a quality brake job in action:

 

[HangFire]

Here is a quality brake job with a good discussion of runout, only lacking a picture like the one I provided above.

Thanks to The Critic:

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3722378/1

 

[Nick1994]

A hack job? Of all the brake jobs I've done, my brother has done, and my dad has done, none of them have ever had the runout checked. I've never once brake pulsation afterwards even at the end of life on the brakes.

 

[Tomioka]

Originally Posted By: HangFire
Sorry, but that's a sad Hack Job with only a random chance of avoiding near-future problems.

No mention if a brake qualified grease was used. Looks like you used Moly axle grease. If so, wrong.
It looks like you re-used those sad pins?
Worst of all...

You did no check of runout on mounted rotor. Even though you used quality rotors, there's no guarantee they went on square.

I used the same brand rotors for a recent brake job on my Pilot. I had to reindex one rotor to get the runout below the factory service manual spec of .004" or less.





I used CRC "Black" brake grease on all the metal to metal contact surfaces. There is no rubber to metal contact with this 4 piston caliper. The pins were in decent condition with no pitting or excessive corrosion since this is a tropical climate truck (no salt on roads) so I wire brushed it to see it there is any thinning. Pins looked uniform so I reused it. Checking for runout would be the ultimate peace of mind to prevent future issues but looking back at my older brake jobs I've hadn't had an issue with judder due to bad runout yet. I do have a couple brake jobs planned so if I do take pics you'll see one with a runout gauge attached to the vehicle.

 

[meep]

Originally Posted By: HangFire
Sorry, but that's a sad Hack Job with only a random chance of avoiding near-future problems.

No mention if a brake qualified grease was used. Looks like you used Moly axle grease. If so, wrong.
It looks like you re-used those sad pins?
Worst of all...

You did no check of runout on mounted rotor. Even though you used quality rotors, there's no guarantee they went on square.

I used the same brand rotors for a recent brake job on my Pilot. I had to reindex one rotor to get the runout below the factory service manual spec of .004" or less.

Here is the picture of a quality brake job in action:




Question: I've never seen this done - is that a micrometer pressed up against the brake rotor? If so, it looks to me like it's measured through the painted coating... is that right?

Would there not be a risk of the paint throwing off measurements due to uneven application? I've never knwon how to take it to that level, so I'm just asking.

-m

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: meep
Question: I've never seen this done - is that a micrometer pressed up against the brake rotor? If so, it looks to me like it's measured through the painted coating... is that right?

Would there not be a risk of the paint throwing off measurements due to uneven application? I've never knwon how to take it to that level, so I'm just asking.

Good question about the coating maybe being uneven. That's what the parallelism check is for! I just didn't mention it here, but I have in other posts. That's where you use a micrometer. I did that check, too. My NAPA Ultra Premiums came in below the instrument's ability to measure (that's good). That's why I didn't mention it, if you use quality rotors, (in my experience) they always pass the parallelism check. But I do it anyway.

The Honda Factory Service Manual for my Pilot takes it to that level. Both the parallelism and the runout check are in my FSM. Most FSM's take it to that level. The usual excuses are made not to do what the FSM says to do on every brake job- we use quality parts, that check always passes, we never have problems with that, that is "set at the factory", yadda yadda yadda.

The instrument is a dial indicator, sort of a one-armed, spring loaded micrometer, if you will. I've linked some sources in previous posts. Here is a link where I recommend a few

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: Kibitoshin
I used CRC "Black" brake grease on all the metal to metal contact surfaces. There is no rubber to metal contact with this 4 piston caliper. The pins were in decent condition with no pitting or excessive corrosion since this is a tropical climate truck (no salt on roads) so I wire brushed it to see it there is any thinning. Pins looked uniform so I reused it.

Good that you used a brake qualified grease. I can see the pins in the pics before wire brushing- I wouldn't have re-used them. They are also 17-18 years old, cheap, and easily replaced.
Originally Posted By: Kibitoshin
Checking for runout would be the ultimate peace of mind to prevent future issues but looking back at my older brake jobs I've hadn't had an issue with judder due to bad runout yet. I do have a couple brake jobs planned so if I do take pics you'll see one with a runout gauge attached to the vehicle.

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
A hack job? Of all the brake jobs I've done, my brother has done, and my dad has done, none of them have ever had the runout checked.

At one time, I could say that, too. My early brake jobs (from 2 to 3 decades ago) had no problems. Then I had a spate of shudder problems as Chinese rotors took over the market. Having rotors turned- brand new rotors- helped. But the expense was getting silly. So I looked into it deeper, and found out I should be doing the runout check.

Then, I read my Honda's FSM and found out the runout check was always in there, and discovered the parallelism check. Both were always in there, waiting for me to follow the procedure. I had been guilty of the "yeah I can skip that it always checks out OK." Well if it always checked out OK, why was I getting new rotors turned?

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I've never once brake pulsation afterwards even at the end of life on the brakes.

I have a theory about that. When sorting all this out some years back, I couldn't reconcile some conflicting observations. Some disc brakes were dry as a bone, grease long washed out, maybe they squeaked but zero shudder. Other brakes were lubed, or weren't, had shudder. Other brakes were well lubed and had no shudder. There seemed to be no consistency here.

We all realize that shudder comes from uneven pad material embedding on the rotors. There are other causal factors, but I finally came to this 3-part realization.

1. If a rotor has moderate runout, but is well lubricated, the pads are floating properly, the pins (and/or tracks where the pad ears slide as the case may be) are smooth, it stands a good chance of avoiding shudder. Reason, the pads move bad and forth easily with the rotor's eccentricity.

2. If a rotor has high runout, it will develop shudder eventually, no matter what the lube/pin state.

3. If a rotor has very low runout, even without an occasional re-grease, it has a chance of a full service life without shudder (maybe not without squeaks).

That last statement about low runout rotors mentions "a chance of a full service life" because there is a big caveat. It is possible for the pads to hang at the ears and pivot instead of slide into the rotors. When this happens you'll eventually see a trapezoidal shaped pad thickness. It happened on one of my vehicles. The cause was rust, particularly since it is primarily a snow vehicle (old 4x4) and the recent switch to more aggressive de-icing agents than NaCl (table/sea salt), combined with adherents like molasses to make them stick to the road (and my brakes). Anyway, when that happens, the pad stays wedged between caliper and rotor, things overheat, and shudder can develop.

 

[JustinH]

I say the OP did a pretty good job.

I have seen so many people pad slap and call it done.

I have never checked runout on a new rotor, thanks for the tip I may try that.

My last rotor was the $14 special, so I don't mind tossing them every few years.

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: JustinH
I say the OP did a pretty good job.

I have seen so many people pad slap and call it done.

I have never checked runout on a new rotor, thanks for the tip I may try that.

My last rotor was the $14 special, so I don't mind tossing them every few years.


Yes, I've seen worse.

There is a certain economic validity to your approach, assuming the pins/tracks are smooth, a well-lubed brake job with el-cheapo parts can deliver good value for long enough before problems arise. There's always the random chance runout is low enough, it might last a long time. If not, and you don't mind the labor, just re-do every 2 or 3 years.

Me, I'm getting older, and while I like to do my own work, my back does not enjoy brake jobs. So I do mind the labor.

But my family are heavy users, we put on about 60K a year between several vehicles. Also, I know if a vehicle develops shudder, I'll start hearing heavy hints from the S.O. about it's time to buy a new vehicle. I finally have a good, reliable small fleet, I understand their ins and outs, and I really don't a car payment right now.

So for me, my personal choice is to buy the best components (but not stupid priced because-race-car [censored]), and do the work once. When I did the Honda fronts last month, one rotor was well out of spec. It turned out to be a feature on the hub (busted-off Honda mount screw), when leveled run-out was about at spec, once indexed, well below spec (spec being
But there is a middle ground. A Micrometer is what, $25 and a dial indicator with gooseneck/vicegrip or magnetic base/articulated arm about $60. So another approach is cheap parts + measurements. Add in a re-lube once a year, and you'll probably get 70K (or more) out of a brake job where I'll get 90-110K. Your new instruments will pay for themselves.

I use 90-110K because that is what my Honda and Toyota got out of their last set of front brakes, respectively.

 

[andyd]

Meh, I'm unconvinced by the necessity for a dial indicator. If the pads still have meat on them, and there's no judder, why mess with the rotors? Clean up the caliper, grease with brake lube, replace with some nice cheap'n dusty and soft pads. The pads will bed in just fine. This is a 20 yr old truck that the owner is selling is another reason not to spend his money,

 

[JeffKeryk]

The early Tundra's have undersized front brakes, especially if you tow.
You can easily retrofit the larger later year calipers.

Our 2001 Tundra with 202K miles are on the original rotors; they have been machined once.
I almost replaced the calipers last ime but just did a pad slap.

Our old truck is perfect. I always get, "How much you askin' for it?"

 

[supton]

Not convinced that a pad slap is "bad". But I guess I've never measured 60-0 distances to "know" that it's just fine.

What does one do if runout measures bad? Buy new rotors, or just hope that ya missed a bit of rust behind the rotor?

If you clean the pins up, then clean up the holes in the calipers, you probably can reuse--and maybe they will even come out easier next time? I grease mine up with moly yet they still rust like mad and seize. Personally I have no love for this brake setup; I'm guessing it works great if one changes pads often but I've found it hard to bust apart, quicker to seize up and in general just more work to us. Probably because I don't use my truck as I ought to, used too lightly that is to say.

 

[HangFire]

Not convinced that a pad slap is "bad". But I guess I've never measured 60-0 distances to "know" that it's just fine.

What does one do if runout measures bad? Buy new rotors, or just hope that ya missed a bit of rust behind the rotor?

If the runout is bad- take the rotor off and measure thickness with a micrometer 8 or more spots all the way around (Parellelism check, most modern production is good here.) Clean the hub carefully, inspect hub face and back of rotor for burrs (metal bumps). Index the rotor (try it in different rotational positions on the studs, most applications allow this). In extreme cases, a hub shim my be called for. Before buying one, carefully inspect the wheel bearing for slop, it may be bad.

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