how to brake job

[jubjub]

i did try searching and apparently my google-fu is not strong, or maybe functioning on 3hrs of sleep... but does anyone have a good write up on how to do a full brake job on a 07 xrunner? i got my brake rotors and my red TRD pads in today and plan to do it this weekend.

 

[ntinhri]

its very easy to do the front..
step 1 Park the Tacoma in an area that will allow you to work safely on both sides of the vehicle. Place the transmission in "park" and apply the parking brake.

Step 2 Loosen the lug nuts on the front wheels with the socket of the tire iron or a 21-millimeter socket and ratchet.

Step 3 Lift the Toyota with the jack and place jack stands beneath the frame of the truck. Remove the lug nuts and take the front wheels off of the wheel bolts.

Step 4. Looking at the caliber, notice the "2" pins on back side of the caliber (held in place by angle clips)

Step 5. Remove the angle clip from each pin, and slide the pins out of the caliber (there is a tension spring that looks like a "v" that will also be removed when removing the bottom pin)

Step 6. Grab one pad at a time, and pull backwards to remove the pad from the caliber. (you will RE-USE the metal piston plates that come out with the pads when you remove them)
(you will need to cmpress the caliber pistons before you can slide the new pads into place. To do this, you can wedge a flat head screwdriver between the rotor and the caliber pistons and using slow force, gently apply pressure against the pistons [one at a time] until the retract)

Step 7 Turn the steering wheel to the left to access the Toyota's right brake caliper bolts. The caliper is the metal apparatus that partially surrounds the shiny, smooth rotor. The caliper bolts are on the side of the caliper nearest to the frame of the Tacoma. On the right brake, they are on the left side. On the left brake, they are on the right side. Remove the two caliper bolts with a 14-millimeter wrench. The caliper bolts are long; they extend from the back side of the caliper to the front.

Step 8 Pull the caliper from around the rotor. Rest the caliper on the removed wheel (laid flat) or use a bungee to hold the caliper. Do not let the weight of the caliper pull on the brake line by letting it hang while you are replacing the rotor.

Step 9 Pull the rotor from the wheel bolts. If the rotor is rusted to the steering knuckle, use a hammer and tap the rotor to free the rotor from the grip of the rust. If you are replacing the rotors, you can tap anywhere on the rotor. If you plan to resurface the rotors and reuse them, tap the rotors only on the top-hat edge (the raised edge in the center of the rotor) to avoid damaging the rotor surface.

Step 10 Remove the new rotor from its packaging. Spray the entire rotor with brake cleaner. Wipe the rotor until it is dry.

Step 11 Place the new rotor onto the wheel bolts. Make sure the top-hat section is facing outward. (The top-hat section protrudes from one side of the rotor. This extended side should face outward.)

Step 12 Replace the caliper around the new rotor. Screw in the caliper bolts using the 14-millimeter wrench.

Step 13 Turn the steering wheel to the right to access the left caliper's bolts. Remove the bolts and the caliper. Pull the rotor from the wheel bolts. Clean the new rotor and place it onto the wheel bolts.

Step 14 Replace the caliper and screw on the caliper bolts.

Step 15 Turn the steering wheel so that the wheels are facing forward. Replace the wheels onto the wheel bolts. Screw on the lug nuts by hand.

Step 16 Lift the Toyota with the jack, remove the jack stands and lower the truck to the ground.

Step 17 Tighten the lug nuts with the tire iron.

 

[Edgeman]

Have you looked throught the "How to" section of XRU? Someone may have provided the steps involved. If not, here are the basic steps of doing one (but since my truck is fairly new, I haven't dived into this project...yet):

In addition to your regular "metric" tool set, you'll need a torque wrench and possibly a clamp or a speciality tool to compress the pistons in the front calipers. (new pads are thicker due to them having all of the pad material, so the pistons will need to be retracted back into the calipers IOT provide the room) You'll also need a coat hanger, or some other thing to hold the calipers while you swap the rotors.

In general:
(1) take off the wheel,
(2) take off the caliper, and hang it so the weight isn't stressing the brake line...basically you don't want it hanging by the line. This is also a good time to change to stainless steel brake lines...if you wish, but that will require flushing/bleeding the system, to be covered seperately.
(3) remove the old brake rotor
(4) install the new brake rotor
(5) push the pads apart in the caliper, while the old pads are still in it. That will keep you from damaging the face of the new pads.
(6) install the new pads into the caliper
(7) install the new caliper onto it's bracket - see if you can find the proper torque specifications...it will probably be somewhere around 80 foot lbs (or lb/ft).
(8) install the wheel
(9) do steps 1-8 on the other side.

...and you will be done. Now if you install new SS brake lines, you'll need to flush the lines to clear any air bubbles out of the system. I highly flushing the clutch at the same time. You'll find that you need to flush your brake & clutch lines every 2-3 years, so that's a procedure you'll need to develop, but it's even easier (and much quicker) than changing pads/rotors.

You may also want to check to see if your wheel bearings have any excess play requiring you to repack them.

Good luck! Once you do it once, you'll wonder what was the big deal...lol I find brakes to be one of the easiest jobs a DIY guy/gal can do (al long as you don't have to worry about the ABS module).

 

[jubjub]

ahhh thanks guys...i tried looking through the how to section last night i guess i just never saw it,

 

[jubjub]

thanks ntinhri your directions worked great, just didnt know what step 4 was.....everything else went well broke the pads and everything is great....first time i've ever done something like this before

on to the sectsy pic.

 

[pinktaco]

its very easy to do the front..
step 1 Park the Tacoma in an area that will allow you to work safely on both sides of the vehicle. Place the transmission in "park" and apply the parking brake.

Step 2 Loosen the lug nuts on the front wheels with the socket of the tire iron or a 21-millimeter socket and ratchet.

Step 3 Lift the Toyota with the jack and place jack stands beneath the frame of the truck. Remove the lug nuts and take the front wheels off of the wheel bolts.

Step 4. Looking at the caliber, notice the "2" pins on back side of the caliber (held in place by angle clips)

Step 5. Remove the angle clip from each pin, and slide the pins out of the caliber (there is a tension spring that looks like a "v" that will also be removed when removing the bottom pin)

Step 6. Grab one pad at a time, and pull backwards to remove the pad from the caliber. (you will RE-USE the metal piston plates that come out with the pads when you remove them)
(you will need to cmpress the caliber pistons before you can slide the new pads into place. To do this, you can wedge a flat head screwdriver between the rotor and the caliber pistons and using slow force, gently apply pressure against the pistons [one at a time] until the retract)

Step 7 Turn the steering wheel to the left to access the Toyota's right brake caliper bolts. The caliper is the metal apparatus that partially surrounds the shiny, smooth rotor. The caliper bolts are on the side of the caliper nearest to the frame of the Tacoma. On the right brake, they are on the left side. On the left brake, they are on the right side. Remove the two caliper bolts with a 14-millimeter wrench. The caliper bolts are long; they extend from the back side of the caliper to the front.

Step 8 Pull the caliper from around the rotor. Rest the caliper on the removed wheel (laid flat) or use a bungee to hold the caliper. Do not let the weight of the caliper pull on the brake line by letting it hang while you are replacing the rotor.

Step 9 Pull the rotor from the wheel bolts. If the rotor is rusted to the steering knuckle, use a hammer and tap the rotor to free the rotor from the grip of the rust. If you are replacing the rotors, you can tap anywhere on the rotor. If you plan to resurface the rotors and reuse them, tap the rotors only on the top-hat edge (the raised edge in the center of the rotor) to avoid damaging the rotor surface.

Step 10 Remove the new rotor from its packaging. Spray the entire rotor with brake cleaner. Wipe the rotor until it is dry.

Step 11 Place the new rotor onto the wheel bolts. Make sure the top-hat section is facing outward. (The top-hat section protrudes from one side of the rotor. This extended side should face outward.)

Step 12 Replace the caliper around the new rotor. Screw in the caliper bolts using the 14-millimeter wrench.

Step 13 Turn the steering wheel to the right to access the left caliper's bolts. Remove the bolts and the caliper. Pull the rotor from the wheel bolts. Clean the new rotor and place it onto the wheel bolts.

Step 14 Replace the caliper and screw on the caliper bolts.

Step 15 Turn the steering wheel so that the wheels are facing forward. Replace the wheels onto the wheel bolts. Screw on the lug nuts by hand.

Step 16 Lift the Toyota with the jack, remove the jack stands and lower the truck to the ground.

Step 17 Tighten the lug nuts with the tire iron.

got pics??/ and do you have to bleed the lines???

 

[Grumpy]

^^ No need to bleed the lines as the system is never open. That being said, if you cooked your brake a few time, it would be wise to bleed them at that point.

 

[Edgeman]

^^ No need to bleed the lines as the system is never open. That being said, if you cooked your brake a few time, it would be wise to bleed them at that point.

I think it's a good idea to flush the brake fluid every 2-3 years. Dot 3/4 Brake fluid is hygroscopic, thus it absorbs water. What happens is that over time that water starts to rust the internals of your brake system (ever seen old "brown" brake fluid in the brake resevoir?). But more immediate than just the water build up, if you've "cooked your brakes" you may have gas in the lines giving you a spongy pedal.

Needless to say, this is a generic automobile recommendation, vice something only directed at X-Runners. I use a Motive pressure bleed system, but I haven't seen a Toyota specific cap yet. I used the universal cap on my 94 Yota truck. I'm coming up on 3 years of ownership in May, so it's about time I flushed the brakes on my X.

 

[Grumpy]

I agree on bleeding the system regardless....as a preventative measure. Throwing on Goodridge SS line give you a good excuse to flush the system with some hi-performance brake fluid also.

 

[Torspd]

Such as some DOT 4 Endless or Super Blue fluid???? . For those that don't know, the super blue fluid is very handy because of the blue color. So when flushing the system, you know exactly when you have bled enough. If your system started with the normal amber color fluid. So when it is time to change again, swap back to an amber color, and it will be easy to tell again. Duhn Duhn Duh... :top:

 

[autobodyX]

Be sure to bed in the new brake package. This involves a series of moderate braking to heat up the brake pads and break in the rotors. http://www.c5help.com/bedin_brakes.htm

Highly recommend Dot 4 brake fluid!

 

[Torspd]

Super blue

http://www.frsport.com/ATE-SBR-DOT4...ke-Fluid-1L-Compatible-DOT3-4-5-1_p_1240.html

 

[DERRIXRYD]

on to the sectsy pic.
[/QUOTE]

Those look cool....just got a set myself! :laugh:

 

[TitanRattler813]

I agree on bleeding the system regardless....as a preventative measure. Throwing on Goodridge SS line give you a good excuse to flush the system with some hi-performance brake fluid also.

+1 on the Goodridge lines. I just put some on the M35.

Such as some DOT 4 Endless or Super Blue fluid???? . For those that don't know, the super blue fluid is very handy because of the blue color. So when flushing the system, you know exactly when you have bled enough. If your system started with the normal amber color fluid. So when it is time to change again, swap back to an amber color, and it will be easy to tell again. Duhn Duhn Duh... :top:

ATE Super Blue has a tendency to stain the brake reservoir, which makes it difficult to see the level after a while. That blue dye does not come out. It's better suited for people who track their cars & flush regularly. ATE Typ 200 has the exact same specs, with the traditional gold color. Most people that use the Super Blue fluid alternate the 2 to make bleeding easier. After alternating so many times, the amber will just look like a really light green

Some good stuff you can pick up locally is Castrol GT-LMA or the Valvoline DOT 3/4 Synthetic. Both are low-moisture formulas with higher wet boiling points than the cheap stuff.

 

[butters607]

i can add somthing to this havent read the whole thread because its long but what i do is i put the silver anti-seize on All of the points where the pad slides cleaning it first and also on the sliders or the pins that you have to remove to get the caliper off and it works really well i never have any squeak unless it is caused by a warped rotor bad pad etc. just a tip :top:

 

[Gators Taco]

That's one thing on my list to do this summer, new cross drill rotors and pads.

 

[Torspd]

Here is some more good stuff.

http://www.vividracing.com/catalog/endless-sfour-dot4-brake-fluid-p-65947.html

 

[TitanRattler813]

Here is some more good stuff.

http://www.vividracing.com/catalog/endless-sfour-dot4-brake-fluid-p-65947.html

:top: good stuff... gotta remember to flush at each brake job with DOT4 fluid since it's more hygroscopic than DOT3.

 

[pinktaco]

pics frin start ti finish or better yet video

 

[FireB]

Any solid numbers on the Torque Spec on the 14MM that holds the caliper?
A gentleman stated somewhere around 80ft-lb but just wanted to see if anyone have a solid numbers on that.
I wanna be safe just in case since it's.......brakes you know what I mean?! :biggrin: