Time For new Brakes

[Tres]

OK.. heres the deal I got 42,000 miles on my 03 and it sounds like its time for brakes...

I've always said that I wanted to go with an upgraded brake kit, maybe ceramic and cross drilled rotors.. but...
My mechanic says if I got 42,000 out of the stock brakes to stick with the dealer pads.

Like I said,, I intended to upgrade..what do you guys think? also.. Where do you recommend I purchase the new ones?

I'd like to learn how to do the brakes myself. Anyone interested in helping me out?

Tres

[laz]

When you say you need brakes I assume you only need front, or are you ready for all four wheels?

Myself at one point tried different brake pads including the KVR Fibre Carbon pads and was never really pleased with them. I can tell you that I have always gotten good performance and a good lifetime from OEM toyota pads. I also discovered taht they produce almost no dust, and fit the best.

I say just go OEM and get them from a dealership. I get all my parts from Lee's Toyota in Jamaica (Queens Blvd and Hillside Ave) the guy knows me there, so most of the time he gives me a discount.   :cool:

Anyway, you may also need to have the rotors resurfaced, and that is a lot more work to get the rotors off.

And on another point, 42K miles on a 03??!!! Wow, that is a lot of driving man!

X

[Tres]

If I go with OEM do I have to get it done at toyota?
If I have to resurface the rotors.. don't I have to bring them somewhere to get that done?

Tres

[laz]

No, you don't need to get it done at toyota, just buy the pads from the parts department. Yes, you can take your rotors to get resurfaced anywhere, is taking them off the car that is an issue.

I say that with the mileage that you have now it is better to get the rotors resurfaced.

X

[Tres]

I might just have to get someone to do it for me.. I'm looking at my schedule.. and I'm not off till Nov 14th.. YUCK!

Tres

[corollamadness]

tres u should get da drill rotors and still be able to use ur oem calipers & oem pads. if ur looking to a lil upgrade n da brakes

http://www.pureperf.com/brakes/toyota.html

there is where u can find them. goodluck...

pete

[Don Fusskinrolla]

k

When upgrading your brakes be careful with what temperature they operate.  Most break kits are for race use and our daily driving will no where com close to the optimal operating temperatures to work.

I read somewhere that the stock system is good.  You just have to look on how to make it better.  Fist thing on your list should be the replacing the rubber lines.  They over time increase due to pressure and will not give you the same pressure and thus have bad breaking.  You should updgrade to stainless steel lines.  Goodridge lines come to mind.

Your rotors are fine, they usually don't go bad.  They only go bad when the pad is offset or the clamping force is way out of wack.  Just get nice pads.  The pads have to made of a compound that is not too rough on the rotors, but have enough bite.  EBD Green stuff comes to mind too.

When you get rotors, please don't fall into the hype of crossed drilled, or slotted.  Again, their made for race and the only reason why they are like that is to decrease the amount of surface are the rotor has in contact with the pad to dissipate the heat better.  Again, these rotors will not see race temperatures so why waste money.  Slotted rotors warp over time and creat oneven breaking and feel.  Drilled rotors with extremely cold temperatures break.

Stick with OEM pads.  Or if you want, go the next step up, TRD pads if they make them.  Toyota already made the research and the time and money for you.  Don't go against R&D.

Later

[laz]

I actually got cross drilled brake rotors for the same exact opposite reason. I went through two pairs of stock rotors just ebcause they warped so fast. I guess my spirited driving made them warp prematurely.

I ordered brembo rotors machined by KRV Performance in canada and the warping went away. Mind you I have gone through some cold winters, including the past one up her in the east coast and not one problem with them.

Of course you have to be careful as to who does the actual machining, since some outlets are shady.

I finally settled for OEM pad with my rotors, since the other aftermarket pads where too hard and were noisy and not grabbing well.

I have not had any warpage with the cross drilled rotors, and they have not cracked either. I recently checked them since I did my suspension work, and the checked out OK.

So from experience I can recommend my setup since I have had at least 50K trouble free miles with them on in weather that ranged from -15 to 100+ degrees farenheit.

X

[Tres]

So... I should keep my OEM hookup but replace the brake lines....

Where can I Pick those up?

Tres

[Don Fusskinrolla]

best bet would probably be from Racing Solution.

I can't think of another place that does it.

Either that or so a google search for it
 :cool:

[Tres]

best bet would probably be from Racing Solution.

I can't think of another place that does it.

Either that or so a google search for it
 :cool:

Couldnt find it on Racing solution.. any particular brand that I should look for? How much should they be?

Tres

[Phozenstone]

hey Tres i saw u at dunkin donuts on hempstead turnpike the other day, the one by home depot.  U prolly didnt see me tho cuz i was in my beater.

[Storm]

not to be a buzzkill or anything, but upgrading your brakes aside from looks is a waste of money. You car isn't heavy or fast enough to warrent a brake kit. Don't get me wrong, but as said before these were designed for racing situations. they do sell oem size slotted and cross drilled rotor. If you're worried about warping or cracking with these rotors I wouldn't worry.I have plenty of friends with cross drilled or slotted rotors. I've only seen the cross drilled ones crack, but only because of hard use during the winter. he was trying to drift around a parking lot..so lots of hard braking. Never heard of anyones slotted rotors warping though. As for just upgrading the brake lines...save your money. doesn't really do anything. Just go to midas and get new pads, gauranteed for the life of your car. You'll never have to buy a set of pads ever again and not even labor, plus it's honored at all midas locations.

[Tres]

hey Tres i saw u at dunkin donuts on hempstead turnpike the other day, the one by home depot.  U prolly didnt see me tho cuz i was in my beater.

Haha.. cool.. Yeah, I stopped in to get Ceci Coffee, she works across the street, so i just walked across.


Storm Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 12:43 am    Post subject:  

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not to be a buzzkill or anything, but upgrading your brakes aside from looks is a waste of money. You car isn't heavy or fast enough to warrent a brake kit. Don't get me wrong, but as said before these were designed for racing situations. they do sell oem size slotted and cross drilled rotor. If you're worried about warping or cracking with these rotors I wouldn't worry.I have plenty of friends with cross drilled or slotted rotors. I've only seen the cross drilled ones crack, but only because of hard use during the winter. he was trying to drift around a parking lot..so lots of hard braking. Never heard of anyones slotted rotors warping though. As for just upgrading the brake lines...save your money. doesn't really do anything. Just go to midas and get new pads, gauranteed for the life of your car. You'll never have to buy a set of pads ever again and not even labor, plus it's honored at all midas locations.

I do alot of hard braking, but I don't race or anything, I'm just really hard on my brakes.

So your saying..just get midas.. ::sigh:: several different opinions...... what to do...what to do...

Tres

[Storm]

hey Tres i saw u at dunkin donuts on hempstead turnpike the other day, the one by home depot.  U prolly didnt see me tho cuz i was in my beater.

Haha.. cool.. Yeah, I stopped in to get Ceci Coffee, she works across the street, so i just walked across.


Storm Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 12:43 am    Post subject:  

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not to be a buzzkill or anything, but upgrading your brakes aside from looks is a waste of money. You car isn't heavy or fast enough to warrent a brake kit. Don't get me wrong, but as said before these were designed for racing situations. they do sell oem size slotted and cross drilled rotor. If you're worried about warping or cracking with these rotors I wouldn't worry.I have plenty of friends with cross drilled or slotted rotors. I've only seen the cross drilled ones crack, but only because of hard use during the winter. he was trying to drift around a parking lot..so lots of hard braking. Never heard of anyones slotted rotors warping though. As for just upgrading the brake lines...save your money. doesn't really do anything. Just go to midas and get new pads, gauranteed for the life of your car. You'll never have to buy a set of pads ever again and not even labor, plus it's honored at all midas locations.

I do alot of hard braking, but I don't race or anything, I'm just really hard on my brakes.

So your saying..just get midas.. ::sigh:: several different opinions...... what to do...what to do...

Tres

If I were you and you wanted to just upgrade you brakes alittle go for the slotted and green stuff pads. But let me warn you slotted or cross drilled brakes take alot of getting used to. you tap the brake and you stop plus they're alittle bit noisier than reguler. Hard braking during daily driving or hard braking while you're driving around twisties are 2 different things. If you think you're going to go through brake pads alot because of this the green stuff pads are kind of expensive as are most carbon based pads. You need a manual so you can use the engine to help slow you down. Saves alot on brake wear. 34K miles and I have about 75% of my original pads. I dunno if a brake kit was an opion for you, but think about the brake kit this way. You're looking at about $1500 at least on top of that you're going to have to get new wheels cause I doubt the wheels you have on now will have the clearance to allow for the larger claliper. As for the midas suggestion. Just trying to save you some money and give you some more options. If I went through brake pads alot I would jump on that, but my last car I only changed the brake pads once and sold the car with 120K miles on it

[laz]

My opinion honeslty is if you are not making a lot more power, then there is no need to upgrade your brakes to anything bigger. Only reason why I changed rotors was because as stated earlier they were warping a lot, but I still kept the OEM pads.

My suggestion honestly if you want to save some money and get good quality and not get your hands dirty, go to the toyota dealership, get OEM pads and have your mechanic change them for you. If he thinks the rotors need to be resurfaced, then let him do it, if not, then just replace the pads.

I have replaced my pads twice now since I got the cross-drilled rotors, at about 25K miles each, and the thing is that I do a lot of heavy city driving which means more brake use than highway.

Your car is an 03, there is no need to replace lines or anyting else, they will last the life of the car if not damage by external factors.

GL

X

[Tres]

Thanks for the help..

Tres

[corollamadness]

yo tres go here man while upgrading ur brakes her u can rear disc fo da rolla
http://www.vpower.net/catalog/index.php?cPath=80_53_58

[Tres]

yo tres go here man while upgrading ur brakes her u can rear disc fo da rolla
http://www.vpower.net/catalog/index.php?cPath=80_53_58

$695 ..yeah right.........thanks anyway though..


Tres

[Phozenstone]

you know what, i have oem toyota brake pads and i used them for the last 45k miles, best brake pads i have ever bought.

[Tres]

you know what, i have oem toyota brake pads and i used them for the last 45k miles, best brake pads i have ever bought.

Yeah..well out of all this.. and my current finances....   I'm just gonna go with the OEM pads..

Anyone intersted in teaching me how to replace them myself?


Tres

[sKiLLs]

Tres call my cell if you wanna know how I'm doing with my ceramic pads and slotted/drilled rotors... Maybe it will give you direction after I tell you what I think of them...