3rd gen 4Runner brake upgrade.

YodasYota

Observer
3rd gen brakes SUCK. I live in the mountains and have problems already with them being warped and I just went to new rotors and pads this summer. I would love to upgrade to the Tundra brakes but I have the factory upgrade Enkeis that are 15in so I cant go that route, which stinks cause I feel like I need the extra stopping power.
 
Yeah... did they hit on you too?

Truck weighed 5100 with all my stuff. Now down below 5000 again, but not for long (new rack, RTT, extra fuel).

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So if I buy some OEM tundra rims, they will clear the 231s without issues?

Those are a dime a dozen around here, what with everyone lifting and shoeing their trucks right off the lot.


Which rack are you getting?
 

shawkins

Adventurer
If you get the Tundra rims off a Tundra that had the 231mm calipers they will clear the 231mm Tundra calipers on your 4Runner. IIRC, these Tundra wheels are 17"

I'm running the 199mm Tundra calipers so I could stay with my stock 16" wheels.
 

Cackalak Han

Explorer
Remember, if you use the 17" Tundra rims, the backspacing is different from your stock wheels. 4.625" for 4Runners and 5"+ for Tundras. It will be pushed in further. Just FYI.
 

Mr. Leary

Glamping Excursionaire
Remember, if you use the 17" Tundra rims, the backspacing is different from your stock wheels. 4.625" for 4Runners and 5"+ for Tundras. It will be pushed in further. Just FYI.

I am going to look at both at a junkyard. I will bring a rim and my jack to test fitment. I am still leaning towards the 199mm due to easier installation, but will examine them both to see which ones I like better.

If I put wheel spacers on, would that take care of the issue with the 231s? This may or may not be an option for me, due to rubbing issues and desire to stick with stock rims. I do not like large amounts of grinding as I worry about balancing issues and of compromising wheel strength.
 

Cackalak Han

Explorer
I'm sure spacers would take care of the problem. Even with your stock rims. While you're at the junk yard, see if you can find steel rims mentioned in the link I posted.
 

austintaco

Explorer
I am running the 199mm Tundra brakes on my Tacoma with 4runner limited wheels and they don't rub. I ran them with the stock Tacoma TRD aluminum rims first and they didn't rub either.
 

Photog

Explorer
Judging by the link posted earlier, it looks like a little grinding on the caliper will allow them to clear the stock wheels. No balance problems with that mod. And you only have to grind two calipers, not 2 batches of wheels.
 
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Mr. Leary

Glamping Excursionaire
I think I have decided on a course of action. I will pick up some 199mm calipers from the JY and invest in some EBC slotted and dimpled rotors and raybestos pads. I will not do anything to the rear, but I may make a small adjustment to my proportioning valve to accomodate the difference. I will test my braking ability with the new equipment before I mess with the valve. I will also test is with my trailer hokked and loaded and see what kind of difference I notice.
 

Cackalak Han

Explorer
Just FYI, slotted and dimpled rotors do nothing for actual braking performance. Slots are mainly for clearing debris from the pads, but running blanks, I've never run into issues with dirt/mud/etc. affecting braking performance. Dimples/drilled holes do nothing for cooling. Even Porsche admits that the cross-drilled holes are purely aesthetic, not performance. All these fancy looking rotors will do is lighten your wallet.

The best thing to do would be to get some good solid blanks (OEM, Brembo or Autozone) and good pads (OEM, Hawk, or I use Autozone Duralast Ceramics). Bed them in correctly and you should be good to go.
 

Mr. Leary

Glamping Excursionaire
Just FYI, slotted and dimpled rotors do nothing for actual braking performance. Slots are mainly for clearing debris from the pads, but running blanks, I've never run into issues with dirt/mud/etc. affecting braking performance. Dimples/drilled holes do nothing for cooling. Even Porsche admits that the cross-drilled holes are purely aesthetic, not performance. All these fancy looking rotors will do is lighten your wallet.

The best thing to do would be to get some good solid blanks (OEM, Brembo or Autozone) and good pads (OEM, Hawk, or I use Autozone Duralast Ceramics). Bed them in correctly and you should be good to go.

I'll give them a try. I've had trouble with mud and debris before, but I don't live down in the bayous any more.

Are Duralast Ceramics really worth the investment? I have no experience with them. I've always heard rave reviews about raybestos pads.
 

xcmountain80

Expedition Leader
If you service the rear brakes at the time of the Tundra front conversion you should be good. The rears tend to pick up the slack of weakening front brakes and become overworked. Symptoms of this problem are often associated with “brake dive”. You will be hard pressed to find a better bolt–up drum than stock.

There is a good write up in the July/August issue of 4WD Toyota Owner Magazine detailing the Tundra brake conversion. Yotatech and Ultimate Yota both have good member write-ups on this subject.

I did the Tundra conversion this past summer with excellent results; the stopping power was substantially increased. I went with the larger 231mm rotors and larger calipers. The Tundra brake conversion is mostly “plug and play”- although wheel/caliper interference seems to be a problem with some. The interference plagues certain wheel/caliper combos. Careful grinder work will solve this problem. The brake dust shields will also need to be trimmed.

X2 and kabam I can stock on a dime and trips through the mountains don't give me warped rotors any more. I shaved some material off the caliper to minimize wheel interference.




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