Brake pad and rotor replacement questions.

[Wolf6151]

I've got a 2005 Toyota Tundra that shimmies bad in the front end when I brake. I know that the front rotors need replacing and will do the pads at the same time. Everything I read and hears says the ceramic pads are the way to go, but I know nothing about rotors. Are they all iron or are some made of other materials? Also some are solid and some are slotted or drilled to dissipate heat. What's best, brand name, style, etc..? Also they come in different color ie: gold, silver, black etc. what's with that? Rotors range in price from $50-$180 each and I'm a complete rookie at this. Any and all advice regarding pads and rotors is appreciated. Thanks.

[GregO]

Buy your rotors from a quality manufacturer, like bendix or reybestos. You should be able to find these at autozone or andvanced auto.
Stay away from slotted, drilled, grooved, and painted rotors, they are all just a gimmic.
Get Toyota pads. They will cost a little more, but they will include all of the clips, shims and hardware needed.

[basscast]

If you are doing the repair make sure everything is super clean when it goes back together, any dirt, oil or grease on the rotors/pads can cause problems.

[18ncs]

And if you don't have the proper tools borrow them from where you get your parts. I think all the parts stores have lend programs.

[Wolf6151]

And if you don't have the proper tools borrow them from where you get your parts. I think all the parts stores have lend programs.

I think I've got all the tools but that's a good idea I didn't think about. Thanks.

I'm pretty sure I'll be using ceramic pads but I know nothing about rotors or the differences in them. Anyone? Thanks.

[Johnny Dangerr]

PM sent

[TexMax]

Stay away from slotted, drilled, grooved, and painted rotors, they are all just a gimmic.

This is pretty much the extent of my rotor knowledge. But very true

[WCB]

I will not buy Auto Zone rotors again. Too many have been returned due to warpage. Guarantee may be good but I hate having to re-do a brake job...

Last rotors I bought for my truck/wifes car (last year) I got from my son. He's with BAP GEON/ All Import Auto parts. Before that I bought rotors from Napa for my daughters car. Both were/are great. I can get the brand from my son when I see him.

Pads, I buy the best ceramics I can get. Better stopping, less heat issues and far less "dust". Actually no brake dust at all.

[TheGasMan]

Stay away from slotted, drilled, grooved, and painted rotors, they are all just a gimmic.

No that is not true. They have a specific purpose. For everyday driving they are not the best choice. In performance applications where you need to keep brakes cool and have the venting to do so, this is a significant advantage. It also helps decrease rotating mass which assists in acceleration and deceleration.

[JMoney$]

Recommend you shop online for the rotors. I bought rotors for my Expedition from PartsGeek.com. Took a couple days to get them, but got a fantastic deal. Agree with sticking with Toyota brand pads though.

[TexMax]

No that is not true. They have a specific purpose. For everyday driving they are not the best choice. In performance applications where you need to keep brakes cool and have the venting to do so, this is a significant advantage. It also helps decrease rotating mass which assists in acceleration and deceleration.

"Crossdrilling your rotors might look neat, but what is it really doing for you? Well, unless your car is using brake pads from the 40’s and 50’s, not a whole lot. Rotors were first ‘drilled’ because early brake pad materials gave off gasses when heated to racing temperatures – a process known as ‘gassing out’. These gasses then formed a thin layer between the brake pad face and the rotor, acting as a lubricant and effectively lowering the coefficient of friction. The holes were implemented to give the gasses ‘somewhere to go’. It was an effective solution, but today’s friction materials do not exhibit the same gassing out phenomenon as the early pads.

For this reason, the holes have carried over more as a design feature than a performance feature. Contrary to popular belief they don’t lower temperatures (in fact, by removing weight from the rotor, the temperatures can actually increase a little), they create stress risers allowing the rotor to crack sooner, and make a mess of brake pads – sort of like a cheese grater rubbing against them at every stop. (Want more evidence? Look at NASCAR or F1. You would think that if drilling holes in the rotor was the hot ticket, these teams would be doing it.)

The one glaring exception here is in the rare situation where the rotors are so oversized (look at any performance motorcycle or lighter formula car) that the rotors are drilled like Swiss cheese. While the issues of stress risers and brake pad wear are still present, drilling is used to reduce the mass of the parts in spite of these concerns. Remember – nothing comes for free. If these teams switched to non-drilled rotors, they would see lower operating temperatures and longer brake pad life – at the expense of higher weight. It’s all about trade-offs."


More mass = cooler temps. You are correct about the weight part though. For street applications, they have no purpose imo

[TheGasMan]

"Crossdrilling your rotors might look neat, but what is it really doing for you? Well, unless your car is using brake pads from the 40’s and 50’s, not a whole lot. Rotors were first ‘drilled’ because early brake pad materials gave off gasses when heated to racing temperatures – a process known as ‘gassing out’. These gasses then formed a thin layer between the brake pad face and the rotor, acting as a lubricant and effectively lowering the coefficient of friction. The holes were implemented to give the gasses ‘somewhere to go’. It was an effective solution, but today’s friction materials do not exhibit the same gassing out phenomenon as the early pads.

For this reason, the holes have carried over more as a design feature than a performance feature. Contrary to popular belief they don’t lower temperatures (in fact, by removing weight from the rotor, the temperatures can actually increase a little), they create stress risers allowing the rotor to crack sooner, and make a mess of brake pads – sort of like a cheese grater rubbing against them at every stop. (Want more evidence? Look at NASCAR or F1. You would think that if drilling holes in the rotor was the hot ticket, these teams would be doing it.)

The one glaring exception here is in the rare situation where the rotors are so oversized (look at any performance motorcycle or lighter formula car) that the rotors are drilled like Swiss cheese. While the issues of stress risers and brake pad wear are still present, drilling is used to reduce the mass of the parts in spite of these concerns. Remember – nothing comes for free. If these teams switched to non-drilled rotors, they would see lower operating temperatures and longer brake pad life – at the expense of higher weight. It’s all about trade-offs."


More mass = cooler temps. You are correct about the weight part though. For street applications, they have no purpose imo

The more mass = cooler temps only holds true if the amount of heat generated is less than the total mass. Also removal of brake dust is a real issue in a heavy braking situation. And by the way NASCAR does use slotted rotors.

http://www.nascar.com/video/cup/2009/03/23/cup.mar.garage.expert.nascar/index.html

Like I said, not appropriate for daily drivers, but does hold value.

[Traildust]

Why not have the rotors turned.....Just Brakes advertises turning all 4 rotors and new pads for $ 99....see how much upgrading to ceramic pads cost

[schlag77]

If you are doing the repair make sure everything is super clean when it goes back together, any dirt, oil or grease on the rotors/pads can cause problems.

X2 I had to redo my wife's car because there was some break dust on the pads when I put it back together. When u would break it would squeal like a stuck pig! On the ceramic pads the dust will crystallize when they heat up. I wore latex gloves and used two bottles of break clean the second time and they don't make a peep.

[RingSteel]

When you take it apart, make SURE that one of the calipers is not dragging. That'll cause heat buildup and will warp even new rotors in short order. Been there, done that!

I'm running EBC yellow stuff brake pads on my '04 Tundra, but I can't recommend them over other pads. Definitely was NOT a big difference in initial brake "bite" that I was looking for. Save your $, or try a diffferent pad.