IS the Toyota Tundra brake problem very common?

[Rlockyer]

Originally Posted by TUNDRAV8GEORGIA

My Tundra seems to be having issues allway's upfront in fact ive never changed out the rear's other than the4 runner rear drum tsb updates beyond that therear on mine dont seem to have a problem

Hmm... there's a hint. Not that you should be having problems with the rear, but if the rear proportioning/load sensing valve is not properly adjusted, it could cause the rear brakes to not fully apply, which will cause excessive wear on the front, as well as a "grabby" feeling.

You haven't lifted the truck, so that's unlikely, but perhaps it wasn't adjusted correctly from the factory?

[gbstundra002000]

I also have a 2000 with the original brakes, and i credit that to not beating my truck. I have 84000 miles on it and am getting some vibration and some noise. I will have the pads changed and rotors turned and see what happens. I am planning on passing on my truck to my oldest son so am keeping it looking and working as close to new as I can. I am planning on purchasing a new Tundra in a couple of years. Toyota Forever!!!!!!!!!

[Doug K]

180000 km's on original 2004 Tundra brakes and still going....no issues.
323000 km's put on a 2000 Tundra with one pad change.
Brakes don't seem to be a issue.

[Tones]

I have to agree with others. I have never had the brakes touched since new (no updated calipers or anything else) and I have 50000 miles on mine. I have changed the fluid out (I recommend that by the way every 2-3 years, really improved the pedal feel). Never had a problem with vibration, wearing or warping. Terrain may have something to do with it, but I don't drive my truck like a race car either.

[MEvang]

It may have everything to do with driving habits. People don't want to be told that they have bad braking habits, or will they ever admit to it. But it much more common than you think.
Mike

[poorman]

As you can see here some folks got a Tundra made on Monday morning and some on Wensday, varying from problems to no problems. I had a 05 DC and that was the only problems I had were the brakes. Turned rotors and replaced pads at 14k, never got the squeal out of it and at 20k were shaking again. My 2000 (which I just did a 700 front brake job on) has actually been less trouble on brakes than the 05. You may get one and not have one seconds trouble or you may get one thats a nightmare, its a roll of the dice. I will have to say as good as Toyots is they are real azz's about admitting a problem and correcting it.

[Tundrav8yamaha]

Originally Posted by poorman

As you can see here some folks got a Tundra made on Monday morning and some on Wensday, varying from problems to no problems. I had a 05 DC and that was the only problems I had were the brakes. Turned rotors and replaced pads at 14k, never got the squeal out of it and at 20k were shaking again. My 2000 (which I just did a 700 front brake job on) has actually been less trouble on brakes than the 05. You may get one and not have one seconds trouble or you may get one thats a nightmare, its a roll of the dice. I will have to say as good as Toyots is they are real azz's about admitting a problem and correcting it.

I think Toyota will admit a brake issue on the early tundra the problems were a poor setup origianally speaking toyota using the older tacoma brakes were bad move on there end however it was a cost saving factor on there end since it fit the tundra and the former Tacoma.

Ive had problems on my original new 2000 tundra because the Company didnt design it right on the very start but since im aware toyota tsb on sept 03 changed the topic I wouldnt buy a Tundra dated before that tsb install.

[MEvang]

have to agree with you that they should have done it right in the first place, but that doesn't explain why some people have no problems at all and some have major. Or why some like poorman have problem with their '06. and none with his 2000.
It don't matter what you buy, some people can create there own brake problems (bad driving habit that no one will admit to). On the other hand you can start of with a simple complaint like a squeal or other noise and by the time the dealer gets done with you the entire brake system is a mess and no one can fix it.
Yes, the manufacture is responsible for the basic design, but it has been tester and certified under FMVSS 135 federal requirements so their butt is covered. If they decide down the road this wasn't good enough, they can always improve things for their own good.
Now from what I have seen here and my own experiences I think this is the order of cause of most of these Tundra brake issues:
1) Poor service techniques: Not torquing wheels, over adjusting rears, issues caused by drum shims, poor shop dynostics (mainly not knowing what end the shake is coming from) not using on the car laths, or not using proper machining technique on drums and rotors.
2) Under designed braking: Engineers are pushed to do just enough and keep weight and cost down this leads to under designed brakes. If it passes the government testing it's good enough. This is not just a Toyota problem, through you would expect more from them, most all manufacture have had this bite them in the butt. Maybe we need improved federal regulations.
3) Driver induced problems: I put this last because it's a truck! A truck that most people use light duty and you expect a truck to have more brakes then you need for every day driving. Even if a driver is real bad with his brakes they should hold up on a truck.
Today's improved brake pad materials have allowed the manufactures to make pads smaller and rotors thinner. This is nothing new, it's been happening since the '80s and I can name case after case of federal certified brake systems that didn't work.
Bottom line should Toyota pay for early brake upgrades? Yes, they should! Or they can do what GM did in the case of the W bodies and wait for a class action law suit, which is where many of these issue end up.Then only the lawyers win!
Mike

[MOREPOWER]

I don't buy the idea of brake problems on Toyota Tundra's as driver induced, the pulsation problems are well documented, to cause that kind of pulsation or warped rotor by a driver you'd need to run them Chery red or very hot and hit a poodle regularly, funny I had a neighbor try to tell me that was the problem with 7K on the odometer, I think most people that have driven cars for years would not buy it when the dealer said its normal, it was what they said to me, they also said the window rattle was normal, they got me on that one since i hardly drive with windows down for it to be annoying enough to keep going back to the dealers, but the brakes were there every time you step on it really annoying.

[Burmbuster]

Hello, This is my first post. I found Tundra Soulyions by using Google. I am trying to find a fix for the high speed brake chatter as a lot of you are seeking as well. My dealer has fixed the brakes twice and a repair shop once in 98,000 miles. It seems they work nice for a few thousand miles and then the high speed application chatter starts. It does feel like warped roters. Has anyone used drilled or high preformance roters... are they available. It would seem there are enough people with this problem that someone would make a fix.

[MEvang]

Spend some time reading through some of the brake post concerning rear drum issues. You problems could very well be in the rear not the front.
Here's some key point to remember:
1 Only machine the rotors is they need it. Check the run out!
2 Only have the front rotors machined using an on the car lath. Other wise just replace. Drilled rotors are a waste of money stick with a good aftermarket or OEM.
3 Don't let anyone over adjust rears This will warp the drums as shoes heat up they expand and get tighter.
4 Cleanliness is next to goodliness when it comes to brakes. Make sure no rust, shim material or other crap is on the hubs or drum/rotors when installing them. A thin coating of silicone grease is all that's needed.
5 Last but not lest always torque the wheels, is someone tries to put your wheels on with an impact, immediately strangle him with the air hose! This is the best way to make a mess out of your brakes!
Mike

[Burmbuster]

Thanks for the pointers. The discs were replaced by the dealer and new discs were installed at the repair shop. But the point about the impact is well taken as I have had new tries put on and rotated. As you can't watch the dealers guy do the work and I didn't watch the mechanic at the shop to see if an impact was used but I thhink the tire shop probably did.

[MEvang]

Snap-On sells an 1/2" drive air impact to many techs the can put out 600 lb ft of torque, can you imagine changing a flat after your tires were rotated with that!
There is no sense in this, tech all know they shouldn't do this, but they do.
Torque Sticks are a torsion limiting device that allows you to use and impact to install lug not. These are much better then an impact alone, but do not give exact torque, gets you close. They should at lest be using these.
The right way is with a torque wrench.
In the old days this was of little issue. Rotors and hubs were made one piece and used more metal then needed. Impacts wrenches put out maybe 100 lb ft of torque and you worried more about the wheels not being tight enough.
Today, with massing impacts and lighter components this can seriously damage you brakes and hub.
Don't be afraid to tell the service manger that you want your wheel toured with a torque wrench only. They wont think your nuts, they know this is the right way it should be done.
Mike

[5 Speed]

Have a 2000 with 114K and have had no problems with the original brakes. I have been driving with a 4Wheel Camper (700lbs +) in the back for the last 60K and still have about 50% of the original pads left. Not a shimmy but I do have a 5 speed 4WD manual and set the parking brake every time it is parked. I always torque down my own lug nuts, even after I got new tires put on I did it in the parking lot at Sams Club. I do think it is a combination of the driving habits but even more setting the parking brake everytime you park the car. This is the only way to keep the rear drums adjusted and have them working correctly. If you have ever rode a motorcycle and tried to stop only with the front brakes with no rear brakes you will know just how much assistance a little pressure on the rear brakes can help and share the load. I know the rear does just a little breaking assistance, but it is the combination that takes a lot of the load off the front. I have a older Toyota truck that has over 320K that has gone through 3 sets of front pads so I do brake sometimes.

[SDtundra858]

I have noticed that my brakes have gotten worse since i got it...and not just the normal wear. I have about 21,000 on my 2005, bought May 2005 and the braking distance has gotten extremely bad and the brakes occaionally make squeeking noises depending on the weather or the day...