[lisbonsage]

I bought a 2000 (SR5 2WD AC V8) in 3/06 with 88k and now it has 106K. Before I bought it, my mechanic checked it out and noticed "new to very new" rotors/pads. A few months ago I started to get vibration while braking and it has only gotten worse, presumeably the recurring Tundra brake nightmare scenario. I have since read about all of the furor over the Tundra brake issue and don't know how best to correct my problem. Please advise me on the following outline of my situation/options as I see them:
1. There is a TSB regarding Tundra brakes, but with my mileage and year model, nothing I can do about it?
2. Was a class action lawsuit filed and has Toyota officially/unofficially admitted the problem and offered repair in accordance with their TSB?
3. If I have to eat this repair is it better to pay the 2000$ at the dealer for the TSB repair or go with an aftermarket rotor/pad or caliper/rotor/pad combo if necesary.
4. If aftermarket is cheaper or better than the Dealership 2000$ option, what aftermarket setups have yielded good results? Rotors, Calipers or pads...reccomendations?

Anything anyone can say to give me direction would help a whole lot, from all that I have read today I am pretty tense over the whole brake situation.
Jeff

 

[Tones]

I have the pre-TSB brakes also. Just changed my first set of pads a 51k miles. I could have even gone a little farther.

I was facing a similar decision. You need to ask yourself if you have gotten at least 20k successful miles (in my case 50k), do you really need to spend the money to upgrade the brakes? Your warranty is over so you will have to pay.

If you can turn a few wrenches, you can do the job yourself. Look in the brake forum there are some good writeups on it. I was looking at buying used calipers from the scrapyard and putting them on with new pads, about $200 for me (I found some used calipers for $40 ea.), vs. new pads for less than $50.

I decided the brakes had been fine so it was an easy decision for me just to replace the pads. It helps that I found a great deal on the old style OEM pads at Toyotaaccessory.com. They were slow to ship and were lousy at customer service, but the price is good.

In your case, if you have been happy with the brakes up until now, then you might just consider replacing the pads and getting another 20k-30k out of them.

 

[MEvang]

Jeff, read this post in the brake forum: http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/brakes/65633-upgrade-your-early-tundra-brakes-1-a/
Here's what I can tell you, if you go to Toyota the stuff is all new OEM parts good quality, But I have no issues in using rebuilt calipers, in my experience they can last as long as new. and you save $ Rotor must be at lest a good quality brand OEM, Brenbo, Raybestos, for examples.
Pads, in my post I used some after-market ceramics. I was not happy with them and switched back to Toyota pads.
The TSB covers the upgrade in my post for the fronts. I cheated some, I didn't install there backing plates simply trimmed mine back. This save considerable expense, which is on you now.
There is a TSB on brake drums warping and this happened to me after my front overhaul or could have been part of the problem from the get go. Here I suggest the OEM drum as this is the only way to be sure to get the upgraded part.
My brakes have been working great since these upgrades
Mike