DIY Tundra Brakes (BBK)

[bloc]

I may have found a winner.. ordering this today.

How hard is it to pull the whole knuckle? Then just take to a machine shop and have them do it, or jig up in a drill press and do it at home.

Not horrible.. but that requires releasing the LCA bolts, an alignment, etc. Just for two holes that need to be made larger. In my case I’m planning on installing the 16+ splash shields so I’ll be removing the hub and bearing from the knuckle. Many won’t even do that.

 

[TeCKis300]

I may have found a winner.. ordering this today.

View attachment 2957001

Looks like you've found it! If you're antsy, could make this.

I just took an old 3/4" step bit (IIRC it's a cheapy HF) and ground the non-relevant steps away. Wasn't too bad with a bench grinder and did the deed in about 10 minutes. Tested on a 1/4" steel stock, first drilled with a 7/16 bit, and it seemed to work great stepping it up to size, but that's mild steel.

IM me if you want the bit and I'll mail it your way.

 

[bloc]

Looks like you've found it! If you're antsy, could make this.

I just took an old 3/4" step bit (IIRC it's a cheapy HF) and ground the non-relevant steps away. Wasn't too bad with a bench grinder and did the deed in about 10 minutes. Tested on a 1/4" steel stock, first drilled with a 7/16 bit, and it seemed to work great stepping it up to size, but that's mild steel.

View attachment 2957022

View attachment 2957029

View attachment 2957030

IM me if you want the bit and I'll mail it your way.

Great idea. I actually have the other bit headed my way but can use yours also at the yard to compare. I want to go back and find a toyota that I can turn the knuckle and attack it from the other side to go full depth. Also if possible something without the threads. But with the existing hole on our knuckle being smaller than the 1/2” step I believe these bits will center and work very well.

If it works well that could be the method going forward, and cheaper and more readily available than the bit I ordered. I’ll send a PM.

 

[Ratchey]

What is the advantage of doing this upgrade?
Is it that there is better clamping force further away from the center of the rotor?
Does using a stock pad negate the advantage? (less dust being the advantage)
I did a big brake upgrade on my Jeep years ago, but that also included a caliper with 2 pistons instead of one so there was better clamping force across the pad instead of just the center. (Stock would actually wear the center of the pad faster)

 

[bloc]

What is the advantage of doing this upgrade?
Is it that there is better clamping force further away from the center of the rotor?
Does using a stock pad negate the advantage? (less dust being the advantage)
I did a big brake upgrade on my Jeep years ago, but that also included a caliper with 2 pistons instead of one so there was better clamping force across the pad instead of just the center. (Stock would actually wear the center of the pad faster)

Primarily, more mass in the rotor to act as a heat sink before the system gets too hot to function.

Also the same clamping force at the caliper acting further from the axle gives it more leverage and therefore effective power to stop the vehicle.

Obviously this isn’t a giant big brake kit from a cayenne turbo S, it is a small step toward more effective braking. But it was also something Toyota felt necessary to change with the 2016 facelift.. given the ease of doing the job it’s worth the cost to me.

 

[bemerritt]

I have never done a brake job in my life and found the tundra swap very straight forward. Well worth it.

 

[doru]

While the drilling research goes on let me switch this thread back to its original subject - Tundra brakes on LC, and add a twist to it...

I'm going to get TRD BBK on my LX. The pro and cons have been discussed at length in my other thread here:

BBK for 2013

forum.ih8mud.com

Obviously the TRD caliper is designed to work with the Tundra hard brake line from caliper to the bracket on the suspension. This line has swivel fitting at the caliper. The kit also includes the stainless steel flex lines from the suspension bracket to the car body hard line. As you know the LX/LC have only one line, flexible, from body to caliper and a banjo caliper fitting.

Here is summarizing the line solutions to mix the Tundra components to the LC/LX:

1. Custom lines
This would be the best as you can get them with stainless steel fittings, and whatever length you want down to millimetre for about $67. You can even chose colors if you are into that. Trouble is figuring out which exact fitting to pick. The post that I found by @BulletHead never came back to confirm fittment.

STOP, collaborate and listen.....Tundra brake swap

Here are the lines off of their respective vehicles, 200 top, Tundra bottom. Please note that both types are rigidly supported at both ends to prevent the lines from being easily knocked or pulled loose through various means including rotation. The 200 rubber line does not pass through a...

forum.ih8mud.com

It was left at:
- for Tundra caliper - Fitting 419
- for body hard line - Fitting 715
- for suspension bracket - Tab locator 20-00096-SS

Question:
Does anyone know what fittings are needed and what line length? Or does anyone have the tech specs of the LX line and/or Tundra line?

2. LC lines
This is @bjowett method that involves making small changes to the caliper line port to accommodate the banjo connection, namely providing a flat surface against which the crush washer can seal the banjo to the caliper. The extra hole for the OEM hose banjo "beak" is not needed if you use aftermarket lines as their banjo does not have it.

Brake upgrade development

forum.ih8mud.com

Questions:
Does anyone know what other changes are needed for the LC banjo bolt to fit the Tundra port? Does the bolt needs to be shorten?
I saw LC stainless steel lines but no LX. Are the LC lines short for LX especially that the caliper is now farther and the LX has AHC?

3. Tundra lines
That is what the OP of this thread, @TeCKis300 showed us how to do by creating a retaining solution for the suspension bracket.


Coming back to TRD calipers they do have a nice smooth surface around the port. Because of that I'm leaning toward using solution #2 above if I can figure out the lines.

 

[bjowett]

If the TRD/Stoptech caliper is machined to accept the Tundra hardline with inverted flare, the end of the banjo bolt will need to clearanced in order to thread all the way in. I have both 380mm kits in storage, if I get a chance, I'll run over and take a look.

 

[bryson]

Can't the brass insert in the caliper (that the inverted flare line seals against) be taken out easy enough to allow the longer banjo to thread in? I'm under the impression that you should just be able to use an easy-out and remove the brass insert. Now obviously that doesn't solve the fact that the caliper doesn't have the proper machining for a crush washer to seal against, or a way to hold the banjo-equipped brake line from turning.

I still think a custom brake line with the proper male inverted flare on the caliper end, and female inverted flare on the frame end is the correct (and least janky) solution.

 

[bemerritt]

If anyone is doing the tundra swap, I have some Stainless brake lines left over (accidentally ordered 2 sets), so message me for a deal.

 

[doru]

Can't the brass insert in the caliper (that the inverted flare line seals against) be taken out easy enough to allow the longer banjo to thread in? I'm under the impression that you should just be able to use an easy-out and remove the brass insert. Now obviously that doesn't solve the fact that the caliper doesn't have the proper machining for a crush washer to seal against, or a way to hold the banjo-equipped brake line from turning.

I still think a custom brake line with the proper male inverted flare on the caliper end, and female inverted flare on the frame end is the correct (and least janky) solution.

It ay be the cleanest solution if I can get the specs figured out as it is a custom line

 

[Bryanmc]

Back to drilling, just as a couple data points.

I replaced the two steering knuckles in my daughter’s 2005 Camry so figured I’d do some testing on the old ones. I have a 17/32 that I got with my Slee slider order (used to enlarge a hole in the frame) which is very close to 14mm.

I have no idea if the metal in the Camry knuckle is the same as in the 200 but it cut like a dream, very easy.

Now I’m anxious to get the bolts delivered so I can see if they happen to fit with this bit.

Here’s the label info that the big came in, in case it becomes important later or if another size is needed.

 

[bloc]

Back to drilling, just as a couple data points.

I replaced the two steering knuckles in my daughter’s 2005 Camry so figured I’d do some testing on the old ones. I have a 17/32 that I got with my Slee slider order (used to enlarge a hole in the frame) which is very close to 14mm.

I have no idea if the metal in the Camry knuckle is the same as in the 200 but it cut like a dream, very easy.

Now I’m anxious to get the bolts delivered so I can see if they happen to fit with this bit.

Here’s the label info that the big came in, in case it becomes important later or if another size is needed.

View attachment 2969407View attachment 2969408View attachment 2969410

How big was the existing hole? Part of the issue I had was when trying to remove the small amount of metal from roughly 12mm up to 14, which is about what we will be dealing with. The bit seemed to catch aggressively, whereas if drilling a hole into solid metal it would have just kept doing its job.

 

[Bryanmc]

How big was the existing hole? Part of the issue I had was when trying to remove the small amount of metal from roughly 12mm up to 14, which is about what we will be dealing with. The bit seemed to catch aggressively, whereas if drilling a hole into solid metal it would have just kept doing its job.

Unfortunately I don’t have the right tools to measure accurately, but it sure seems to be 12mm. My 1/2” bit is barely too big to fit in the existing hole.

Here’s a pic of a hole halfway drilled with the 17/32 bit.

 

[doru]

Has anyone tried using Tundra brackets with Tundra lines instead of fabricating the aluminum tab?
BRACKET, FLEXIBLE HOSE(FOR FRONT LEFT) 473520C010
BRACKET, FLEXIBLE HOSE(FOR FRONT RIGHT) 473510C020

They do look pretty similar
Tundra

LC/LX

 

[ttrmike]

Has anyone tried using Tundra brackets with Tundra lines instead of fabricating the aluminum tab?
BRACKET, FLEXIBLE HOSE(FOR FRONT LEFT) 473520C010
BRACKET, FLEXIBLE HOSE(FOR FRONT RIGHT) 473510C020

They do look pretty similar
Tundra

You can use the tundra line brackets if you use the tundra caliper hard lines, and tundra frame soft lines. I used these brackets when I switched to tundra calipers.

 

[TeCKis300]

Has anyone tried using Tundra brackets with Tundra lines instead of fabricating the aluminum tab?
BRACKET, FLEXIBLE HOSE(FOR FRONT LEFT) 473520C010
BRACKET, FLEXIBLE HOSE(FOR FRONT RIGHT) 473510C020

They do look pretty similar
Tundra
View attachment 2974929
LC/LX
View attachment 2974930

I think that is the missing piece of the puzzle for a drop in factory fit! Great find!

 

[bloc]

My calipers shipped, though not the rotors yet. So I'll be looking into drilling knuckles before too long.

 

[doru]

I think that is the missing piece of the puzzle for a drop in factory fit! Great find!

I did a mock install and the bracket fits no problems. You can reuse the bolt. The only new bolt needed is for the ABS sensor wire bracket. That wire bracket used a nut to connect to the LC/LX bracket, and now it needs a M6 bolt.

With this the install is almost plug and play, except for a little bit of filling/cutting on the Tundra bracket to enlarge the fork that accommodates the LC/LX ABS sensor wire bracket locking tab.

When I get to do the install I'll post some pics and more info. For now I got all the info from StopTech to partially rebuilt the calipers, I resurfaced the rotors, and need to repaint the hats.
As you can see below StopTech flex lines are longer than the LX so you can use it even if you get a suspension lift.
The ABS wire bracket is not installed in these pictures but you can clearway see all 3 brackets: LX brake line, LX wire, Tundra brake line.

 

[TexAZ]

i'll have to look through the bin of extra oddities, i think i have a set of the tundra brackets. i'd let them go for the price of shipping and a 6 pack. need to start clearing out the shelves.