My brake pedal feels "softer" in that it offers less resistance compared to the original setup, yet actual stopping performance is awesome and I'm satisfied with my ability to panic stop, shed speed on the highway, etc.
This upgrade arguably has advantages compared to the stock brakes, but I think a lot of people will tell you that the stock brakes are fine if everything is well tuned. Are you sure that your rear brakes are adjusted correctly? Have you tried zip-tying your LSPV anchor to the top of the body?
If you still want to proceed with the upgrade, Mud user
@ntsqd has written up a lot of general tech notes on the subject of braking/hydraulics and you should check out
some of his threads. To summarize the key points:
- Larger caliper pistons provide more hydraulic leverage, resulting in lower pedal effort and greater pedal travel.
- Larger MC bore means you have to push the pedal harder to get an equivalent hydraulic pressure in the lines, which helps counteract the pedal effects from increasing the size of your caliper pistons.
To install the 4runner calipers, you will need to trim or eliminate the backing plate. You will also need the longer bolts/lockwashers (torqued to spec with some blue loctite or else you too may end up being
stranded in Challis Idaho). The 4runner calipers work great with the stock wheels, but will limit the range of aftermarket wheels unless you grind some material off the front of the calipers (just a bad idea IMHO).
I don't think the MC upgrade makes sense unless you upgrade the calipers. However, if you do upgrade the MC, you should plan on getting a larger booster, which is actually installed upside down and you'll need a longer vacuum hose to reach the vacuum port. Also, the fluid level sensor plug on the T100 MC was not compatible and I needed to splice in the old sensor plug. The FJ80 MC sensor may or may not require this too.
Replacing the rubber brake lines can be done independently from everything else and is a worthwhile upgrade because braided lines last longer and they eliminate the possibility of losing hydraulic pressure through bulging, etc. Speedbleeders are also optional, but makes bleeding your lines unbelievably easy.
