Options for Calipers and Drums (1 Viewer)

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Brakes:
My calipers are ugly. I’ve yet to pull them but do have a rebuild kit if the pistons don’t look to pitted. I already have autozone rotors I bought last year, so I’m hoping for the best from them.
I have on hand the MAF stainless steel lines for all four.
I’m not made of excess cash... tried to put in an order w/ Napa for their reman’d Eclipse Calipers w/ hardware and pads included and was told it would be a special order and would be a week plus.
Rockauto has a few reman’d options all sold separately, price being pretty near Napa.
Some say to not go cheap and contact someone through mud. I’m not up for the 4R mod if I might end up needing a proportioning valve and a larger MC.

Drums... my CT truck drums are ugly thru the rear hub. The surface is scaly and badass in a bad way. Seems some go w/ centric aftermarket drums and have no problems, some say they wish they stayed stock and just had them turned.

As we all know we could read for days and still come up w/ a heavy case of analysis paralysis. I’m almost there.

I’ve got tools coming my way for assistanting my knuckle job as well as the TREs. As well as a SST for that beast of a spring that’s between the shoes. Trying to get the rest of the parts I need to tackle all four corners w/o loosing my shirt or my mind in the interim.

Please share your opinions (bonus w/ photos).

Felicity

 

[Ian Crawford]

I went with Centric Loaded Calipers from Rock Auto (their core exchange is super easy!) as well as the drum hardware kit, shoes and Centric wheel cylinders. I'm happy with all of it and it fit the budget.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

I did see your after pix and they looked amazing. @Ian Crawford the Centric calipers listed state FJ62... did yours as well?

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I would get the stock drums turned. They will still look old, but will be new where it matters. I've in fact never had to replace an OEM drum, just have them turned. Eventually, they will be below spec for turning, but lots of meat on a stock brake drum. My local tire place turns drums you bring in for $35 each, so way cheaper than new.

But while we are talking rear brakes, I would do new shoes, new hardware (all of it to get the adjuster working again) and renew your bell cranks which are likely a frozen mess in there. The FJ60 rear drums adjust each time you pull the eBrake, so if the bell cranks are frozen, the ebrake doesnt work and doesn't adjust the actual brakes. So in short order the rears are out of adjustment and are not providing much braking force. Consider replacing your wheel cylinders too. They are not expensive. I would use Toyota or Advics for this part. Advics is high quality Japanese aftermarket and basically is Aisin who makes the Toyota ones.

Regarding front brakes, I've had good luck with Napa's upper level calipers (Maybe Napa "United") and also used a set of remans from Toyota. Don't know if they are still supplied by Toyota but they looked new when installed and are still working great 10 years later.

Discs-variable luck with Chinese discs. I have used Brembo, Napa, Raybestos and Toyota. I think the Brembos, Napa and Raybestos are all Chinese. The Raybestos ones were ok, the Napa ones were warped from the start and I ended up replacing with the Brembos. The Brembos have been in use in my FJ60 for >10 years and are still unwarped. Use the best you can afford. You can get Raybestos on Amazon pretty cheap.

Tackle the fronts and rears separately as they are completely different from each other. That breaks (ha) it into smaller pieces to wrap your brain around it.

And since you live in the rust-start spraying the PB Blaster on all the brake unions now. Spray every couple of days until you do the job. They get corroded and very difficult to deal with. If you mangle them or break them off, come back for a crash course on how to flare brake lines. Just be very very gentle with them. The good news is, as of a couple of years ago, the FJ60 brake lines were all available cheap from Toyota. I replaced several of mine and they were $15-$20 each.

Remember FLARE WRENCH ONLY for the brake unions. They are all 10mm. Do not use an open end wrench, or worse, an adjustable wrench.

 

[Willard]

RAYBESTOS 9379R is what I ordered from RA.
They fit look fine and will last for a while. Rear brakes do less work than fronts. they were first on the semi floater and now on the FF axle. still fit.
I looked at turning mine, but then a weight fell off when the drum hit the floor accidentally so i just replaced them.

If you get a brake hardware kit, DO NOT get it from rock auto. the pins used to hold the brake shoes in are to short.
I got mine from SOR I think and they were perfect.

If you do your wheel cylinders up to you if you use OEM or not. I never have and used dorman wheel cylinders. Or you could rebuild yours, but they are cheap as long as they do not leak and push then you are set.
Fronts I cannot help you as mine were done before I got my 60.

Why are so many people dead set on OEM. the cost is much more I have yet to see a huge difference.
All of my vehicles still stop and stop well with non OEM brake parts.

As Cruiserdrew said look at your ebrake components. When I redid my axle they were not working. Lots of PB blaster and some time with them, now everything is smooth as silk.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

RAYBESTOS 9379R is what I ordered from RA.

Why are so many people dead set on OEM. the cost is much more I have yet to see a huge difference.
All of my vehicles still stop and stop well with non OEM brake parts.

I'm not tied to OEM but OEM is a known high quality option. The original brake stuff lasted 35 years, so not too shabby.

But I agree, in this application, OEM is needlessly expensive. Just looking quickly on Amazon, OEM Toyota wheel cylinders are $71 each. But equal quality, Made in Japan, by Aisin "Advics" is $30. Maybe even cheaper on Rock Auto. You can get Dorman for $10. I'd buy the Advics which are much more likely to have a long and reliable life. But I agree, Toyota has priced themselves out of the market.

Freeing up the bellcranks is a ton of work. But, if you don't do it, you've wasted your time and effort working on the rear brakes. And if they are totally rusted and frozen, you can still get the parts from Toyota to completely replace them.

 

[Seth_O]

Drums and discs - turn 'em if possible. Its much cheaper and they are designed to be able to be turned. If you're stressed about how the outside of the drums look, hit them with a wire wheel, degrease and paint them with a quality paint.

For cylinders & calipers - I've rebuilt both with good results, but it takes a TON of time, and quality rebuild kits end up not being enough cheaper for me to justify all the extra work. Now I just replace them with good aftermarket. A lot of the box auto stores have good warranties on their parts, that makes them good enough for me. Then if you really want you can rebuild your cores over time and they're ready to for the next brake job.

For small bits (springs, pins, etc) replace them every time. They're not that expensive and in a rust-prone area they are likely compromised or will get so in the removal process.

When I reassemble I use LIBERAL amounts of anti-seize and grease.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Ok good info. I appreciate the honest opinions.
I’ve done my homework and am going to replace the parking cable wires (list TPD showing $27.32, I got from my dealer for $$25.98 each) and the bell crank boots (list on TPD for $15.25, I got for $14.98).
Advics WC on RA are $23 and change.
Good to know on the brake hardware kit. I’ll keep that in mind.
So the autozone rotors will be hit or miss from how it sounds. They’ve been boxed for a year sitting flat.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

@Ian Crawford will you verify your Centric Calipers? Did RA list them at FJ62? Is there much of a difference?
And shoot me that pic of yours too. I can’t find the thread I saw it in. Thanks!

 

[Spike Strip]

The Raybestos Reman Calipers are 'probably' your best value for quality/price. They come loaded with new hardware and pads

FAIK still reman in the USA with good metallic pads for around $100 for a L&R pair after the core charge is returned.

RC3190

RC3189

Rockauto has them.

But their metal-coating is not so good (that's how they save $), so I'd paint them with caliper paint if you go that route, since you're in rustyville.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Thanks @Spike Strip. They have them but only the right is listed as loaded. If you click on the left (or vice versa) it shows not avail. At the bottom of the list it shows it avail w/ a 2 day wait but does not clarify if it’s loaded or not.

 

[Spike Strip]

Those part #'s are for the loaded calipers, so if you order, that's what you 'should' get....

There are different parts #s for Caliper à la carte.

Looks like Partsgeek has them in stock, for slightly more ...

FWIW, the Centric are also good, but I've never used them.

EDIT: You may want to check out what Car Quest has available, if there's one around you. The Beck/Arnley are usually pretty good

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Those part #'s are for the loaded calipers, so if you order, that's what you 'should' get....

There are different parts #s for Caliper à la carte.

Looks like Partsgeek has them in stock, for slightly more ...

FWIW, the Centric are also good, but I've never used them.

EDIT: You may want to check out what Car Quest has available, if there's one around you. The Beck/Arnley are usually pretty good

Does it matter if the Centric is noted for FJ62?

 

[Spike Strip]

Same caliper, FJ60/62 S12WB casting, in fact I *think* it's the same caliper '75 - 90.

V6 4Runner takes the S13WB Caliper, which has larger pistons, larger casting.

I just looked on the Centric website and an interesting note is the part # is the same as the Raybestos so one or the other is a probably a re-boxed version that they sell as a 'Cambro' brand ..

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

Ok thanks. I appreciate you checking further into it for me.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Which parking cable wires are you referring to? There is a small wire link inside the drum that may or may not need replacement. THe full parking brake cable itself is available and can be replaced as a whole unit for not unreasonable money.

 

[NeverGiveUpYota]

If you get a brake hardware kit, DO NOT get it from rock auto. the pins used to hold the brake shoes in are to short.
I got mine from SOR I think and they were perfect.

Just looking on SOR's website and I see in each rear hardware kit (sold separately) they come with the parking cable wire. Each kit is $30. #50 in the diagram. Read on a few threads that it’s often in pretty poor condition.

 

[Willard]

Ouch
But replacing it all is also good.
I think Cruiser Outfitters was $5 cheaper but no cables

 

[Willard]

Which parking cable wires are you referring to? There is a small wire link inside the drum that may or may not need replacement. THe full parking brake cable itself is available and can be replaced as a whole unit for not unreasonable money.

I would replace them
Mine looked sketchy. When I rebuilt the FF axle one was broken.

 

[g-man]

If I remember correctly the front discs are held to the hub by the studs (splines) and a big machine screw with a flush philips head (see 30 below) rotor to hub bolt . You will need to take the hub and disc off together then beat the old studs out, unscrew the big screw. When you go to put them back together make sure the screw hole in the hub lines up with the same small hole in the disc so you can put the screw back together. Then you will need to press new studs in from the back side.