Rear brake pad life?

[donco]

I just put on a 3rd set of rear pads at 130k miles. They started squealing with barely 1/16" of pad left. 1st replacement at 51k miles (OEM), 2nd at 90k (OEM), 3rd at 130k, used Raybestos ceramics this time.

Is this the normal lifespan or should I be looking at the proportional valve? Routine city/highway driving, tow a boat maybe 600-700 miles per year, no other signs of problems with the brake system. The rotors may be approaching the minimum thickness limit but are very smooth otherwise. The pads wear very evenly, inner/outer, right/left.

 

[Jim_Chow]

There is no proportioning valve. Toyota got rid of the LSPV on the 100. From what you describe, you are getting the normal rear brake pad life for '98-02 100's (rears go ~50K mi, long before the fronts). The '03+ 100's have "electronic brake force distribution," whatever that means. My rear pads had maybe 7mm material left at 60K, but fronts were down to half at 49K. There was no documentation that the rears pads had been changed, but fronts were done at certification time, and the PO took the rig to the dealer for all schedule maintenance. Still, if you look at the specs in the FSM, there's more PSI pressure being applied to the rear calipers vs. fronts. The rears are fully controlled by the electronic booster, meaning if you lose the booster, you have no pressure to the rear, but will have [greatly] reduced pressure to the front calipers. Now that I've installed all new rotors and pads throughout, I'll see if the rears or fronts go first on the '03's.

 

[hoser]

Normal. I don't think new pads every 40-50k is too much to ask for. I'm was on my second set of rear pads at 100k. After some miles, please let us know your thoughts on the Raybestos Ceramics... as in pad life, brake balance, fade, etc.

Jim, after some break-in, how are your new brakes? How is the pedal effort compared to stock in cold and hot braking?

 

[Jim_Chow]

Normal. I don't think new pads every 40-50k is too much to ask for. I'm was on my second set of rear pads at 100k. After some miles, please let us know your thoughts on the Raybestos Ceramics... as in pad life, brake balance, fade, etc.

Jim, after some break-in, how are your new brakes? How is the pedal effort compared to stock in cold and hot braking?

Cold braking (first time you brake at a stoplight after starting the car) is similar to cold OEM braking, but hot braking is far better, maybe half the pedal effort? (OEM tires/wheels) The only time I find the R4s pads sub-OEM in performance is when backing down my steep driveway @ 2mph when the rotors & engine are stone cold (no engine warmup, sitting overnight) and the tranny is working against you. I put it into R to get the car moving out of the garage, then put it into N. Once you drive the rig and the engine/tranny warm up, even after letting the car sit for hours, it doesn't do this (tranny also doesn't fight you like it does the first time I fire up the engine).

Next week, I'll get the Stoptech stainless brake lines installed. FYI, the stoptech kit didn't include a brake hose from the frame to center of the rear axle housing.

 

[hoser]

Thanks for the info!

 

[9toys]

The dealer turned the rotors on the fronts on my 99 at about 20K miles as it was shimmying. I replaced the front pads with oem and the rotors with Brembo at 118K. Turned the rears at about 60K and replaced pads with OEM. Replaced rear pads with OEM and rotors with brembo at 127K. However, about half the pad on the rear was still there. I just wanted for the front and rear to be close to the same.

 

[LXPearl]

Rear brake pad wear is similar to mine, about 40-50K miles. Interestingly, the inside pads wore significantly faster on mine; the outer pads were only half worn.

 

[donco]

Rear brake pad wear is similar to mine, about 40-50K miles. Interestingly, the inside pads wore significantly faster on mine; the outer pads were only half worn.

I guess 40-50k is the nature of the beast then. I've never owned a car that went thru rear pads so quickly so it seemed a bit amiss.

I did the left side first & didn't notice anything unusual. Then I did the right side and noticed the 2 floating carrier pins in the caliper slid in & out easily like they're supposed to, so I went back & re-did the left side. The lower pin was stuck solid but I finally managed to get it out & cleaned everything up & lubed it lightly with anti-sieze paste and it now slides freely. I'm thinking that was the cause of the squealing & could be causing yours to wear unevenly if yours has tight pins?

 

[NMuzj100]

When I replaced the rears on mine at 90k they were original to the truck. So I don't think we are getting generally poor wear out of them.

Brake wear is all about driving style and conditions so "YMMV" applies.

Next week, I'll get the Stoptech stainless brake lines installed. FYI, the stoptech kit didn't include a brake hose from the frame to center of the rear axle housing.

Are you going to have a custom stainless piece made or does this hose need the flex of the rubber OEM ? Can we expect a full write up with pictures ?

As far as the tranny "fighting" you on your cold reverse descents, are you running a synthetic transmission fluid ? The improved cold flow might help.

 

[cpcc]

I only got 45k out of my rear pads. Go figure.