From: SMS on
The rotors on my 4Runner need to be replaced because when they heat up
they warp and the brakes chatter. This occurs only when driving in the
mountains where there's more harder braking than in city driving. The
original rotors have been resurfaced once. and that's about it for them.

Are there any higher performance rotors that are less likely to warp or
fade than the stock Toyota rotors? What are the advantages and
disadvantage of drilled versus slotted versus drilled and slotted versus
plain? Do all slotted rotors have a left and right?

Online I've found:

Brembo Sport Rotors (drilled and slotted) $110 each
Disc Italia (drilled and slotted) $115 each
Disc Italia (slotted) $115 each
Power Disc (drilled) $90 each
Power Disc (slotted) $90 each
X Brakes (drilled and slotted) $62.50 each
Power Stop (drilled) $96 each
Power Slot (slotted) $99 each
Power Slot Cryo Slot (slotted) $130 each

JC Whitney no-brand listed (drilled) $66 each


What about brake pads? What should I get?
From: Ray O on

"SMS" <scharf.steven(a)geemail.com> wrote in message
news:4aba4368$0$1595$742ec2ed(a)news.sonic.net...
> The rotors on my 4Runner need to be replaced because when they heat up
> they warp and the brakes chatter. This occurs only when driving in the
> mountains where there's more harder braking than in city driving. The
> original rotors have been resurfaced once. and that's about it for them.
>
> Are there any higher performance rotors that are less likely to warp or
> fade than the stock Toyota rotors? What are the advantages and
> disadvantage of drilled versus slotted versus drilled and slotted versus
> plain? Do all slotted rotors have a left and right?
>
> Online I've found:
>
> Brembo Sport Rotors (drilled and slotted) $110 each
> Disc Italia (drilled and slotted) $115 each
> Disc Italia (slotted) $115 each
> Power Disc (drilled) $90 each
> Power Disc (slotted) $90 each
> X Brakes (drilled and slotted) $62.50 each
> Power Stop (drilled) $96 each
> Power Slot (slotted) $99 each
> Power Slot Cryo Slot (slotted) $130 each
>
> JC Whitney no-brand listed (drilled) $66 each
>
>
> What about brake pads? What should I get?

The advantage of drilled and slotted rotors is that they allow the gas that
the pads generate to escape. If the gas builds up between the pad and
rotor, the effect is a little like an air hockey table so friction is
reduced. The disadvantage of slotted and drilled rotors is that they cost
more and are not easily resurfaced.

When you resurface rotors, you reduce their ability to dissipate heat so
they are more likely to warp.

Some things that can reduce brake fade and rotor warpage are selecting a
lower gear on long downhill grades, and if you have rear drum brakes, making
sure that they are adjusted properly.

I used to do a lot of driving in the mountains and did not experience brake
fade or rotor warpage on any of the Toyotas I had as company cars.

The only aftermarket brand you listed that I'm familiar with is Brembo.
They should be OK but before you go that route, try checking the back brakes
and shifting to a lower gear.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)


From: JoeSpareBedroom on
"Ray O" <rokigawa(a)NOSPAMtristarassociates.com> wrote in message
news:h9djsq$jct$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...
>
> "SMS" <scharf.steven(a)geemail.com> wrote in message
> news:4aba4368$0$1595$742ec2ed(a)news.sonic.net...
>> The rotors on my 4Runner need to be replaced because when they heat up
>> they warp and the brakes chatter. This occurs only when driving in the
>> mountains where there's more harder braking than in city driving. The
>> original rotors have been resurfaced once. and that's about it for them.
>>
>> Are there any higher performance rotors that are less likely to warp or
>> fade than the stock Toyota rotors? What are the advantages and
>> disadvantage of drilled versus slotted versus drilled and slotted versus
>> plain? Do all slotted rotors have a left and right?
>>
>> Online I've found:
>>
>> Brembo Sport Rotors (drilled and slotted) $110 each
>> Disc Italia (drilled and slotted) $115 each
>> Disc Italia (slotted) $115 each
>> Power Disc (drilled) $90 each
>> Power Disc (slotted) $90 each
>> X Brakes (drilled and slotted) $62.50 each
>> Power Stop (drilled) $96 each
>> Power Slot (slotted) $99 each
>> Power Slot Cryo Slot (slotted) $130 each
>>
>> JC Whitney no-brand listed (drilled) $66 each
>>
>>
>> What about brake pads? What should I get?
>
> The advantage of drilled and slotted rotors is that they allow the gas
> that the pads generate to escape. If the gas builds up between the pad
> and rotor, the effect is a little like an air hockey table so friction is
> reduced. The disadvantage of slotted and drilled rotors is that they cost
> more and are not easily resurfaced.
>
> When you resurface rotors, you reduce their ability to dissipate heat so
> they are more likely to warp.
>
> Some things that can reduce brake fade and rotor warpage are selecting a
> lower gear on long downhill grades, and if you have rear drum brakes,
> making sure that they are adjusted properly.
>
> I used to do a lot of driving in the mountains and did not experience
> brake fade or rotor warpage on any of the Toyotas I had as company cars.
>
> The only aftermarket brand you listed that I'm familiar with is Brembo.
> They should be OK but before you go that route, try checking the back
> brakes and shifting to a lower gear.
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)


Check/adjust the back brakes for what, Ray?


From: SMS on
Ray O wrote:

> I used to do a lot of driving in the mountains and did not experience brake
> fade or rotor warpage on any of the Toyotas I had as company cars.
>
> The only aftermarket brand you listed that I'm familiar with is Brembo.
> They should be OK but before you go that route, try checking the back brakes
> and shifting to a lower gear.

I already use lower gears while descending, though perhaps more than I
should these days simply because I'm trying so hard to keep the brakes
cooler. The back brakes are fine in terms of remaining material, but I
thought they were self-adjusting and I didn't have to do anything in
that regard.

It may just be that the original rotors should never have been
resurfaced in the first place, and once they were thinner they warped
from the heat. I don't recall ever having a problem when the vehicle was
newer. So maybe I'll just go with OEM rotors since if you can't
resurface the slotted/drilled rotors then there's no point in the extra
expense. It's getting close to the need for a front brake job so I want
to select the parts now.
From: Ray O on

"JoeSpareBedroom" <newstrash(a)frontiernet.net> wrote in message
news:Wysum.30832$j34.14633(a)newsfe01.iad...
> "Ray O" <rokigawa(a)NOSPAMtristarassociates.com> wrote in message
> news:h9djsq$jct$1(a)news.eternal-september.org...
>>
>> "SMS" <scharf.steven(a)geemail.com> wrote in message
>> news:4aba4368$0$1595$742ec2ed(a)news.sonic.net...
>>> The rotors on my 4Runner need to be replaced because when they heat up
>>> they warp and the brakes chatter. This occurs only when driving in the
>>> mountains where there's more harder braking than in city driving. The
>>> original rotors have been resurfaced once. and that's about it for them.
>>>
>>> Are there any higher performance rotors that are less likely to warp or
>>> fade than the stock Toyota rotors? What are the advantages and
>>> disadvantage of drilled versus slotted versus drilled and slotted versus
>>> plain? Do all slotted rotors have a left and right?
>>>
>>> Online I've found:
>>>
>>> Brembo Sport Rotors (drilled and slotted) $110 each
>>> Disc Italia (drilled and slotted) $115 each
>>> Disc Italia (slotted) $115 each
>>> Power Disc (drilled) $90 each
>>> Power Disc (slotted) $90 each
>>> X Brakes (drilled and slotted) $62.50 each
>>> Power Stop (drilled) $96 each
>>> Power Slot (slotted) $99 each
>>> Power Slot Cryo Slot (slotted) $130 each
>>>
>>> JC Whitney no-brand listed (drilled) $66 each
>>>
>>>
>>> What about brake pads? What should I get?
>>
>> The advantage of drilled and slotted rotors is that they allow the gas
>> that the pads generate to escape. If the gas builds up between the pad
>> and rotor, the effect is a little like an air hockey table so friction is
>> reduced. The disadvantage of slotted and drilled rotors is that they
>> cost more and are not easily resurfaced.
>>
>> When you resurface rotors, you reduce their ability to dissipate heat so
>> they are more likely to warp.
>>
>> Some things that can reduce brake fade and rotor warpage are selecting a
>> lower gear on long downhill grades, and if you have rear drum brakes,
>> making sure that they are adjusted properly.
>>
>> I used to do a lot of driving in the mountains and did not experience
>> brake fade or rotor warpage on any of the Toyotas I had as company cars.
>>
>> The only aftermarket brand you listed that I'm familiar with is Brembo.
>> They should be OK but before you go that route, try checking the back
>> brakes and shifting to a lower gear.
>> --
>>
>> Ray O
>> (correct punctuation to reply)
>
>
> Check/adjust the back brakes for what, Ray?

Even though the front brakes do most of the work, the rear brakes are there
for a reason and they do provide some braking action.

The rear drum brakes should be checked periodically to make sure that they
are adjusted properly. If they are too loose, they do not brake as
effectively and the front brakes end up doing even more of the work than
they normally do, resulting in more rapid front brake lining wear and more
front brake heat buildup.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)