BRAKE LININGS
Q: What are the best brake linings for my Tacoma? Are there any things I should watch out for in changing them?
A: The Toyota OEM linings are very good and I recommend them for most uses - I use them exclusively. They are quiet, have good life, and don't trash the rotor/drum. Ceramic linings have been recommended to me, but I haven't tried them. Cheap asbestos linings generally sound like Cooter's Hell when you are stopping and should be used only if you and anyone riding in your car are deaf.
You should refinish the rotors if there are any grooves worn in the rotors or if there is any side-to-side wobble (runout). Drums always have to be refinished.
Also, be careful not to inhale brake dust from the old pads. Don't blow the dust with your lungs or compressed air to clean the brake parts. Clean the old backing plate, rotor, caliper, etc. with a spray brake cleaner. Use a drip pan to catch the run-off.
Always use new springs for the drum brakes. Use high temperature brake grease on all pivot points in drum braking systems.
Don't get any liquid on the brake linings or they will be garbage. Don't even touch the linings with your fingers.
Watch for wetness around the wheel cylinders, particularly inside behind the dust shields. The cylinders have to be honed or replaced if they leak at all.
Flush your brake system periodically to get rid of water and contaminents. These lower the boiling point of the brake fluid and can cause brake failure or pitting of the wheel cylinders.
Back off the star wheels on the bottom of the drum mechanism to allow the brake linings to clear the ridge created by drug wear. Use two screwdrivers or other bladed tools that fit in the oval opening covered by the rubber boot.
Last but not least, after you change your linings, drive your car like your grandmother for a week or two. This finish cures the brake lining material and will give you a much longer brake life.
PULSATING BRAKE PEDAL
Q:I 've noticed this problem for quite a while. The brake pedal shakes (vibrates) when braking at or above 50 mph. It happens every time i go down a long slope or on highway. The streering wheel shakes a little bit too. It does not happen below 40 mph. I change the brake pads (front) this March and it did not fix the problem. So what can be the problem? Thanks
A: Your brake rotor runout is excessive. basically they're warped
Q: Then what work needs to be done? Replace the rotors or resurface them?
A: You are correct; resurface them if there is enough meat left on them (wherever you take them to be cut will check the thickness first) or replace them with new ones. If there is plenty of pad left, just sand the pads lightly so they will seat better to the new rotor surface
How brakes work:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/brake.htm
How disc brakes work:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/disc-brake.htm
How drum brakes work:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/drum-brake.htm
How anti-lock brakes work:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/anti-lock-brake.htm
Here are general discussions on the topic:
http://www.babcox.com/editorial/ic/ic20316.htm
http://www.asbestos-institute.ca/saf...section5d.html
http://www.mightyautoparts.com/pdf/articles/tt68.pdf