5th & 6th Generation (2002-2006 & 2007-2011)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 2002-2006 & 2007-2011
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
So, my first DIY replaced front brake rotors and pads on my 2002 Camry LE.
I haven't drove the car yet.
I have a question ?
My old pads has one shim only, the new one came with a shim(Akebono pro act ceramic) and I installed the old one along with it, as per the specs I see there are two shims.
When I turn the wheel, I can hear the pads touching the disc. Is this normal before bedding in the new brakes.
You hear the pads moving around because everything is still free and not seated with dust, glue or grease. Some pads make more rattling noises than others because they are just not as good of a perfect fit, they cut them a little looser. I know some aftermarket pads you can hear rattling constantly, the brand PBR comes to mind.
The shims are there to reduce squeeling, often mecahnics just toss them away and return your car with none. I wouldn't worry about having two shims, 1 shim, or 0. If you get lots of squeeling than revisit it.
You hear the pads moving around because everything is still free and not seated with dust, glue or grease. Some pads make more rattling noises than others because they are just not as good of a perfect fit, they cut them a little looser. I know some aftermarket pads you can hear rattling constantly, the brand PBR comes to mind.
The shims are there to reduce squeeling, often mecahnics just toss them away and return your car with none. I wouldn't worry about having two shims, 1 shim, or 0. If you get lots of squeeling than revisit it.
Thanks for your clarification, what I am worried about is the pads spoiling the rotor if they are in contact all the time even with out applying the brakes..
Having shims or not, it has nothing to do with the pad touching the rotor disk. It's going to be within a couple thousands anyway. There is very little spring action there to pull them away from the disk. don't worry about it.
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2007 V6 Camry LE, Built TMMK 27 September 06
"People who think they know it all are particularly irritating to those of us who do."
One owner reported the new pads from Toyota is a cheaper version of Akebono, rated EE friction. ProAct is the better FF. The Akebono StreetPerformance is GG! (Not sure worth the extra money for normal driving).
When you say 2 shims, do you mean putting 2 on one pad? Akebonos come with stick-ons, so these are used-once only. If an old uneven shim makes a pad crooked in the tracks that wouldn't be good.
With Akebono ProAct you really don't need any shims if the brake system is working properly. These pads are amazingly quiet, well so are the Raybestos QS ceramic, but these lower density pads brake very well but dont' last anywhere as long. So I always order ProAct, great value.
On some wheels you may hear a very slight drag. Others absolute quiet. I guess caliper dependent. So as others said, if just a little probably is of no concern. But if you really notice it and do not feel comfortable, just peel off one and use what came with the new pads.
Newer Akebonos already come with these stick-on shims applied. Earlier ones you have to peel and stick.
I referred to two shims, the one that came stuck with the pad and the other one pulled from the old pads which is slotted mettalic with a rubber backing.
I did a test drive and it was quiet and the brakes are performing well.
Thanks for all the info..
So did you remove the old one (which you can keep in the spare box)? Or did you remove both (which works fine too, I know).
Quote:
Originally Posted by vang7
I referred to two shims, the one that came stuck with the pad and the other one pulled from the old pads which is slotted mettalic with a rubber backing.
I did a test drive and it was quiet and the brakes are performing well.
Thanks for all the info..
What sort of 'braking performance' are you expecting. If you stop hard, repeatedly, performance may mean that it does not fade. Beyond that, if you are meeting a red light, then if it stops, it's working. The brakes are transferring forward movement energy to heat. That's about it.
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2007 V6 Camry LE, Built TMMK 27 September 06
"People who think they know it all are particularly irritating to those of us who do."
The ProActs are actually excellent pads for typical driving. They're quiet, don't warp rotors like many other pads do, resist fading well in typical driving, doesn't coat the wheels with black dust, and last a long time. They're probably not as good as semi-metallics or carbon-metallics in dealing with heat (for example, hills and towing), but I've not been able to get them to fade in typical driving.
As far as stopping power goes, I really don't see these FF friction rated pads as anything less than Akebono Street Performance pads, which are rated a stronger GG. I mean the SP can grab strongly if you step on it, but I"m not sure it's worth the extra money for typical driving.
For sports/performance driving, you need to be looking at carbon-metallic pads. An example would be the Hawk HPS or EBC Yellow Stuff for street use. Others can tell you if they measure 10-20% reduction in stopping distance.
The last time I tried carbon metallics they were just too strong for my purposes. I really don't need hair-trigger brakes.
Maybe others can share their experience with the combo of Hawk HPS and Brembo rotors/ATE PremiumOne rotors. You stock Toyota rotors probably won't stand a chance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by vang7
Its been two months since I have installed the rotors and pads but I haven't seen any improvement in braking performance.
BTW, I just checked TireRack.com and they don't have the HPS for the rear. You need both front and rear so one axle doesn't lock up sooner and send you spinning. I wouldn't rely on ABS to help offset friction differences, that' not what they're meant for.
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