TECH: 2000 Tundra 4WD front rotor removal

I have the notorious rotor warp that the 2000's were plagued with. Front
vibration when brakes are applied, doesn't exist cold but is there once they
warm up and gets progressively worse as they get hotter. I thought I would
try and have them surfaced and get new brakes before buying new rotors.

How hard are these to pull? Any special tools req'd? Any other advice?

Mike in DFW

There was a bulletin issued advising the replacement of rotors, pads, and
calipers to fix the warping issue. The updated calipers are a little
bigger, and supposedly that accounted for the difference. However, the
thing that really made the job a bear is the new dust covers that are also
issued to accomodate the larger calipers. To replace them, you have to pull
the front bearings apart. It's quite a job. Some customers have asked me to
just 'modify' their existing dust covers, though, to save them some money
on the labor side of the job, and as far as I know there haven't been any
problems.
To answer the other part of your question, the rotors are extremely
easy to get off. Just remove the caliper and you're in business.

Thanks for the quick response. I bought my truck when it was just out of
warranty. I have read many accounts from other 2000 owners with the same
symptoms. A lot of them believe this was serious enough to warrant a recall
but it hasn't happened yet.

It sounds like you have some experience with this issue. Do you think new
brake pads and rotor sufacing would fix my problem or am I just spinning my
wheels? Most other owners claim their problems return in less than 200
miles. What do you think?


"qslim" <Suckers@suckersdotcom> wrote in message
news:d06036afa31c5be237461c30a61f7925@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...[color=blue]
> There was a bulletin issued advising the replacement of rotors, pads, and
> calipers to fix the warping issue. The updated calipers are a little
> bigger, and supposedly that accounted for the difference. However, the
> thing that really made the job a bear is the new dust covers that are also
> issued to accomodate the larger calipers. To replace them, you have to
> pull
> the front bearings apart. It's quite a job. Some customers have asked me
> to
> just 'modify' their existing dust covers, though, to save them some money
> on the labor side of the job, and as far as I know there haven't been any
> problems.
> To answer the other part of your question, the rotors are extremely
> easy to get off. Just remove the caliper and you're in business.
>[/color]

I don't think machining the rotors will do much,and the symptoms certainly
do return if you don't replace the calipers per the TSB. I've seen it
happen a hundred times. The job isn't too bad if you skip replacing the
dust cover. I think the dealer I work for only charges a few hours of
labor for changing the rotors, calipers, and trimming the cover. If you
do want the dust cover replaced you could expect more like 7+ hours to do
the bearings and all that.

Thats what I was afraid of. I really wish Toyota would step up and take
responsibility for the bad design of the 2000 model brake system. Maybe I
can get a newer set of calipers of of a wrecked Tundra? I am sure the new
parts from the delaer are astronomically priced

Thanks for that info.
Mike

"qslim" <Suckers@suckersdotcom> wrote in message
news:0bc75781cfdb377b86d9cfac4221887d@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...[color=blue]
>I don't think machining the rotors will do much,and the symptoms certainly
> do return if you don't replace the calipers per the TSB. I've seen it
> happen a hundred times. The job isn't too bad if you skip replacing the
> dust cover. I think the dealer I work for only charges a few hours of
> labor for changing the rotors, calipers, and trimming the cover. If you
> do want the dust cover replaced you could expect more like 7+ hours to do
> the bearings and all that.
>[/color]

mike wrote:[color=blue]
> Thanks for the quick response. I bought my truck when it was just out of
> warranty. I have read many accounts from other 2000 owners with the same
> symptoms. A lot of them believe this was serious enough to warrant a recall
> but it hasn't happened yet.
>
> It sounds like you have some experience with this issue. Do you think new
> brake pads and rotor sufacing would fix my problem or am I just spinning my
> wheels? Most other owners claim their problems return in less than 200
> miles. What do you think?
>
>
> "qslim" <Suckers@suckersdotcom> wrote in message
> news:d06036afa31c5be237461c30a61f7925@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...
>[color=green]
>>There was a bulletin issued advising the replacement of rotors, pads, and
>>calipers to fix the warping issue. The updated calipers are a little
>>bigger, and supposedly that accounted for the difference. However, the
>>thing that really made the job a bear is the new dust covers that are also
>>issued to accomodate the larger calipers. To replace them, you have to
>>pull
>>the front bearings apart. It's quite a job. Some customers have asked me
>>to
>>just 'modify' their existing dust covers, though, to save them some money
>>on the labor side of the job, and as far as I know there haven't been any
>>problems.
>> To answer the other part of your question, the rotors are extremely
>>easy to get off. Just remove the caliper and you're in business.
>>[/color]
>
>
>[/color]
Some people with the early calipers never have the brake judder.
Try very high quality pads, maybe Hawk or Performance Friction.

Resurfacing the rotors is iffy. If much material is removed, while
still within spec, the thinned rotor cannot handle heat well. Try it.


Ken

Thanks, I will give that a shot. I was doing more research today and it
looks like later year models are having similar symptoms. Some of the
theories I read would indicate that the rotors are getting too hot because
the brakes weren't large enough to dissipate the heat properly. Also read
that the new dust plates have a larger air scoop to increase cooling.

So maybe high quality pads will help the brakes run cooler? My brakes are
smooth as silk for about the first mile or two. They get gradually worse as
the brakes get hotter.



"Ken Shelton" <shelton@cablespeed.com> wrote in message
news:_cudncvfEMsZ4FfeRVn-hw@cablespeedwa.com...[color=blue]
> mike wrote:[color=green]
>> Thanks for the quick response. I bought my truck when it was just out of
>> warranty. I have read many accounts from other 2000 owners with the same
>> symptoms. A lot of them believe this was serious enough to warrant a
>> recall but it hasn't happened yet.
>>
>> It sounds like you have some experience with this issue. Do you think new
>> brake pads and rotor sufacing would fix my problem or am I just spinning
>> my wheels? Most other owners claim their problems return in less than 200
>> miles. What do you think?
>>
>>
>> "qslim" <Suckers@suckersdotcom> wrote in message
>> news:d06036afa31c5be237461c30a61f7925@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...
>>[color=darkred]
>>>There was a bulletin issued advising the replacement of rotors, pads, and
>>>calipers to fix the warping issue. The updated calipers are a little
>>>bigger, and supposedly that accounted for the difference. However, the
>>>thing that really made the job a bear is the new dust covers that are
>>>also
>>>issued to accomodate the larger calipers. To replace them, you have to
>>>pull
>>>the front bearings apart. It's quite a job. Some customers have asked me
>>>to
>>>just 'modify' their existing dust covers, though, to save them some money
>>>on the labor side of the job, and as far as I know there haven't been any
>>>problems.
>>> To answer the other part of your question, the rotors are extremely
>>>easy to get off. Just remove the caliper and you're in business.
>>>[/color]
>>
>>
>>[/color]
> Some people with the early calipers never have the brake judder. Try very
> high quality pads, maybe Hawk or Performance Friction.
>
> Resurfacing the rotors is iffy. If much material is removed, while still
> within spec, the thinned rotor cannot handle heat well. Try it.
>
>
> Ken[/color]

I ordered new Bembro rotors and higher quality ceramic Satisfaction pads
that are engineered to cool faster in between braking and transfer less heat
to the rotors.

Also is a school of thought that the rear brakes are out of adjustment and
this conditon creates an "unbalanced" braking condition that places more
braking force on the front than needed. The cure? Use the parking brake all
the time and /or adjust the rear brakes manually with the star adjustment.

Anyone noticed improvement as a result of increased parking brake use?

"mike" <atxguy@NOMORESPAMcomcast.com> wrote in message
news:MMKdnQ2OeqBonFbenZ2dnUVZ_vydnZ2d@comcast.com...[color=blue]
> Thanks, I will give that a shot. I was doing more research today and it
> looks like later year models are having similar symptoms. Some of the
> theories I read would indicate that the rotors are getting too hot because
> the brakes weren't large enough to dissipate the heat properly. Also read
> that the new dust plates have a larger air scoop to increase cooling.
>
> So maybe high quality pads will help the brakes run cooler? My brakes are
> smooth as silk for about the first mile or two. They get gradually worse
> as the brakes get hotter.
>
>
>
> "Ken Shelton" <shelton@cablespeed.com> wrote in message
> news:_cudncvfEMsZ4FfeRVn-hw@cablespeedwa.com...[color=green]
>> mike wrote:[color=darkred]
>>> Thanks for the quick response. I bought my truck when it was just out of
>>> warranty. I have read many accounts from other 2000 owners with the same
>>> symptoms. A lot of them believe this was serious enough to warrant a
>>> recall but it hasn't happened yet.
>>>
>>> It sounds like you have some experience with this issue. Do you think
>>> new brake pads and rotor sufacing would fix my problem or am I just
>>> spinning my wheels? Most other owners claim their problems return in
>>> less than 200 miles. What do you think?
>>>
>>>
>>> "qslim" <Suckers@suckersdotcom> wrote in message
>>> news:d06036afa31c5be237461c30a61f7925@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...
>>>
>>>>There was a bulletin issued advising the replacement of rotors, pads,
>>>>and
>>>>calipers to fix the warping issue. The updated calipers are a little
>>>>bigger, and supposedly that accounted for the difference. However, the
>>>>thing that really made the job a bear is the new dust covers that are
>>>>also
>>>>issued to accomodate the larger calipers. To replace them, you have to
>>>>pull
>>>>the front bearings apart. It's quite a job. Some customers have asked me
>>>>to
>>>>just 'modify' their existing dust covers, though, to save them some
>>>>money
>>>>on the labor side of the job, and as far as I know there haven't been
>>>>any
>>>>problems.
>>>> To answer the other part of your question, the rotors are extremely
>>>>easy to get off. Just remove the caliper and you're in business.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>[/color]
>> Some people with the early calipers never have the brake judder. Try very
>> high quality pads, maybe Hawk or Performance Friction.
>>
>> Resurfacing the rotors is iffy. If much material is removed, while still
>> within spec, the thinned rotor cannot handle heat well. Try it.
>>
>>
>> Ken[/color]
>
>[/color]