Special tools for 02 Taco brakes?

I'm considering changing the brake pads on my 02 Tacoma. Never done this
before. I'll be buying the Toyota service manual first. I've got loads of
tools (ratchets, etc), but I'm wondering if there are any oddball tools
required. This expense, if any, will figure into whether I actually do the
job, or take it to my long-time mechanic. Any & all advice is much
appreciated.

Should've mentioned that I'll be doing front brakes first. Rears are fine.

Doug Kanter wrote:[color=blue]
> I'm considering changing the brake pads on my 02 Tacoma. Never done this
> before. I'll be buying the Toyota service manual first.[/color]

For $10, you can get all the applicable documents online @
techinfo.toyota.com.

Nothing out of the ordinary is needed to do the job. If you have metric
wrenches, you're good to go. It'll be an easier job if you have
something with which to compress the piston back into the caliper so
the new, thicker pads will fit (a "C" clamp works well), but It's easy
to improvise if you don't have a clamp.

BTW, the rear shoes last a LONG time! You'll go through many pads
before the shoes wear out, at least I do.

<Radrunner@MTtestdriver.com> wrote in message
news:1142037441.002607.169110@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Nothing out of the ordinary is needed to do the job. If you have metric
> wrenches, you're good to go. It'll be an easier job if you have
> something with which to compress the piston back into the caliper so
> the new, thicker pads will fit (a "C" clamp works well), but It's easy
> to improvise if you don't have a clamp.
>
> BTW, the rear shoes last a LONG time! You'll go through many pads
> before the shoes wear out, at least I do.
>[/color]

I could probably get another year out of the front pads, but my 16 year old
son just started driving. Too much on the brakes, not enough planning ahead
(yet). The beatings will begin this weekend. :-)

I'm 56 going on 17 and I'm hard on my brakes too.

For all your Tacoma-related questions, come on over to customtacos.com.

I put new brakes on my daughter's '02 Tacoma PreRunner using just standard
tools that I have in my collection.

It is possible that you may need to have the brake rotors turned in order to
make them true again. I go to my local Kragen or AutoZone stores to have
this work done for $10 per rotor. They will measure the thickness of the
rotor for you to see if it is safe to do this, or if you need to buy new
rotors.

DO NOT STRESS over replacing rotors, this is also done using the standard
tools you should have at home.

Frankly, if you haven't the standard tools needed for this job already, then
perhaps you should reconsider taking the job on. It is reasonable that you
might need a particular size wrench that you haven't got already, but the
job is essentially a very easy one. If you need to buy a set of tools to get
the work done, then you may not have the expertise needed, but if you are
only missing one or two tools, then you should be okay with the job ahead.




"Doug Kanter" <ancientangler@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7UeQf.17066$qg.13090@news01.roc.ny...[color=blue]
> I'm considering changing the brake pads on my 02 Tacoma. Never done this
> before. I'll be buying the Toyota service manual first. I've got loads of
> tools (ratchets, etc), but I'm wondering if there are any oddball tools
> required. This expense, if any, will figure into whether I actually do the
> job, or take it to my long-time mechanic. Any & all advice is much
> appreciated.
>[/color]

<Radrunner@MTtestdriver.com> wrote in message
news:1142037441.002607.169110@u72g2000cwu.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Nothing out of the ordinary is needed to do the job. If you have metric
> wrenches, you're good to go. It'll be an easier job if you have
> something with which to compress the piston back into the caliper so
> the new, thicker pads will fit (a "C" clamp works well), but It's easy
> to improvise if you don't have a clamp.
>[/color]

I use a pry bar to open the calipers BEFORE I take them off. I accept that
this is considered risky, it is very easy to do correctly and not do any
damage to anything else. I complete one side -- take apart and put back
together -- before I move onto the other side.


[color=blue]
> BTW, the rear shoes last a LONG time! You'll go through many pads
> before the shoes wear out, at least I do.
>[/color]

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:R8udnajv2Nj__YnZRVn-tg@ez2.net...[color=blue]
>I put new brakes on my daughter's '02 Tacoma PreRunner using just standard
>tools that I have in my collection.
>
> It is possible that you may need to have the brake rotors turned in order
> to make them true again. I go to my local Kragen or AutoZone stores to
> have this work done for $10 per rotor. They will measure the thickness of
> the rotor for you to see if it is safe to do this, or if you need to buy
> new rotors.
>
> DO NOT STRESS over replacing rotors, this is also done using the standard
> tools you should have at home.[/color]

So far, there's no wobble at all to the rotors. Not sure about thickness,
though, so I'll probably get them checked. Aside from variations from one
spot to the next, is it acceptable to get a general idea of thickness simply
using calibers?

"Doug Kanter" <ancientangler@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2nZQf.17274$qg.6237@news01.roc.ny...[color=blue]
> "Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:R8udnajv2Nj__YnZRVn-tg@ez2.net...[color=green]
>>I put new brakes on my daughter's '02 Tacoma PreRunner using just standard
>>tools that I have in my collection.
>>
>> It is possible that you may need to have the brake rotors turned in order
>> to make them true again. I go to my local Kragen or AutoZone stores to
>> have this work done for $10 per rotor. They will measure the thickness of
>> the rotor for you to see if it is safe to do this, or if you need to buy
>> new rotors.
>>
>> DO NOT STRESS over replacing rotors, this is also done using the standard
>> tools you should have at home.[/color]
>
> So far, there's no wobble at all to the rotors. Not sure about thickness,
> though, so I'll probably get them checked. Aside from variations from one
> spot to the next, is it acceptable to get a general idea of thickness
> simply using calibers?
>[/color]


The rotors will be the same all of the way around. They likely do not need
to be turned, but you can measuer them with a simple micrometer that you get
for around $20. Or, you can carry them down the street and the guy with the
lathe will measure them for you. Personally, I think it is always a good
idea to remove the ridges and grooves that form, even if you have no
problems with warped rotors.

I don't recall what you said the mileage was, but if this is the first brake
job, you probably can safely throw in a new set of pads and have another
beer.

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3JidnYUoy_G1IonZRVn-uw@ez2.net...[color=blue]
>
> "Doug Kanter" <ancientangler@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:2nZQf.17274$qg.6237@news01.roc.ny...[color=green]
>> "Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:R8udnajv2Nj__YnZRVn-tg@ez2.net...[color=darkred]
>>>I put new brakes on my daughter's '02 Tacoma PreRunner using just
>>>standard tools that I have in my collection.
>>>
>>> It is possible that you may need to have the brake rotors turned in
>>> order to make them true again. I go to my local Kragen or AutoZone
>>> stores to have this work done for $10 per rotor. They will measure the
>>> thickness of the rotor for you to see if it is safe to do this, or if
>>> you need to buy new rotors.
>>>
>>> DO NOT STRESS over replacing rotors, this is also done using the
>>> standard tools you should have at home.[/color]
>>
>> So far, there's no wobble at all to the rotors. Not sure about thickness,
>> though, so I'll probably get them checked. Aside from variations from one
>> spot to the next, is it acceptable to get a general idea of thickness
>> simply using calibers?
>>[/color]
>
>
> The rotors will be the same all of the way around. They likely do not need
> to be turned, but you can measuer them with a simple micrometer that you
> get for around $20. Or, you can carry them down the street and the guy
> with the lathe will measure them for you. Personally, I think it is always
> a good idea to remove the ridges and grooves that form, even if you have
> no problems with warped rotors.
>
> I don't recall what you said the mileage was, but if this is the first
> brake job, you probably can safely throw in a new set of pads and have
> another beer.[/color]

48,000 miles, driven in a style defined as "I can't afford unnecessary
repairs due to recreational nonsense". :-) My biggest concern at the moment
is the leaky edges where the alloy wheels meet the tires.

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3JidnYUoy_G1IonZRVn-uw@ez2.net...[color=blue]
>
> "Doug Kanter" <ancientangler@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:2nZQf.17274$qg.6237@news01.roc.ny...[color=green]
>> "Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:R8udnajv2Nj__YnZRVn-tg@ez2.net...[color=darkred]
>>>I put new brakes on my daughter's '02 Tacoma PreRunner using just
>>>standard tools that I have in my collection.
>>>
>>> It is possible that you may need to have the brake rotors turned in
>>> order to make them true again. I go to my local Kragen or AutoZone
>>> stores to have this work done for $10 per rotor. They will measure the
>>> thickness of the rotor for you to see if it is safe to do this, or if
>>> you need to buy new rotors.
>>>
>>> DO NOT STRESS over replacing rotors, this is also done using the
>>> standard tools you should have at home.[/color]
>>
>> So far, there's no wobble at all to the rotors. Not sure about thickness,
>> though, so I'll probably get them checked. Aside from variations from one
>> spot to the next, is it acceptable to get a general idea of thickness
>> simply using calibers?
>>[/color]
>
>
> The rotors will be the same all of the way around. They likely do not need
> to be turned, but you can measuer them with a simple micrometer that you
> get for around $20. Or, you can carry them down the street and the guy
> with the lathe will measure them for you. Personally, I think it is always
> a good idea to remove the ridges and grooves that form, even if you have
> no problems with warped rotors.
>
> I don't recall what you said the mileage was, but if this is the first
> brake job, you probably can safely throw in a new set of pads and have
> another beer.
>
>
>
>
>[/color]

If I get through this successfuly, I'm gonna figure out a way to send beer
to you through a newsgroup server, in return for your encouraging words. :-)

"Doug Kanter" <ancientangler@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:6NdRf.2629$kg.2055@news02.roc.ny...[color=blue]
>
> "Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:3JidnYUoy_G1IonZRVn-uw@ez2.net...[color=green]
>>
>> "Doug Kanter" <ancientangler@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:2nZQf.17274$qg.6237@news01.roc.ny...[color=darkred]
>>> "Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>> news:R8udnajv2Nj__YnZRVn-tg@ez2.net...
>>>>I put new brakes on my daughter's '02 Tacoma PreRunner using just
>>>>standard tools that I have in my collection.
>>>>
>>>> It is possible that you may need to have the brake rotors turned in
>>>> order to make them true again. I go to my local Kragen or AutoZone
>>>> stores to have this work done for $10 per rotor. They will measure the
>>>> thickness of the rotor for you to see if it is safe to do this, or if
>>>> you need to buy new rotors.
>>>>
>>>> DO NOT STRESS over replacing rotors, this is also done using the
>>>> standard tools you should have at home.
>>>
>>> So far, there's no wobble at all to the rotors. Not sure about
>>> thickness, though, so I'll probably get them checked. Aside from
>>> variations from one spot to the next, is it acceptable to get a general
>>> idea of thickness simply using calibers?
>>>[/color]
>>
>>
>> The rotors will be the same all of the way around. They likely do not
>> need to be turned, but you can measuer them with a simple micrometer that
>> you get for around $20. Or, you can carry them down the street and the
>> guy with the lathe will measure them for you. Personally, I think it is
>> always a good idea to remove the ridges and grooves that form, even if
>> you have no problems with warped rotors.
>>
>> I don't recall what you said the mileage was, but if this is the first
>> brake job, you probably can safely throw in a new set of pads and have
>> another beer.[/color]
>
> 48,000 miles, driven in a style defined as "I can't afford unnecessary
> repairs due to recreational nonsense". :-) My biggest concern at the
> moment is the leaky edges where the alloy wheels meet the tires.
>[/color]

With 48k on the clock, the odds are very good that you DO NOT need rotors.

I don't see what leaky edges where the wheels meet the tires has to do with
brakes though ...

And, those leaky edges are called "bead leaks." The tires have beads where
they mate to the rims, when they leak, the term is bead leak.

"Doug Kanter" <ancientangler@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:14ERf.2780$kg.1167@news02.roc.ny...[color=blue][color=green]
>>[/color]
>
> If I get through this successfuly, I'm gonna figure out a way to send beer
> to you through a newsgroup server, in return for your encouraging words.
> :-)
>[/color]


I'd prefer you take a few minutes to teach your kid to drive like HE has to
pay for the repairs. ;-)

I subscribe to the driving method you use, I can't afford the repairs so I
use the pedals softly to delay the need for them. My kid drives the same
way, and she doesn't seem to mind. She does do 80 on the freeway, but mostly
as a response to her Survival Instinct, but off the freeway she starts
slowly and brakes early -- two good qualities that all kids should learn.

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:0eGdneZfvdzDx4rZ4p2dnA@ez2.net...[color=blue]
>
> "Doug Kanter" <ancientangler@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:6NdRf.2629$kg.2055@news02.roc.ny...[color=green]
>>
>> "Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:3JidnYUoy_G1IonZRVn-uw@ez2.net...[color=darkred]
>>>
>>> "Doug Kanter" <ancientangler@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:2nZQf.17274$qg.6237@news01.roc.ny...
>>>> "Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:R8udnajv2Nj__YnZRVn-tg@ez2.net...
>>>>>I put new brakes on my daughter's '02 Tacoma PreRunner using just
>>>>>standard tools that I have in my collection.
>>>>>
>>>>> It is possible that you may need to have the brake rotors turned in
>>>>> order to make them true again. I go to my local Kragen or AutoZone
>>>>> stores to have this work done for $10 per rotor. They will measure the
>>>>> thickness of the rotor for you to see if it is safe to do this, or if
>>>>> you need to buy new rotors.
>>>>>
>>>>> DO NOT STRESS over replacing rotors, this is also done using the
>>>>> standard tools you should have at home.
>>>>
>>>> So far, there's no wobble at all to the rotors. Not sure about
>>>> thickness, though, so I'll probably get them checked. Aside from
>>>> variations from one spot to the next, is it acceptable to get a general
>>>> idea of thickness simply using calibers?
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The rotors will be the same all of the way around. They likely do not
>>> need to be turned, but you can measuer them with a simple micrometer
>>> that you get for around $20. Or, you can carry them down the street and
>>> the guy with the lathe will measure them for you. Personally, I think it
>>> is always a good idea to remove the ridges and grooves that form, even
>>> if you have no problems with warped rotors.
>>>
>>> I don't recall what you said the mileage was, but if this is the first
>>> brake job, you probably can safely throw in a new set of pads and have
>>> another beer.[/color]
>>
>> 48,000 miles, driven in a style defined as "I can't afford unnecessary
>> repairs due to recreational nonsense". :-) My biggest concern at the
>> moment is the leaky edges where the alloy wheels meet the tires.
>>[/color]
>
> With 48k on the clock, the odds are very good that you DO NOT need rotors.
>
> I don't see what leaky edges where the wheels meet the tires has to do
> with brakes though ...[/color]

Totally separate issue, just thrown in here for no particular reason.