Separate thread, why aren't my Toyota brakes as good as a Toyota Rav5

[Micky]

Separate thread, why aren't my Toyota brakes as good as a Toyota Rav5

I don't know if this is the proper procedure, but iirc it's bad form to hijack a thread with one's own topic. Yet they're related.

> >>Hypothetical situation: >> >>Let's say you follow the bedding procedure recommended for the pads and rotors that you just >>installed. Soon afterwards you have a need to take the wheels off, do some more work and then >>clean the rotors with brake cleaner again. I assume that the brake cleaner will remove any pad >>material that was transferred during the bedding process. >> >>What happens when you go through the bedding process again? Have the pads changed in such a >>way that they will no longer transfer material like they did the first time? Is it worth the trouble to bed >>them again? >> >>Just curious... > >Derby, I not familiar with what you call "bedding". I presume you >mean cleaning dirt, and grime from pads and discs. Sandpaper cleans >them.

I never heard of bedding either.

When I hit a curb 16 months ago and had to replace my right front rotor, control arm, ball joint and half axle, I just put the parts together and drove.

It took me a month but when done, afaicr the braking was the same as before.

But what the 2000 Toyota Solara conv. was definitely different from was the 1999 Toyota Rav4 that I'd borrowed for that month. The Rav's brakes were much ... more distinct. Maybe stronger.

Why would that be?

Is there a weight difference in the cars that would account for that.

The pedal too isn't the same, though right now, midnight, I can't remember what's wrong with mine. I remember that when the engine turns off the pedal comes up, even when I push down.

I thought maybe I had a vacuum leak to the brakes but I found the one-way valve and blew and sucked in it and it worked.

[Tony Hwang]

Car vs. SUV.

[DerbyDad03]

Better pads? Better rotors? Better calipers?

I recently learned of Centric Premium rotors and Centric Posi-Quiet ceramic pads.

I put them on my 06 Ody and they are without a doubt the best brakes I have ever had on any vehicle. For the first week after installing them, I would find myself stopping at least a full car length behind the vehicles in front of me while driving in rush hour traffic.

My first "panic" stop contained absolutely no panic. The van just stopped and I had room to spare. I actually smiled.

Even as good as the Centrics are, I'm know that there are even better pads and rotors out there. However, based on recommendations from other folks, the price/performance of the Centric products is perfect for my daily driver. I'm still running the OEM calipers, but if they ever go bad, I'll probably upgrade them also.

(BTW I didn't change my brakes because my the old ones were bad, in fact they had passed inspection just a month or so earlier. However, the rotors had been resurfaced before I bought the van and they would warp when hot, causing the steering wheel to shutter during hard stops at highway speeds. I just got tired of it.)

[Micky]

Okay, you've convinced me.

Thanks all.