Warped Rotors

[Zebra Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Zebra]

I’ve checked in numerous topics with related titles but don’t seem to find this same issue being reported or discussed already.
My 2013 prado is suffering from the same dredded brake shuddering that was caused by warped rotors just as I experienced with my old Hilux.
It’s pretty frustrating as my mechanic said that one solution in my Hilux was to upgrade to Prado bakes.. luckily I didn’t do that.

I want to know if this a known problem with the Prado rotors?

Secondly, does the DBA T2 and Bendix 4wd rotor/pad upgrade fix this and also does it provide a better braking system to OE?

[Guest Close Guest]

Known issue on standard rotors. DBA T2 or T3 upgrade and DBA pads.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Yep, as above. Front and rear.

[LowRange Member Find all posts View Profile Close LowRange]

Yes i installed DBA T2 and Bendix 4wd pads on mine and it's a fantastic combo, highly recommend it. Also yours being a 2013 get some extra brake fluid and do a full flush until it runs clean.

[Brett1979 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Brett1979]

Zebra, do you brake down a long steep hill(s) regularly causing excessive heat buildup in the brakes? If so, start using the transmission to help slow the car so you only have to feather the brakes lightly. I used to have to replace rotors yearly until I fine tuned my driving stile. Haven’t had a warped rotor in years now.

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If you brake heavily, once you come to a stop, release the brake pedal and apply the handbrake. Change to N if you have to to stop the Prado crawling forward.

[Zebra Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Zebra]

Thanks for responses.

Brett1979

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I’ve only driven it a hand full of times since recently owning it. My wife is the main driver until I give myself a holiday... It’s not as bad as my previous hilux but it’s definitely noticeable and more so when feathering actually. I often use the transmission to help shave speed. I can’t rely the misses to do the same..

amts

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The real surprise is just how poor the initial bite is. When it’s a cold start and I shift to D I’ve got to really stamp on the pedal to keep it from rolling away. This does ease up as the engine warms up and revs drop.

For me a vehicle of this size and weight should be braking better than what it is. Upgrade is on the cards with next service.

[Brett1979 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Brett1979]

You’re right, Zebra. The Prado should be braking sharply. You’ll love your new rotors & brakes when you get them.

[rascal Member Find all posts View Profile Close rascal]

It’s pretty frustrating as my mechanic said that one solution in my Hilux was to upgrade to Prado bakes.. luckily I didn’t do that.

Actually your mechanic would have been correct. Prado brakes are bigger and thicker than hilux ones so it would have been an upgrade to your hilux.

also I wouldn’t recommend using the gearbox to slow you down. That what the brakes are for. Auto rebuilds are a lot dearer than brake pad/rotor changes.
If you have a obd reader you can see the auto temp soar when you use the auto to keep your speeds down rather than the brakes. And heat is the enemy of transmission longevity.

though it does sound like you need new pads/rotors if if won’t hold you properly when shifting to drive..

[Ramboghini Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Ramboghini]

If you drive hot rotors through cold water they will warp. If doesn't matter what brand they are.

If the brake rotors warp badly, they generally knock the brake pads away from them while driving. The longer the time between braking, the bigger the surprise. That means the initial pedal travel is longer as it has to move the pads back to their initial resting position and then pinch the rotors. Worst case, you'll need to pump the brake pedal twice.

Both the front rotor and the caliper are relatively large on the Prado so there is no reason for the car should struggle to stop.

On brake pads, I generally use the OE for my Toyotas ($105) but this time I got Bendix Ultra Premium at Supercheap for the Prado. $86 for 2 sets on special. I only replaced the rears and you can feel the extra bite, with the rears locking up and then the ABS kicking. That took about 10 000k's to settle down.

The reason I tend to stick to OE is I know they won't squeak or dirty the wheels.

Bendix ultra Premiums bite noticeably harder. I only replaced the front on a Pajero and I could feel the tyres squeak over the white lines on the road. I did find the Bendix Ultra Premiums start to squeak as they got to about 50% wear. This happened on 2 cars. I didn't find that problem with the Bendix CT's on another car but it did squeak for the initial couple of wheel turns reversing out the driveway.

Bendix is my go to brand outside of the Toyota. $86 for Bendix vs $105 for OE. Other OE for other manufacturers are about $300 for pads or shoes. If I order online Bendix CT's it's about $65 to my door

I've tried 4WD Ferodo brakes pads at one point but the pads were too hard and I struggled to stop the other 4WD. I also have tried the Calibre brand ($46 for 2 sets on special), Bendix's entry level brake and they constantly squeaked and dirtied the wheels, so now I don't experiment anymore.

Repco's top brake pad is also quite impressive ($98 without discount). It seemed to be a more complete brake pad than I'm used to replacing. I only go there when I'm desperate unless there's a special. They always seem to have the parts on hand. Supercheap will charge you extra to order in if they don't have it on the shelf and you'll need to wait a couple of days.

Brake fluid also absorbs moisture/water over time and the brake pedal can become spongy. You can eliminate that as well by flushing it out.

On the issue of crawling, I find that the Prado brake pedal loses some pressure when idling at the lights and I do find it creeping in traffic. It seems to happen when the idling changes. I'm assuming something to do with the vacuum for the brake booster.

My 2 cents worth...

[Brett1979 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Brett1979]

Your car creeping forward at traffic lights could be when the air con compressor disengages which means your engine gains a little more power making your car creep forward a touch if your foot is only resting on the brake at a red light.