1998 Toyota 4Runner brake caliper eating rotors?

FROMTHEPARK

MEMBER
1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
128,000 MILES

Hi,

I had brake pads replaced at NBS about 9 months ago. Returned with squealing and they resurfaced the rotors. Continued to have problems so they replaced the rotors (saying they had resurfaced them improperly the first time.) I drove it from Illinois to Florida and it was shaking each time I braked (about 3 months after the rotors were replaced) so I took it in and they replaced the rotors. Drove back to Illinois and in about a month it was shuddering so I took it back and they were going to replace the rotors. I asked what was going on that I was going through rotors so quickly and the mechanic said _Oh, you need a new caliper. He spun one wheel and said "see how easily it turns?" And then spun the other front wheel and said "see that it binds?". You need new calipers.

Do I? It seemed a little hocus-pocus since they didn't suggest the calliper until I asked why the constant rotor replacement... Am I throwing money away to pay them $250 for a new front caliper?

4 Replies

ZACKMAN

MECHANIC
4,202 POSTS

Yes, they should have caught it the first time you brought the vehicle in. It could be that at the time, the caliper was still good. And the minute you came back with t he complaint, they should have caught it. I don't have any explanation why they didn't ask you to replace the caliper, but the caliper is your problem.

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Monday, March 16th, 2009 AT 7:54 PM

JAMES W.

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2,395 POSTS

I don't know who's doing your brake work, my friend, but they should have caught the caliper problem when they changed the rotors the first time. When the calipers are re-compressed to accept the new pads, you can tell there's a problem by how hard they compress.
To answer your question, yes, you need calipers. BUT, they should see the problem with the old one(s) a long time ago. Hope this helps.

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Monday, March 16th, 2009 AT 7:57 PM

FROMTHEPARK

MEMBER
1 POST

Thanks for the confirmation. They also said my tires were cupped from bad struts but they would even out after I took another drive to Florida. I've got great tread left but they said the tires were vibrating with each bump which was making them wear unevenly.

Does that also make sense?

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Monday, March 16th, 2009 AT 8:33 PM

JAMES W.

MECHANIC
2,395 POSTS

IIIIIIIIIIII don't know about that one. Unless your tires were jumping up and down continuosly going down the road, struts won't cup your tires. Tire cupping is usually caused by bad tierod ends or ball joints. As far as the cups wearing away as you drive, it ain't gonna' happen.

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Monday, March 16th, 2009 AT 9:19 PM