2012 PiP: Replacing brakes and rotors…real time question.

In the middle of the job and finding the c-clamp not budging the caliper piston. Sprayed it with WD-40…videos seem like it wouldn’t take a lot of pressure …some even use a needle nose.
How much pressure? This is the only vehicle so housebound until fixed….thoughts?

 

Reading through the threads. Videos for this model showed needle nose players, c-clamps mostly and some with specialized compression tool. I am in a garage with my only vehicle down atm. actually purchased a c-clamp just for that task mind you. It does spin with pliers.

 

Thank you. It took some pressure and then was expecting the nut to be deeper when fully set, however turns out to be flush with the rubber edge..

 

One of the more professional videos suggested spinning the rotor by hand so it spun freely and made no noises, rubbing or dragging sounds. No matter what I did I was getting a some friction sounds.

That said I put everything together and took for a test drive - only did the rears this evening. Test drive seemed to go well. Didn’t notice any spongy feeling in the breaking.. and couldn’t tell if there was a drag or friction sound either way. I will need to have someone stand near by as I brake to tell.

 

Thank you for the link. Unable to hear anything direct, yet suspicious of back passenger side wheel. I will do the front today and then try the coasting tips from the other thread.

 

Pulled the car in to start the front brakes and noticed a spring that I am presuming is from the rear passenger brake job.

Anyone recognize?

 

Thank you. Never consciously selected 2002 in the profile - that has been corrected. Also thought Gen 3 was elected for the forum.

 

Request to move thread submitted

 

Spring recognized for Gen 3 rear brake? Maybe from brake cable?

I ran the car for about 2 miles w/no brake, albeit low speeds. Rotors all felt cool.

Prior to starting the job, Toyota gave a quick inspection. They stated rear brakes had to be replaced asap, and front brakes were low, few smaller items and estimate furnished.

Suspected the same on brakes. That said, only one pad looks low? My first time with brakes so maybe me not knowing what I am seeing. Here are the front and back brakes removed.

Rear rotors, unclear if they needed to be replaced. Had an edge or lip around the outside, metal shows scrapes and dings.

Front rotors looked quite good - surprised - so kept them as-is.

what about these brakes would show low, when to me only one pad was looking lower than the rest?

 

I did review that link prior to starting and related posts sharing the need for the X positioned.

Videos were helpful on expected drag..where I was thinking that expected drag was abnormal. I will take videos of the spin next time the car is lifted.

I did not touch anything related to fluids during the job. Wouldn’t expect there to be the need to bleed lines if the job was dry throughout (?).

Thinking I would do a brake fluid flush as the last part of the brake job. When are brake flushes recommended?

Need to locate and replace this mystery spring at a minimum. Did not see that spring in anywhere in the diagrams.

Test drove last night…rotors seemed cool. On the way home, tested sharper stops. The braking seemed good…ever so slightly more spongie than before. Unclear if that is the way brakes are meant to be when replaced, hardening over time etc.

Some of the sliding pins (particularly on the front) were dried up so added grease which (in my non-pro thinking) might lend to a softer breaking experience.