Brakes

My ‘05 Tundra Limited crew cab currently has 145,XXX on the odometer, I’m the 3rd owner of this extremely well & meticulously maintained truck. Bought it four years ago. Recently I’ve noticed the braking taking noticeably more effort on the pedal to bring her to complete stop. The pads are still at least a few thousand miles away from needing replacement because I just had my tires rotated and the routine inspection showed I have around 30% of my pads left. No leaking fluid, I’ve heard something about the “power brake assist module” possibly causing this. Anyone replace one of these modules? Also is there a way to test these modules for operation or failure?
Thanks

 

Before you go replacing modules and various parts, make sure the rear drum brakes are in proper adjustment and working correctly.

 

These trucks rely heavily on proper adjustment of the rear brakes, and proper function of the parking brake assembly. This is pretty established "quirk" about the 1st gens.

The vast majority problems of "poor braking" can be resolved by simply properly adjusting the rears. This is so true, and so few believe it, that an entire sticky thread is dedicated to the topic: https://www.tundras.com/threads/rear-brake-adjustment-theory-and-practice.99575/

Sometimes, resolving the shit braking can be as simple as setting/releasing the parking brake 5-10 times **IF** the parking break is properly functioning, and automatically dialing in the rear shoes as it should. It's worth a try. If not, you or someone you hire should verify rear brake adjustments.

I highly doubt it's the booster. You'd see other issues. And yes. There is a test for the booster. It's posted here in pictures, and you can find it in the FSM, which is linked for download over here. (see links in 4th/5th paragraph, I suggest to download a copy while you still can - yours is the 2nd image here)

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Have you given it a brake fluid flush?

 

thanks, I’ll check the rear drums for the proper adjustment.

 

I haven’t done a brake fluid flush yet, I was planning to wait until my pads and shoes were replaced.

 

The parking brake appears to be working as it should, I’ll do the (engage/disengage) and see if there’s any noticeable difference.

 

If everything is working as it should inside the drum, each time (in theory) you fully set the parking break to the floor, it should ratchet down the star wheel on the adjuster to hone in the shoes. Engaging is several times, if the mechanism was setup properly and/or is ratcheting properly, should crank it back down into spec. Give it a shot. If you notice a difference in when the p-brake pedal bottoms out, like it goes less to the floor each time, I'd expect that's a sign it's the issue. Likewise, you should be able to set your p-brake with the truck in Neutral and not be able to push it.

 

Is your truck at stock height? The lspv might help with an adjustment.

i dunno how everyone else adjust their parking brake, but i lift it from the rear axle, and adjust until both sides lock up while idleing in gear within a couple clicks of each other, i got mine to stop on the same click, and dont think it was wasted time. Was adjusting with the drum off, and i'd throw the drums & wheels back on with a couple lugs, then repeat. The first time, i got heckled for having sagging cables, so i tightened the cable adjustment & re-verified they stopped evenly.

 

yeah, sort of like my old Ford pickup, put it in reverse, and while moving backwards come to a complete stop a handful of times and that will adjust the rear drums also.

 

Yes , no lift at all. Basically completely unmolested and stock. Last set of tires I bought were factory recommended size.