Cryo rotors/TRD brake kit worth it?

Looking for some advice on braking.
I tow, but nothing outrageous. I believe my total setup is about 5k lbs.
I have fairly decent steering wheel shimmy when I descend long canyons and have to keep on the brakes. Seems apparent I'm getting some heat issues.
Question is this- the TRD upgraded brake kit is 3k, which seems insane to me.
Cryo treated slotted and drilled rotors are about $300 a piece.
Non Cryo slotted and drilled are about $120 a piece.
Does anyone have any experience on whether or not the juice is worth the squeeze in regard to the more expensive stuff?

 

Man I would think it's worth it to set it in S3 or S4 for those downhills!

I recently picked up a set of EBC dimpled/slotted coated rotors and yellow pads. Haven't gotten them in the truck yet, but plan on it soon! I love EBC stuff on my bike, and it's made all the difference on other large SUVs I've installed these on, so I've got high hopes.

I don't like traditionally drilled-through rotors personally, seems like introducing a large weak point to the metal, but I'm in another field of science that isn't metallurgy or materials engineering.

 

Yeah Ive downshifted before, and it still doesnt help when im towing. If im not pulling its not nearly as bad, but I have a really long mountain canyon that is infamous for big rigs losing brakes on, and by the time I'm 1/2 way down the canyon the brakes are fading and im getting hella shimmy. Any idea if the TRD price is worth it? They want 3k for the setup!!!

 

StopTech Sport cryo treated, slotted only. Do not get slotted and drilled.

 

Dot 4, steel brake lines, higher temp brake pad

 

I had yellow stuff pads on my last truck. They were fantastic. Very good bite and the bite only got better when they got hot. Only downside was they were very dusty, but well worth it for the increased performance.

 

Cool, I'll get to use my

$19 Chemical Guys SPI21516 Decon Pro Iron Remover and Wheel Cleaner, For Wheels, Brakes, Calipers, Tires, Exterior, 16 fl oz

ChemicalGuys Decon Pro more often! I usually only use it after getting new pads/rotors bedded, but maybe I'll just use it once a month before a carwash.

 

can you elaborate on performance difference?

 

I had the exact same issue as you. Our 6k trailer would make the factory rotors vibrate the truck going down grades in rural highways.

From reading about DirtyDeeds recommendations of Frozn Rotors Slotted and EBC Yellow, i started looking around. I gave Frozn Rotors a call and talked to one of the reps, and they gave me the run down and said EBC Yellows were good, but they recommended Hawk Green Pads.
I went ahead and ordered front rotors and they gave me a discount code that made it pretty much free shipping, and ordered the Hawk Green pads from Amazon.

Holy hell, what a difference. The bite on the pads is unreal. If you panic brake, it will engage the ABS FAST. When towing the trailer, the best i can explain is its "very confident braking"
My friend was looking for new pads/rotors and told him to do the same thing, his mechanic that installed it for him was shocked and said "this is how it should have come from the factory".

The BBK is pretty cool, but probably overkill.

Make sure to Bed the pads properly. There's info in here:
https://www.tundras.com/threads/diy-brake-job-advice-cryo-rotors-and-hawk-pads.111247/

 

Also if fade is an issue, I'd start with something else - stainless steel brake lines. For $150 StopTech makes a set of 6x lines front and rear that should do the trick.

 

One warning on Hawk Green "LTS", they are crazy dusty. I ran them for about 10K miles before pulling them off to go back to OEM.

 

This x2 and exactly what I replaced all 4 corners with. Having towed various things ranging from 3k-9k through the mountains in SE TN, the rotors haven't warped yet.

 

Thank you so much! I just ordered my rotors. Im going to try the stock pads for now because of other posts regarding excessive dust, Ill let ya know how it goes!

 

I havent noticed any more dust than the oem pads.
Interesting.

 

I would go with Hawk Green or EBC Yellow's. I think you will be missing out on some additional braking by going with OEM's, especially with towing.

I didn't notice any more dust than oem. Maybe people weren't properly bedding their pads....its quite the process.

 

I recently replaced the rear rotors and pads with Hawk. Very pleased with them. Have the complete front set ready to go. Just don't fell like doing it in the sun in 90-93 degrees right now.

 

For high-temperature fade, you really do want to consider the $150 for the StopTech brake lines, BuyBrakes.com can get them to you for slightly less than that with their code "Save10"

Just ordered my set up for my own truck, thinking next week I'll get to getting my Bilstein 5100s in the rear and get the EBC dimpled/slotted rotors on with the yellow pads all at once. Full stop!

 

Ordered the stainless braided lines, but went with the G force option. Roughly double the cost of the stop tech. we'll see if its worth it.

 

Truck brake upgrade is a great investment. I did it. Well haven't changed the lines yet. But they are sitting in my garage.

That said, why not upgrade the trailer? Does it have brakes? Are they adjusted right? Is the controller gain set right?

I'd do the truck and trailer(s) if it were me.

Good luck!

 

Keep us updated. The brake lines are my next thing to do when I do a brake fluid flush/exchange. May even look into the master cylinder mod.

 

Let us know how they work. Might be a future upgrade.

i attempted to do ss lines on a previous car when i was a kid, it was an absolute bitch to get the flare nut just perfect. Ended up abandoning ship and put the factory one back on. I remember hearing that flare nut wrenches would help, not sure if its the same case with the tundra. Maybe someone else can chime in

 

I dont have a gain on my truck. The trailer has E-brakes, and it gets serviced regularly. Even when im not towing, when I descend long canyons, I get steering wheel shimmy, so im going to go for the rotors and see how it plays out

 

what brake controller do you have? I haven't heard of one without a gain adjustment.

 

So according to what I've read, the Tundra lines won't need a special tool, but you do need to wire wheel off any rust or buildup on the threading so you can get them tightened all the way down. I haven't done this yet myself so take it all with a grain of salt.

I plan on fixing up my parking brake while I've got everything on the rear apart, since it doesn't actually hold my truck at a stop anymore, but I found a great walkthrough video on how to do it correctly for adjustment.

 

I dont have a brake controller. Just factory tow set up.

 

Uhh....does your trailer have a hydraulic surge piston on the tongue? How exactly are you giving power to the electric brakes on the trailer (this is what the brake controller does)?

Do you have a 7-pin plug on the back?

 

You need a brake controller for that trailer!!! Without one, your electric trailer brakes are not doing anything. At. All.

Get those working and see how much better it works!!!



Then… If you’re having trouble safely maintaining speed down the hills, you might try starting at a slower speed at the top. Let’s say you want to go 55. Start at 45 and let it build up to 55. Get on the brakes and slow to 45 again. Keep repeating this. Also, I’d be in 3rd gear at that speed range. It’ll help. Won’t do it all, but it’ll help.


We tow a 25’ travel trailer a lot with our 2018, and it’s not bad at all. I did it with OEM brakes till this year, but was due for replacements. I went all out and put on a full kit from Alcon. Pricy, but the performance is unbelievable. Zero brake fade, ever. But, I also start slow at the tops of long hills and downshift. I live in the PNW, so we know what hills are like! Lol.

 

Quick update. Added cryo slotted rotors and stainless brake lines. I havent been on a long downhill descent yet, but the immediate difference in pedal feel and response is insane. I stuck with factory pads, as some of the posts indicated the yellow or green pads produce excessive dust and I hate dirty wheels. So far im really loving it!

 

Were you able to get the brake controller issue addressed? Better brakes on the truck is a good start, but you really will see huge improvements once the trailer brakes are able to help.

 

No not yet, Ive been reading about them, and it appears as though the factory kit wont work with my year, so I'll need to find an aftermarket kit, and I hate drilling holes into my dash.