Brake problem with my 2006 Toyota Tundra SR5 4.7L

I purchased a 2006 Toyota Tundra SR5 4.7L engine. Outstanding condition. had 71,000 miles at time of purchase. At 82,000 miles I decided to put new brakes on. The mechanic replaced the following parts: front rotors, calipers and pads. Rear: drums, shoes, springs, clips etc. During test drive, small vibration noticed during braking around 35-20 mph. Front rotors and pads changed. Problem continued. Went to the Toyota dealer they said that the rotors needed shaving and that would fix the problem. It did not. Have anyone else had this problem? if so how did you solve it?

 

Did it have the vibration before the brake job?

 

If they replaced the front and the vibration continued it may be an issue with the rear.

 

Did Toyota machined the rotors did they also install new Toyota pads? Many shops use cheap pads when doing brake jobs.
As stated the problem could also be in the rear brakes. Your only course of repair might be to install OEM pads and shoes and turn the drums to make sure they are true.

 

Where is the vibration felt?

If it's in the steering wheel, that would tend to point toward a steering or suspension component: ball joint, tie rod end, control arm bushing, etc..

If it's pulsing in the pedal, that would tend to point toward an uneven rotor surface.

If it's elsewhere in the body, that's a little harder to pinpoint... and will take more troubleshooting.

 

In February of 2016, I took my 2006 Tundra DC to a high quality shop to have both front and rear brakes done. Aftermarket brake components were used all around. While doing a test drive, a noticeable vibration showed up while braking. After a lot of tweaking and testing, the shop then replaced ALL of the parts they used (rotors, pads, drums, shoes) with ANOTHER set of the same aftermarket parts, on the assumption there was something defective.

During the second test drive, the EXACT vibration was still there.

The next day they did a THIRD complete brake job, this time with OEM parts. Test drive: No vibration.

To this day, no one really understands why. I had an experienced Toyota tech tell me it has to do with the rotors. He had seen the same thing happen on two previous occasions—both with Gen 1 Tundras—and in both cases something about OEM rotors solved the problem.

A lot of GREAT aftermarket truck and brake components out there, many of which I have on my now 2005 Tundra DC, so nothing but a fan of what is available.

But head's up, this is something to consider.

 

If you have vibration while braking and you can feel it in the pedal you can slowly press the emergency brake while driving and see if the vibration is felt there. If you can feel it in the emergency brake then it might be the rear. If you don't feel it in the emergency brake but you do feel it in the pedal then my money is on the front.

 

You can throw parts all day long (OE & aftermarket) but unless you take some important measurements you waste time & money. I am referring to checking rotor parallelism & lateral runout - use a dial indicator & micrometer. This should be checked before and after a complete brake job. If you find the lateral runout incorrect on a new rotor suspect bad hub bearings or warped flange. On car rotor turning can remedy the issue, I would recommend taking measurements first. Google those brake terms plenty of educational information online.