Toyota Rav4 unique brake problem?

[Tundraz]

Toyota

Rav 4

Model year 2004

Mileage 195,000

Engine 2.4 liters

Transmission: 5 speed manual

Hi guys , i just noticed a sort of unique problem with my Wife's Rav4 after i changed the back rotors(i reused the same pads because they still had a lot of meat on them)
The problem is it looks like now the pads are only contacting about 1/3 of the contact area of the rotor, this 1/3 area of the rotor looks nice and shiny like it would look normally while the other 2/3 of the rotor is untouched by the pad . What could be the cause of this?
This is only happening on one side , the other side looks normal.

THanks for any info you can provide.

Tundraz

 

[JHZR2]

Dont do that!

Were thepads absolutely smooth? They may have grooves.

You could have pressed the pistons in the bore crooked, so not it moves crookedly.

You could have bad sliders that cause the caliper to move crooked.

 

[97prizm]

I would take the brake pads out and lube the slide pins and calipers. I read on one of the jeep forums that calipers and parts should align back up after a brake job. If not dirt or corrosion could be a factor for your pads not contacting the full rotor face.

 

[Tundraz]

You guys are onto something i didnt think about- when i changed the brakes about 18 months ago one of the slide pins were stuck i discovered it when i took it apart, i freed it up and re-lubed it , this is the same side pin question

Could it be stuck again? hhhhmm! I have to take the brakes off again.

I never thought about a twisted caliper piston not being even , i have to check out that as soon as i can get the car on the jack stands.

 

[chad8]

You said that this is your wife's rav 4 with 195,000 miles and it is a stick.
Can I meet your wife? Sounds like a keeper.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Tundraz
You guys are onto something i didnt think about- when i changed the brakes about 18 months ago one of the slide pins were stuck i discovered it when i took it apart, i freed it up and re-lubed it , this is the same side pin question

Could it be stuck again? hhhhmm! I have to take the brakes off again.

I never thought about a twisted caliper piston not being even , i have to check out that as soon as i can get the car on the jack stands.


When that happens, the bore that the caliper pin slides in can be oblong, and then the caliper will sit crooked. Had a bad squeal on a rear brake once and that was the cause.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: chad8
You said that this is your wife's rav 4 with 195,000 miles and it is a stick.
Can I meet your wife? Sounds like a keeper.


His and mine are rarities beyond belief!

 

[HerrStig]

Having uneven contact between a used pad and a new rotor will often warp the NEW rotor. Not worth the money to try it.
Tip for Corolla, Camry, and probably other Toyota owners, they use a common HUB on many of these cars, I recently BOLTED ON to an I 4 Camry a set of Avalon front brakes - calipers and rotors. Didn't even have to change the hose. Didn't cost any more than buying the "proper" (smaller) stuff from Centrex. The difference can easily be felt in hard stops. The only hang up is that OEM 14 inch wheels on 97 to 2000 I 4 Camrys won't fit over the bigger calipers, I had already gone to 15x7s (V6s came with 15 inch wheels OEM) on the car so no problem. I changed the calipers because at well over 200 k they were starting to stick, and Centrex rebuilts in the larger size were on sale. Ya might have to bend the splash shield a little bit to fit the bigger rotors. If you look at a good parts catalog like Rockauto and compare part numbers between models you can learn a lot, though I got the calipers from Amazon, of all places.

 

[mechtech2]

They will eventually seat. You have a mismatch that was greater on that side than the other.
But of course, proper lubrication is critical on brakes.
If things work out and there are no vibrations, great!

 

[Tundraz]

THanks Guys, Yeah my wife put 195,000 on that stick shift, automatics doesnt feel natural to her , so when she ordered it back in 2004 the dealer had to search to find one and eventually found one at another dealer in Plainfield New Jersey.
She drives it to work into New York 3-4 days a week.

I will definitely have to see if the holes that the pin goes through is oblong.

I want to take some pictures of the whole shebang before i remove it to see if anything looks twisted or warped.
THanks Tundraz