Need help with brake upgrade please

Hi everyone, new to the forum and excited for this stage in our lives! My kids are getting into go kart racing so we had to purchase a trailer. This is my first time towing ANYTHING lol. We'll be towing a single axle enclosed 6x10, the 4 runner is a 2014 4x4 SR5. I wanna take advantage of cyber Monday deals but not exactly sure what brakes are better. I would like some help with recommendations on brake upgrades please. Probably looking to get a kit with everything included, a friend is going to help me with the install. Not looking to break the bank but don't wanna go real cheap either. Thanks in advance

 

The planned weights you are going to carry isn’t crazy for the 4Runner I would just get a set of TRD HD pads you should be good
J

 

Ok good to know thank you. Thing is the other day I took it in to the dealership for an oil change and they recommended brakes soon. That being the case, anything specific you would suggest? Or would anything do? Thank you

 

Stock rotors with Trd pads if going to the dealer if your doing it home go Trd pads or Akebono ceramic and brembo rotors either of this combos are very good
I have used brembo/akebono combo on at least 11 of my vehicles in the past but not this Toyota yet
J

 

Thank you

 

You could use this site for browsing.

https://www.zeckhausen.com/

 

Welcome from Wisconsin! Brembo rotors are a great start, with a ceramic pad.... excellent! Tell the kids good luck racing.

 

Migs1583, welcome to one of the best 4Runner forums around. Your brake question regarding hauling and brake upgrades. My ONLY experience with ceramic pads was not all that good, for my purpose. I upgraded my Ram2500HD to ceramic pads for car hauling. They did stop quicker than conventional composite pads...but...they tore up my stock rotors, warped them to the point where I had them re-surfaced (refaced) within 9k of install. I had towed several times, in city ( brutal on brakes) and long hauls, but overall didn't like them. I probably should've upgraded rotors at same time. I think the perforated rotors would've made the difference with those pads, helping to dissipate heat build up a lot better. It was sort of an off the cuff decision to switch to ceramic pads with little forethought. I would look into this a bit further. I wasn't towing all the time and as stated a little more home work on my end would've served me better. Just another voice in the crowd....A lot of helpful people on this board, it's a great site for networking with 4Runners in mind, welcome.

 

Sounds more like poor bedding process then the pads every install I had was the same process 5 repeat stops from 75 mph to 40 then 3 from 60 then 2 from 50 to a full stop you should be set I have done this on over 20 cars no problem
J

 

Probably right. My other two tow vehicles have the composites pads and they function fine. I only did this to my one truck that gets more city driving and the rotors were stock and little run-in time on the ceramic pads. Live and learn, I went back to composites on all vehicles, users preference.

 

My '19 Ram rotors were wrapped with the stock pads following all the rules on how to bed them in properly at 16.000 miles, go figure; at highway speeds i felt the steering wheel knocking some teeth out.
It is just poor quality rotors from FCA, not sure what i was expecting knowing this to be a general overall problem.
My ceramic pads in my cobalt were awesome. GM, in their infinite wisdom, decided to set the cheapest ever rotors and pads on a brand new car, wrapped 100% at 9000 miles, resurfaced, 12000 resurfaced again then I decided to get decent rotors and pads....sold the cobalt at 100.000 miles with the same brakes on and still ok.
What I have learned from owning a Toyota for the first time after 20 years of domestics and being on this great forum:
- buy Toyota OEM parts, they are good, they work perfectly , they will last as it is new from the factory
- dont buy GM/FCA/Ford parts, they will fail as the one you are replacing or even faster, if it is not already broken brand new , buy aftermarket 100%, better built, will last longer

 

I know ceramic pads are well liked. After my experience I went back to composites and the pedal felt much nicer, softer with more lead-in time to final braking/stopping point. Now I have had several times where I had to climb on them hard and fast, there was no failure but some fade was evident. The ceramics, I never really got that comfortable feeling I have with composites. Like I said, to each their own.

 

Had some expierience like your explaining with semi-metalic pads, this was my own fault though, they work great on the drag car, but not really good for street. I put ceramics on a car and they seem to be "on" or "off", not alot of between, but they seem to have fair fade resistance. BTW- nice logo.. Point Beer

 

....'when you're out of Point...you're out of beer'. Octoberfest...best beer ever made..during the best time of year as well.

 

I've had some Point beer, not bad. I have to agree about the best time of year also.... Catch ya later. P.S.- I could hardly be from Wisconsin and never had Point! Right?

 

Thanks everyone! Ended up going with Akebono ceramic pads and Centric premium vented rotors. Will be installing them in a few days.

 

You didn’t mention it in your first post but, does your cargo trailer have brakes?

 

It does not

 

Having trailer brakes will help immensely. And might avoid a citation for noncompliance in your state.

 

Any update on the brake install? Curious how the ceramic and vented rotors worked out.

 

Working out great