admin_5725211_beefb, Author at Beefed Up Brakes - The Best Brakes For Big Tires!

Will Bigger Tires Affect My Vehicle’s ABS?

admin_5725211_beefb — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 10:40:51 +0000

A lot of off-roaders worry that upgrading to bigger tires will affect their ABS system, and cause it to not work as it should.

We’re here to tell you that your ABS system will be fine (for the most part — read on to find out more) if you upgrade to bigger tires. However, you would need to upgrade other parts along with your tires to keep your truck’s braking system performance optimal. First, let’s talk about what might happen to your ABS system after you upgrade to bigger tires.

Upgrading to Bigger Tires Won’t Break your ABS System!

ABS systems vary a lot in sophistication, but they all rely on the same basic concept. The concept is that they measure and compare the rotational speed of each wheel to the other wheels. If one wheel is rotating more slowly than the others, the ABS system takes this as an indication that a skid is beginning. The ABS system then starts to pulse the brakes rapidly until the wheels are all rotating at the same speed. Modern ABS systems can pulse the brakes up to 15 times per second, which is much more quickly than a human could accomplish.

Depending on how old your vehicle is, and how sophisticated it’s ABS management system is, you may be able to re-program it’s computer when you put on larger tires. For instance, every Jeep Wrangler since 2007 can be re-progammed to tell the computer that you put bigger tires on the Jeep. This can be done at the dealer, or with an after market programmer.

But, even if your truck can’t be re-programmed, the ABS should still work as intended. In most cases, the ECU will automatically recalibrate to accommodate bigger tires. We recommend testing your ABS system after upgrading to bigger tires.

Upgrading Your Truck’s Braking System

For an ABS system to work effectively, your braking system needs to be able to keep up with the bigger tires. You can start by upgrading to bigger brake pads designed to handle bigger tires.

At Beefed Up Brakes, we offer high quality trail rated and heavy duty brake pads. Trail rated brake pads are ideal for off-road and daily driving. They are for people who drive a “normally” weight vehicle to and from the trail, and also on the trail. If you have a heavy vehicle that hauls a lot of cargo, or you tow with it, you might want to go with heavy duty brake pads.

Trail rated brake pads are designed to operate well at low temperatures.

Vehicles on a trail generate low brake pad temperatures because they are not going very fast. Daily driving also does not generate high pad temperatures, because the pads don’t work too hard to stop the vehicle, and they usually get to cool off between stops. But, our trail rated pads are also designed to have the right amount of friction needed to stop larger wheels and tires. Larger wheels and tires have more leverage on the brakes than stock tires do, so they need a pad that is designed for this situation.

Heavy duty pads are designed to work well at higher pad temperatures. If you’ve built your Jeep or Tacoma and added 500-1000 lbs to it, it will generate more pad heat when stopping. The same thing happens if you are towing. Unless the pad compound is designed to work well at high temps, you will have brake fade.

In a nutshell, a good set of upgraded brake pads can accommodate the demands caused by larger tires or a heavier vehicle.

If just upgrading your brake pads doesn’t do the trick, then the next best thing is to get a big brake kit with:

Bigger brake pads
A larger rotor designed to handle more heat and friction
A bigger caliper that accommodates the size of the brake pads and creates more clamping force (as bigger calipers usually have 1 or 2 more pistons than regular calipers)
Stainless steel brake lines, which provide better protection from rocks and debris

Once you have upgraded brakes (whether it’s just the brake pads or a full brake kit), you’ll have the peace of mind that your truck’s stopping power has been restored.

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Do I Need To Upgrade My Brakes If I’m Running On Big Tires?

admin_5725211_beefb — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 13:20:39 +0000

If you’ve upgraded to bigger wheels/tires or you’re just thinking about it, you might be wondering if this change will impact your vehicle’s braking performance.

The short answer is yes. Bigger wheels and tires will impact braking performance. In this article we’ll talk about how bigger wheels and tires reduce your truck’s ability to stop, and how you can upgrade your brakes to alleviate the problem.

How Much Braking Power is Lost After Upgrading to Bigger Tires?

The laws of physics dictate that when you make your wheels bigger and/or increase the weight of the tires and wheels, your truck isn’t going to stop as fast as it used to unless you upgrade the brakes too.

To calculate how much braking power is lost after installing bigger tires and wheels, take a look at the 10-10-10-1 rule of thumb.

The 10-10-10-1 Rule of Thumb

This rule of thumb essentially shows that:

Wheels that are 10% bigger in diameter reduce your truck’s braking performance by about 10%. That’s because it takes 10% more energy to stop a wheel that’s 10% larger. The brake system can only provide so much stopping power. That means in hard braking, your oversized tires are going to make your vehicle’s braking system less effective.
A 10-pound increase in the weight of the wheels and/or tires will reduce braking performance by about 1%. In other words, every pound you add to your wheels and tires makes the brakes work harder.
A real life example – New Jeep Wrangler Rubicons come with tires that are 33″ in diameter, and weighing 51 lbs. Many people upgrade to 35″ tires. A 35″ tire is typically at least 15 lbs heavier, and about 6% larger in diameter. Using the math above, that means that your braking performance will be reduced about 6% for increased diameter, plus about 1.5% for increased weight. So about 7.5% total.

This article explains the 10-10-10-1 rule of thumb in more detail: How Heavier Wheels and Tires Impact Braking Distance

A 7.5% decrease in braking effectiveness might not sound like much. But in an emergency stop from 60 to 0, that’s about half a car length. If you’re going 80 mph and you have to stop, it’s more than one car length.

It’s easy to think that when there’s extra diameter or weight in your wheels/tires, upgrading your brakes is a good idea.

Upgrading to Big Brakes

You can upgrade your brake system with a big brake kit (that contains new rotors, new calipers, new pads, stainless steel brake lines, etc.). However, that might be overkill. Most vehicle owners find that a good set of upgraded brake pads give them better performance without breaking the bank.

Your best bet is to upgrade to brake pads made for oversized wheels. A set of such brake pads that better match your oversized wheels will go a long way in ensuring that your truck’s braking performance remains optimal.

OEM Brake Pads are Not Designed for Oversized Wheels

Even though OEM brake pads are good quality products, they’re still not designed to handle oversized wheels and tires. When you install brake pads that can handle oversized wheels, they’ll last longer, generate less dust, and restore some of the brake system performance you lost.

Trail rated rear brake pads for 2007-2018 Jeep Wrangler JK/JKU models

At Beefed Up Brakes, we offer high quality trail rated and heavy duty brake pads and drum shoes specifically for Jeeps, Toyotas, etc. with oversized wheels. Our brake pads work up to 30% better than OEM brake pads, depending on conditions. In other words, installing our pads on your truck or SUV will actually make your vehicle stop better than it did before the upgrade. Check out Beefed Up Brakes pads here!

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Is There a Big Brake Kit for Tacomas?

admin_5725211_beefb — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 16:16:36 +0000

If you have a Tacoma, chances are you have a lot of reasons to want a big brake kit. Toyota equipped the Tacoma with brakes that are suitable for unloaded, around town use, because that is how a lot of people use Tacomas.

However, many people also use Tacomas in ways where better brakes would be much appreciated. Let’s talk about a few of the most common ways people use their Tacomas aside from daily driving:

1. Work Trucks

Many Tacomas are outfitted with a cap and used by contractors. They get loaded down with gear, tools, and supplies. All the extra weight shines a light on the shortcomings of the stock brakes.

2. Towing

Towing is another situation where the Tacoma’s brakes seem not quite adequate. There’s nothing like a hard stop with a trailer pushing you to make you think about better brakes.

3. Off-Road Use

Tacomas are without a doubt the most popular truck for off road use in America. Many people modify their Tacomas for off road use. Modifications impact braking in two primary ways:

Extra weight: Many people add steel bumpers, sliders, and skid plates to their Tacomas. Throw in a bed rack and winch, and it’s easy for a Tacoma to weigh 1000 pounds more than stock. Which means it’s about 20% heavier than stock, so the truck stops about 20% slower.
Bigger tires: Almost everyone who goes off road in a Tacoma puts on bigger tires. A 33″ tire weighs 10 to 20 pounds more than the stock tire, and it is almost 10% larger in diameter. The effect is to create a bigger, heavier lever acting on the brakes.

Since your truck’s ability to stop within seconds is important to your safety, you should consider adding a quality big brake kit to your Tacoma.

The Benefits of Adding a Big Brake Kit to Your Tacoma

Big brakes will solve the problems plaguing Tacoma owners using their trucks for towing, work purposes, or off-road use. More specifically:

Big brakes increase your truck’s stopping power, which is very helpful in towing and off-road situations. Work trucks that have surpassed their load ratings will also benefit from big brakes.

Big brakes also help you maintain control over your truck while towing heavy stuff or driving down a steep incline. In order for the brakes to be able to your truck fast, they need to stay cool. If you put too much pressure on your stock brakes while towing or driving down a steep incline, the brakes will overheat and fade.

You’ll save a lot of money with a set of big brakes on your Tacoma. While big brakes do cost some money upfront, they’ll last a lot longer than stock brakes do. When you abuse your stock brakes, they wear out much quicker and they will need to be replaced more frequently. Not only that, but also you’re running up the risk of getting into a costly car accident from not being able to stop in time.

Why Beefed Up Brakes is the Best Brand for Big Brakes

If you’re looking for a high quality big brake kit for your Tacoma, look no further than Beefed Up Brakes. Our brakes are designed specifically to bring the following benefits:

Increased stopping power
Better performance in all kinds of weather
Better friction and fade resistance compared to OEM pads
Less wear on the rotors
Minimal squealing and squeaking
Minimal brake dust
Premium durable materials designed for heavy use

Upgrade your brakes with a Beefed Up Brakes kit today! If you have any questions, you can contact us Contact.

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When Will Tacoma Rear Drums Need New Shoes?

admin_5725211_beefb — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 16:40:13 +0000

The Toyota Tacoma is one of the very few vehicles you can buy today with rear drum brakes. It’s certainly the only big volume seller that has them.

If you’re lucky enough to own a Tacoma, you might be wondering when it’s time to replace its drum shoes. This guide has all the information you need. First, let’s talk about why Tacoma models have drum brakes on the rear wheels rather than disc brakes at all four wheels.

Why Toyota Decided to Put Rear Drums on Tacoma Models

Image Credit: 4DIYers

Many people shake their heads at Toyota’s decision to put drums on the rear of the Tacoma. Fans of other trucks point and laugh. However, there are a few good reasons why Tacomas have drums:

Cost: Drum brakes are cheaper to manufacture than disc brakes, and Toyota passes the savings along to its customers. On the Tacoma (and most unloaded pickups), the front brakes do 70%-80% of the braking. The rear brakes are barely doing anything. For this reason, drivers do not notice a difference in the braking feel between the Tacoma with rear drum brakes and other trucks with rear discs.
Off-Road Robustness: Drum brakes have an advantage off road. They are not as likely to ingest a pebble and have it lodge between the shoe and the drum. Pebbles do get stuck between the rotor and disc on disc brakes. This isn’t a huge problem, but it is annoying.
Less Maintenance: Perhaps the biggest advantage of having drum brakes on the rear of the Tacoma is that they will go a really long time before needing new shoes. Many owners report that they are well past 100,000 miles before the brakes need service. Most disc brakes would need two sets of pads and a set of rotors by 100K miles. So the Tacoma’s drum brakes save the owner quite a bit of money.

Even though drum brake shoes last over 100K miles, they will need to be replaced eventually.

A Few Different Reasons Why Drum Brake Shoes Go Bad

If drum brake shoes don’t encounter any issues, they can last over 100K miles before they stop functioning well from normal wear and tear.

Image Credit: TacomaWorld

However, drum brake shoes can fail sooner from the following issues:

Excessive braking and towing
Improper drum and/or shoe installation (this happens right after you get new drums and/or shoes installed if the technician didn’t do the installation correctly)
Over-tightening the lug nuts, which can warp the drum

So basically, drum brake shoes can fail. As long as you can recognize the symptoms of failed drum brake shoes, you’ll be able to get them replaced before your truck’s braking performance is seriously compromised.

The Most Common Signs That Your Drum Brake Shoes Have Gone Bad

Here are the most common signs that your drum brakes need new shoes:

Vibration or pulsation in the brake pedal when the brakes are applied
Reduced brake response
Loose parking brake (a good way to test this is to park your truck on an incline or hill and then apply the parking brake; if the truck starts to roll down the hill, then there’s not enough pad life left on the shoes)
Scraping noise coming from the rear tires

Inspecting the Drum Brake Shoes

If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms of failing drum brake shoes, you can visually inspect the shoes to confirm that they need to be replaced. To do this:

Chock the front wheels.
Make sure the parking brake is off.
Lift the rear of the truck.
Remove the tires.
Remove the drums.
Inspect the shoes
1. Check the pad thickness (if it’s below 3mm, then the shoes need to be replaced ASAP)
2. Look for cracks or hot spots

If you have a 2005-2018 Tacoma and you need to replace your drum brake shoes, look no further than our high-quality drum brake shoes!

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How to Replace Brake Pads

admin_5725211_beefb — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 11:14:40 +0000

Replacing brake pads is something many people hesitate to do because they don’t want to do something wrong that causes brake failure.

But’s it’s actually easy to very confidently replace pads with a few simple instructions. Brakes are designed in a way that makes it hard to do the job incorrectly. You can definitely do this at home as long as you do it right. This guide has all the information you need in one place.

Why Brake Pads Should Always be Replaced in Axle Sets

Even if you find worn brake pads only on one side of the vehicle during the diagnostic process, you still need to change the brake pads on the other side, too. It’s because doing so will ensure even braking performance, which is very important for your safety.

Here’s how to replace the brake pads on your truck:

1. Lift Your Truck

Park your truck on a flat surface. You can use a floor jack and stands, or a car lift that lifts by the chassis. If you only lift one end of the car, block the wheels on the other end.

2. Remove the Wheels

Remove the lug nuts (either by hand or with an impact wrench) and then pull the wheel off the truck.

3. Inspect Your Rotors

Once the rotors are in front of you, visually inspect them to see if they’re still in good shape. Here’s a good rotor inspection guide. If there’s some normal wear, it is still a good idea to have the rotors turned to improve its braking performance. Turning the rotors isn’t mandatory, but it will result in quieter braking with a “like new” feel. If you find some deep grooves, burn marks, cracking, or any signs of uneven wear, then the rotor is bad and it needs to be replaced. It’s smart to replace the rotors as soon as possible.

4. Check the Brake Fluid Reservoir

When you compress the caliper piston, the brake fluid might overflow if the brake fluid reservoir is full. Check the reservoir to see how much fluid is left. If the brake fluid level is high, you can use a syringe or baster to remove some. If you don’t have either tool, you can simply dip in a clean paper towel or rag to soak up some of the fluid.

5. Compress the Caliper Pistons

This process varies between vehicles, but the general idea is to push the piston back into the caliper. You can do this by using a brake piston compressor, a large C-clamp, or a flat blade screwdriver. If you use a screwdriver to pry, place it between the worn pad and the rotor. If you insert it gently, you won’t damage the rotor. It’s important not to damage the piston seal, so don’t pry between the pad backing plate and the piston.

If you’re having a hard time compressing the pistons, here’s a trick: find the brake bleeder screw on the back of the caliper and then loosen it just enough to get it to leak a little. Be sure to close the bleeder screw when the piston is compressed.

6. Remove the Brake Pads

Pull the caliper off the rotor and then take the old brake pads out. On some vehicles, like the Tacoma, you just have to remove the guide pins to slide the pads out.

7. Clean and Prep the Caliper and Guide Pins

You can use a small wire brush to clean the guide pins. If the pins are heavily corroded, replace them. It’s important that the caliper be able to easily slide on the pins. When you’re done, rinse the area with brake cleaner.

Image Credit: HandyManlyNess

8. Install the New Brake Pads

To do this:

Apply high temperature brake grease to the steel pad backing plate and the brake shims (where the pistons and caliper make contact). Do NOT use anti-seize lubrication because it can’t handle high temperatures and it’ll melt away.
Slide the new pads into the caliper. Try not to touch the pad’s friction surface.
If your truck has an anti-vibration spring, install it.

9. Grease the Caliper Guide Pins and Reinstall Them

Apply a light coating of high temperature brake grease to the caliper guide pins. Doing this will help your brakes wear evenly. Next, put the caliper guide pins back into the caliper.

10. Refill the Brakes Reservoir

If you removed brake fluid from the reservoir earlier, remember to refill it. It is important not to suck air into the brake system through the reservoir.

11. Bleed the Brakes (Only if You Opened the Bleeder Screws)

If you opened the bleeder screws to make compressing the caliper pistons easier, then air probably got into the brake lines. To get rid of the air in the brake lines, bleed the brakes.

12. Reinstall the Wheels

Be sure to tighten each lug nut to specification in a star pattern.

13. Test the Brakes

Drive at a low speed and test the brakes to see if the pads are installed correctly. For optimal braking performance, you can bed in the brakes, as well.

Need further clarification about replacing the brake pads on your truck? Give us a shout here!

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How Do I Know When It’s Time To Replace My Brake Pads?

admin_5725211_beefb — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 16:03:30 +0000

Having the correct brake pads on your vehicle and ensuring that they’re still in good shape is important when it comes to towing or off-road driving.

Since heavy braking is involved, worn out brake pads can easily damage the rotors and drastically reduce your truck’s braking power.

That’s why it’s important to check your brake pads for signs of wear and tear on a regular basis. A good rule of thumb is to check your brake pads every 15,000 miles or so. Under normal driving conditions, brake pads last about 30K-70K miles. However, brake pads will wear out faster when they’re used for heavy towing or off-road driving.

Telltale Signs That Your Brake Pads are Bad

Symptoms don’t crop up until the brake pads are really bad. If you notice any of the symptoms listed below, chances are good your brake pads need to be replaced right away.

Metallic squealing noise when the vehicle is in motion
Grinding noise when the brakes are applied
Longer stopping distances
Low brake fluid

If you want to avoid replacing your rotors as well, check the brake pads as soon as possible and replace them if necessary. Doing so will prevent the worn brake pads from damaging the rotors.

Checking the Life of the Brake Pad: What to Look For

When you inspect the brake pads, you have to know how to determine how much life the pads have left in them. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to tell a worn brake pad from one that’s still good. All you have to do is to measure the thickness of the brake pad lining. Here’s a good guide on measuring your brake pad lining: How to Thoroughly Inspect Your Brake Pads

What if There’s Uneven Wear?

If you find uneven wear on the brake pads, chances are good there are other issues, like a seized guide pin or a sticking caliper piston. You should inspect the rest of the brake system for any issues that may affect your truck’s braking performance. Our Disc Brake Inspection Guide is a good source for thoroughly inspecting the brake rotors, calipers, pistons, and more.

Have any questions about determining whether your brake pads need to be replaced yet? You’re more than welcome to contact us!

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How Heavier Wheels and Tires Impact Braking Distance

admin_5725211_beefb — Fri, 29 May 2020 09:15:11 +0000

Are you adding a set of wheels and tires to your vehicle that are heavier than stock? If so, you might be wondering how they will impact the performance of your brake system. In this article, we’ll explain:

Why wheel and tire weight has an impact on brake performance
What math shows with regards to weight increases and brake performance
What you can do to counter the impact of heavier wheels and tires on your brake system

But before we get into the details, here’s a quick summary: When you replace your factory wheels and tires with a set of aftermarket wheels and tires that are bigger and heavier, your vehicle won’t stop as well.

We estimate that a 10% increase in overall wheel size works out to a 10% decrease in brake performance. We have also estimated that a 10lbs increase in wheel and/or tire weight works out to a 1% decrease in brake performance. We call this the 10-10-10-1 rule of thumb.

First, Why Do Heavier Wheels and Tires Increase Brake Distance?

If you increase the weight/mass of your wheels and tires, your brake system won’t work as well. If you’re a physicist or engineer, you can think about angular momentum and how it’s impacted by increased mass at an increased radius.

But if you’re not an engineer or physicist, there’s an easy way to think about wheel weight and braking. Imagine that your wheel and tire combination is a dog, and that the dog is running at you full speed. Would you rather stand in front of this 30lbs dog running at you full speed (photo dog1.jpg) ?

This dog weighs about as much as most OEM alloy wheels.

Or stand in front of this 120lbs dog coming at you full speed (photo dog2.jpg) ?

This dog weighs about as much as a pair of aftermarket wheels and tires.

The point? The heavier a wheel is, the harder it is to stop it (or start it, for that matter). And when we’re talking about wheels and tires barreling down the highway at 75mph, a slight increase in overall weight can have a profound impact on brake system performance.

The bigger and/or heavier a wheel is, the harder it is to spin. Once it’s spinning, the harder it is to stop. Mathematically, the relationship between brake force (torque applied on the rotating axle) and wheel diameter and/or weight is roughly proportional.

If you increase the radius of your wheel and tire combo by 10%, the amount of braking force needed to stop your vehicle will increase by roughly the same amount (eg, 10% more radius = 10% more braking force required).
If you increase the inertia (rotating mass) of your wheels, tires, rotors, axleshafts etc by 10%, the amount of braking force applied to each set of wheels, tires, and axle needs to increase by roughly the same amount.

Of course, there are a lot of factors here, but the relationship between brake force (torque), wheel size, and rotating mass is linear.

tl;dr; The bigger and heavier your wheels are, the worse your brakes will work.

Wheel Size Matters More Than Wheel Weight

As our math shows, a 10% increase in the radius of a wheel will reduce brake system performance by an equal amount. If, for example, you have a Jeep Wrangler with a stock 17″ wheel wearing 245/75R17 tires, your overall wheel radius is 15.7″ inches. Upgrading to a wider 17″ wheel with 315/70R17 tires will increase the overall radius to 17.2″ inches, which is just about 10% greater than stock.

So, if you’re considering a wheel and tire upgrade, it’s a good idea to calculate the overall diameter of the wheels and tires you’re looking at with the OE wheels and tires. If the radius is 10% bigger, stopping distances will increase by roughly the same amount.

Wheel Weight Impacts Stopping Distance Too

Since the torque needed to stop your wheels is proportional to inertia, a 10% increase in the rotating mass of your vehicle will decrease brake system performance by the same amount. But defining rotating mass isn’t easy.

Rotating mass is hard to define because all the parts parts of your vehicle that are rotating when you drive down the road – the driveshaft, axle shafts, rotors, wheels, tires, and miscellaneous parts – are “rotating mass.” In order to figure out the inertia of all of these parts, you need to know both:

How much each part that’s rotating weighs
How big the part is, and where the weight is in the part? Is it uniform, like an axle shaft, or is all the weight at the outside, like a driveshaft?

All the parts that rotate on your vehicle have inertia. When you increase the weight of any of those rotating parts, you increase the amount of force it takes to stop your vehicle.

Obviously, calculating the rotating mass/inertia of your vehicle is very difficult. And because every vehicle is different – with different size axle shafts, rotors, driveshafts, etc. – rotating mass can vary quite a bit.

Suffice to say, rotating mass is higher on heavy duty vehicles. If you have an F-350, your vehicle has more rotating mass than a Miata. But there’s no hard-and-fast rule here. If you double the weight of your wheels and tires, you’re going to make your brake system less effective.

Most drag racers find that a 10 lbs increase in wheel weight costs them about a tenth of a second in a quarter mile. This works out to about 1% more stopping distance per extra 10 lbs of weight at your wheels.

So, with the understanding that this is a very rough estimate, you can assume that every 10lbs you add in wheel/tire weight increases stopping distance 1%. Maybe more, maybe less – depends on the vehicle.

How To Improve Braking Distance After Installing Heavy Wheels and Tires

If you’ve installed a set of wheels and tires on your vehicle that are bigger and/or heavier than stock, there are a few things you can try to improve your brake system performance:

Upgrade your brake pads. This is the simplest and most obvious solution. Go with a pad that’s designed for a heavier vehicle and/or for heavy duty use (like off-roading, towing, or racing).

Replace your brake pads with a set of pads specifically designed to stop oversized wheels and tires.

Upgrade rubber brake hoses with braided stainless steel. Upgraded brake lines are a good idea for nearly any vehicle – braided stainless steel lines don’t flex nearly as much as rubber. This means your brakes grab harder and grab faster with braided stainless steel brake hose.
Upgrade your rotors. A good set of rotors are made from a high quality steel, are designed with specific cooling features for your vehicle, and are the exact right size and thickness. A cheap set of rotors are made from scrap metal, lack cooling features, and are often a slightly different size than you need. While most OE rotors are good, there are aftermarket performance rotors available that perform better.
Install a big brake kit. If you’re looking for the maximum brake system upgrade, you need to remove the factory calipers and rotor and go with a big brake kit. Typically, these kits include both upgraded dual piston calipers as well as an overiszed rotor that’s paired up with a larger brake pad. These kits can make a huge difference in brake system performance.

The 10-10-10-1 Rule Of Thumb

If you’re trying to estimate the impact that a set of new wheels and tires will have on your brake system, follow our 10-10-10-1 rule of thumb.

A 10% increase in overall wheel diameter works out to a 10% decrease in brake performance
A 10 lbs increase in wheel and/or tire weight works out to a 1% decrease in brake performance

If a wheel is 8% bigger than stock and weighs 40lbs more than stock, it will reduce brake system performance about 12%:

8% increase in wheel size = 8% decrease in performance
40 lbs increase in weight = 4% decrease in performance
8% + 4% = 12%

Basically, bigger wheels are bad for your brakes, but big and heavy wheels are really bad for your brakes.

A 10% increase in wheel size works out to a 10% decrease in brake system performance. A 10lbs wheel/tire weight increase works out to about a 1% decrease in brake system performance.

While our 10%/1% brake system rule of thumb is only an estimate, a quick search on Google or Bing shows that many consumers report poor brake system performance after installing new wheels and tires. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to estimate brake system performance impacts, our 10-10-10-1 rule is a good place to start.

NOTE: If you have a set of oversized wheels and tires, be sure to check out our products. We’ve designed our products for vehicles with big wheels and tires.

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A Disc Brake Inspection Guide

admin_5725211_beefb — Tue, 12 May 2020 12:38:51 +0000

Your truck’s disc brake system plays a big role in road safety. That’s why every truck owner should maintain their brake system on a regular basis.

If you have oversized tires, you will wear out your brakes more quickly than a truck with stock tires would. That’s why trucks with larger tires should have the brakes inspected more often.

To thoroughly maintain your disc brakes, you’ll need to inspect three different components on a regular basis and then replace the parts if needed:

Brake pads
Brake rotors
Brake calipers

If you have a set of basic tools and good eyes, you can inspect your disc brakes at home. This guide will show you how to inspect each part.

Inspecting the Brake Pads

Your brake pads will wear out over time. When your brake pads go bad, your truck’s stopping power is drastically reduced. Worn out brake pads can also damage the rotor beyond repair. The best way to determine if your brake pads still have any life left in them is to physically inspect them.

You want to measure the brake pad lining. If the thickness is 3mm or less, then the pads need to be replaced. If it’s between 4mm and 7mm, then they need to be replaced soon. If it’s 8mm or over, then the pads are still good. Also, check for uneven wear. This guide outlines the inspection process in more detail.

Inspecting the Brake Rotors

Brake rotors last longer than brake pads do, but they still need to be replaced eventually. Sometimes they’ll go bad early on. When you have the wheel off, it’s worth taking a few minutes to check out your brake rotors to see if they’re still in good shape. You want to look for:

Burn spots
Cracks
Unusually deep grooves
Uneven wear
Thinness
Disc thickness variation
Disc or hub runout

Here’s a good set of instructions on thoroughly inspecting the brake rotors on your truck.

Inspecting the Brake Calipers

If you’ve been putting your brake calipers to good use for over 100K miles, then they’re probably either bad or about to go bad. It’s always a good idea to take a look at your calipers when you inspect your brake pads and/or rotors. When you inspect your calipers, you’re looking at six different components:

Caliper body
Dust boot
Bleed valve
Piston(s)
Guide pins
Pad guides

For a thorough set of instructions on checking each component, check out this guide.

If you have any questions about inspecting your disc braking system, you can contact us. We’re happy to answer any brake system questions you may have!

The post A Disc Brake Inspection Guide appeared first on Beefed Up Brakes - The Best Brakes For Big Tires!.

How to Thoroughly Inspect Your Brake Rotors

admin_5725211_beefb — Fri, 01 May 2020 12:47:51 +0000

If you suspect that one of your rotors has gone bad, here’s a way to save money: inspect the rotors yourself instead of paying a shop to do it.

It’s pretty easy to evaluate the condition of your brake rotors if you have all the right tools and this guide.

Basically, the inspection process involves lifting your truck, removing the wheels, and then thoroughly inspecting each rotor to see if you find any issues.

Lifting Your Truck and Removing the Wheels

Image Credit: DrShock

For safety, always put your truck or Jeep on jack stands after lifting it.

Once you have the wheel off, you can take a look at the condition of the brake rotor. Here are a few important things you should check:

1. Disc Surface Condition

The condition of the disc surface is the first thing you should check. When you have the wheel off, inspect the front and back of the rotor for:

Burn spots: This usually means that the rotor should be replaced. If burn spots are minor, they may be turned or sanded off. If they are larger, the composition of the disc in the burn area has hardened. This makes the rotor extremely difficult or impossible to turn.
Cracks: Minor hairline cracks are normal. If you see any larger cracks, the rotor should be replaced.
Unusually Deep Grooves: Minor uneven wear is ok. Deep grooves may result in discarding the rotor if they can’t be turned out on a lathe.

2. Thickness

It’s normal for rotors to thin out over time due to repeated contact with the brake pads. Rotors that are too thin are dangerous because they’re unable to absorb and dissipate heat effectively. They can also warp and seriously compromise your truck’s braking performance. If a rotor wears too thin, it must be discarded as soon as possible. Here are a couple of things you can do to determine whether your rotor has become too thin:

Rotor Thickness

Look for the rotor minimum thickness, which is a good number to use to determine if the rotor is still safe to use. It should be stamped on the edge or hub of the rotor. Next, use a micrometer to find out how thick it the rotor is. If it is below minimum thickness, the rotor must be discarded for safety. Rotors that are too thin can cause a couple of problems:

As they have less metal, worn rotors cannot absorb and then shed as much heat as rotors within spec. The excess heat gets transferred to the pads and caliper, and leads to brake fade.
The caliper piston can extend too far. This can lead to damaged seals and leakage. In the worst case, the piston can pop out.

Also look for uneven wear of the rotor plates. If one plate is thinner than the other, that indicates the caliper is not moving freely. It should be repaired or replaced.

Disc Thickness Variation

If the rotor is still thick enough, it’s time to see if the disc thickness is uniform. The disc thickness variation (DTV) can be measured with a micrometer. Find the thickest and thinnest parts of the rotor, measure each area, and then calculate the difference between both areas. The DTV should be no more than 0.001 inch. DTV of more than 0.001 inch can usually be corrected by turning the rotor on a lathe. If you don’t turn the rotor, you will most likely feel the DTV in the steering wheel.

Image Credit: Paul Garza

3. Runout

Sometimes braking vibrations are caused by a rotor with excessive runout. Rotors are supposed to rotate on a perfectly flat plane. If this isn’t happening, the variation from perfectly flat rotation is called runout. Runout can be caused by the disc or the hub.

Disc Runout

Disc runout can be measured with a dial gauge. If there is any runout, it means that the surface of the brake is not spinning on a perfectly flat plane. Ideally, the runout should be less than 0.002 inch (or 0.05mm). More runout than this will be felt in the brake pedal or steering wheel.

Automakers commonly recommend replacing the rotor if the runout is more than 0.004″. Disc runout should always be measured with lug nuts tightened to the correct torque spec.

Disc runout can be caused by:

Overtightened or unevenly tightened lug nuts
Rust between the hub and rotor
Rotors that have been turned to beneath minimum thickness

Disc runout can also be caused by underlying hub runout. If you find disc runout, you should also check the hub for runout.

Hub Runout

A brand new hub and bearing assembly should have runout of less than .000″. Some automakers spec a max runout of 0.0015″. (It’s still a good idea to check a service manual to see the max runout spec for your truck.)

Any runout at the hub is magnified by the rotor due to the rotor’s larger diameter. So it is critical that the hub runout is within spec.

Hub runout has a few potential causes:

Worn bearings
Mis-assembled hub and bearing assembly
Collision damage
Rust on the wheel mounting surface of the hub

Tip: Use a wire brush to remove surface rust before checking the runout on a used hub.

Got any questions about inspecting your brake rotors? Please contact us!

The post How to Thoroughly Inspect Your Brake Rotors appeared first on Beefed Up Brakes - The Best Brakes For Big Tires!.

How to Inspect Disc Brake Calipers on a Jeep or Tacoma

admin_5725211_beefb — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 13:16:26 +0000

Like all car parts, brake calipers don’t last forever.

If you’ve got more than 100K miles on a set of calipers, they probably need to be replaced. If you live in the salt belt (the northeast and upper midwest regions in the US), you’ll likely need to replace your calipers sooner. The best way to determine if your calipers still have some life left in them is to physically and visually inspect them.

Two Basic Types of Calipers

There are two basic types of calipers on the market. It’s good to understand which type your Jeep or Tacoma has before inspecting your calipers.

1. Floating Caliper

If you have a Jeep JK, then you have floating calipers. The Jeep JK floating caliper is conventional single piston design.

The caliper is mounted on guide pins that are bolted to the caliper bracket. When you apply the brakes, the piston presses the inner brake pad against the rotor. This force also simultaneously pushes the floating caliper towards the vehicle, and the outer side of the caliper brings the outer brake pad into contact with the rotor. The caliper “floats” on the guide pins as it moves.

2. Fixed Caliper

If you have a second or third generation Tacoma, then you have fixed calipers.

Tacomas use a four piston fixed caliper. The caliper is rigidly attached to the steering knuckle. When you apply the brakes, two pistons on each side of the caliper squeeze the rotor. In a fixed caliper brake, the guide pins serve a different purpose than those in floating calipers. They deal with much less force, so they are smaller.

How to Access Your Calipers

Image Credit: CJ Off-Road

To access your calipers and inspect them thoroughly, you will need to lift your vehicle and then remove the wheels. Be sure to lift your Jeep or Tacoma safely, and always use jack stands.

What to Check While Inspecting Your Calipers

If you want to conduct a thorough inspection, you would need to examine the following seven items:

1. Brake Pads

Remove the brake pads from the caliper and then take a good look at them.

If the brake pads are worn evenly across the pad, and equally between the two pads, the caliper is operating normally. If the pads show uneven or unequal wear, the caliper either needs to be repaired or replaced.

2. Caliper Body

Look over the caliper housing to see if there are any cracks. If you find any cracks, then the caliper must be discarded. If you continue to use a cracked caliper, then the crack is only going to get bigger and the caliper will fail suddenly. Cracked calipers don’t happen very often. It is usually caused by excessive heat due to a dragging pad.

3. The Dust Boot

The dust boot is the visible seal between the piston and caliper. Look for tears in the dust boot, or wear and hardening due to age. A bad dust boot will have allowed water to corrode the caliper bore and piston. If you find a bad dust boot, it is pretty likely that corrosion has already occurred, and you should replace the caliper.

4. Leaks

Calipers can leak from two places:

The bleed valve: If the bleed valve is loose, it can be tightened. However, sometimes corrosion is causing the leak, and tightening the valve has no effect. If this happens, you need a new caliper.
The piston seal: This (non visible) seal can fail and cause leakage. Calipers can be rebuilt, but it’s usually more cost effective to replace them.

5. Piston Movement

The piston(s) should move easily if hydraulic pressure is released. Sometimes corrosion prevents this. To check the piston(s), follow these steps:

Clamp the rubber brake line with a brake line clamp or a set of locking pliers with fuel line on the jaws. (This is somewhat controversial, due to potential damage to the brake line. You may also disconnect the brake line, but you will have to bleed the system when you are done.)
Attach a suitable container to catch brake fluid.
Open the bleed valve.
Squeeze the piston(s).
1. For the Jeep floating caliper, use your hands or a large set of pliers to squeeze the piston. It should move back into the bore easily.
2. For the Tacoma caliper, use a brake pad and a c-clamp to clamp two pistons in place. (This is so they don’t pop out when you squeeze the other two pistons.) Use another brake pad and a set of pliers to squeeze the other two pistons. Assuming the first side is ok, swap the tools and check the other side.

If the piston(s) won’t move, and no fluid comes out of the bleed valve, it is possible that the bleed valve is corroded shut. You can remove it entirely to inspect it.

If the piston(s) does not move freely, you can purchase a rebuild kit and replace only the piston and seals. If you do this, you should also remove corrosion from the piston bore with brake caliper honing tool. The other option is to replace the caliper, which is much easier and possibly more cost effective than rebuilding the caliper.

If you do find that the caliper piston or guides are seized in some way, we advise also replacing the brake hose. Seized calipers generate excess heat. Brake fluid transfers the heat to the brake hose, which degrades and weakens the hose.

6. Guide Pins

Guide pins come with a coating that resists corrosion, but they will still corrode over time. There are two basic styles of guide pins. Jeep JKs have a floating caliper. Floating calipers have guide pins that must be removed with a wrench. The fixed calipers on Tacomas use pins that are retained by a retaining wire. To check the pins:

Remove the pins. Floating caliper guide pins (Jeep) should slide out easily after they are loosened. If they don’t, they are most likely corroded enough to need replacement. (Do not use an air impact wrench to remove the pins. If the pins spin a lot during removal, the anti-corrosion coating can be worn off. Use hand tools.) Fixed caliper pins (Tacoma) may need to be tapped out with a small punch.
Clean the pins with brake cleaner and a cloth. Look for pitting and corrosion. Replace if needed.

7. Pad Guides

Some calipers use replaceable pad guides (or slides). These are also coated to resist corrosion, but will eventually corrode. You will need to remove the pads and clean the guides to inspect them. The guides should be smooth and shiny after cleaning.

You’re welcome to contact us if you have any questions about inspecting your disc brake calipers. We’re always happy to assist you!

The post How to Inspect Disc Brake Calipers on a Jeep or Tacoma appeared first on Beefed Up Brakes - The Best Brakes For Big Tires!.