danmm7

Hi gang!

I have been reading multiple discussions about the sticking front calipers on the GX470. Seems like it is an extremely common issue and some people have replaced the calipers multiple times with no long term success - they keep failing.

My 2005 GX470 has 134k miles and i may be still running the original calipers. So far no issues. I am either extremely lucky or the calipers were replaced at some point by the previous owner and he never disclosed it. I have a thick pile of service records and the calipers were never replaced. In either case, i may be dealing with a ticking bomb. This is my wife's daily driver and i am not sure if she would know how to deal with an unexpected caliper failure, while far from home. I almost feel like i should replace them preventively.

Not long ago, i read that the newer GX460 front caliper is a direct bolt on on the GX470 and that the GX460 has a "better caliper".
Is this really true?

Has anyone here installed a GX460 caliper on the GX470?
Any pros/cons?
Any fitment issues with the stock wheels?

Thanks!

ALAN553

I have had the issue, it’s not really a ticking time bomb, just annoying. On brake application the the truck will pull to either one side or the other...the truck never failed to stop...just not in a straight line

sparky222

This past summer I upgraded to the GX460 calipers. I wasn't having any issues with them sticking at around 150k. I figured since I was already going to replace the pads and rotors, I might as well do the upgrade as well. New OEM calipers we're not in my budget and I'm not sure about aftermarket. I did a search on carpart.com and found some from a 2014 4Runner (same part #'s as GX460) with only 40k miles. With shipping they were a little over $100. They bolt up and work perfectly. I made sure to order pads and rotors that fit the 460.

jonesmw10

I'm interested in this as well. My 4th gen 4Runner had this issue, so nothing new to me. My GX will need new calipers. It's pulsating pretty bad when braking (this was the symptom my 4Runner had when 4/8 pistons were frozen up front), so just a matter of when I feel like digging into it.

ringo14

Sparky
how does it feel? same?

sparky222

I haven't really noticed a huge difference in the way they feel but they definitely do the job. I went with EBC premium rotors and EBC Green Stuff pads. I'm pretty happy with the setup.

NMBruce

I had the pulsing pedal on my 2006 GX470, never had one grab or stick, went to aftermarket rotors and calipers and pads, so far no issue. My girlfriend has a 2015 GX460with 60K miles and there are times that her brakes pulse, but not as often as my 470 did.

danmm7

Are the GX460 rotors/calipers any larger than the GX470 parts?

sparky222

Just looking at the parts, they look the same. I'm not sure what the differences are. Everything fits/bolts up the same. I'm still using stock wheels with no issues.

RockfordRX

Sparky,
can you give an update on the 460 calipers? How are they holding up? Any vibrations?

captainva

iTrader: (1)

Only the older years of the GX460 will bolt up. I believe through 2014 but it may be later than that. The newest years are not the same and won't work. The benefit of the 460 caliper is they are less prone to sticking and the rotor is thicker so it can take more heat before warping but still use the same pads. I did this upgrade on my truck a couple weeks ago with EBC greens front and back and centric premium rotors plus full stainless lines. After replacing I noticed that one piston in both of my front calipers were stuck. Everything is extremely smooth now and the brakes are much much stronger and smoother than the OEM pads. EBC is definitely worth the cost IMO. Also don't forget to flush your brake fluid when you do the brakes every time. This makes a big difference as well.

sxs191

You could have partially seized pistons and not know it. My 07 brakes worked fine, just had a soft pedal. I checked both calipers and the pistons on both were frozen on the inside. One of the calipers I replaced only 40k miles ago. I pulled out the four pistons, relubed them and got them working again. Pedal is good as new but I am sure it’s only a matter of time till I need to do it again. Just cause your front brakes work, it could be the outer pistons doing all the work. You need to take off the pads and see if you can actually move the pistons to know for certain.

RockfordRX

Thank you CaptainVA!

Now do you think the firm pedal is because of the stainless steel brake lines? I think this and the new fluid is the only factor that would affect the compressibility/pedal feel. Can you give a link to the brake lines you used please?
I will definitely use the GX460 calipers and rotors in the future. Is this for both front and rear, or do you suggest not bothering with the rear?
Thanks in advance!!!

Max

captainva

iTrader: (1)

For the calipers only replace the fronts with the GX460 calipers. I'm pretty certain that the rears are the same for both. Stainless lines definitely help reduce the spongy feel because when you brake, the lines can't bulge out like the rubber ones so all of the fluid goes directly into the caliper. Changing out your brake fluid will help too but stainless lines make a bigger difference. At the end of the day its still a truck so the spongy feel is probably 50-60% gone and now light pedal pressure like the weight of your foot slows the truck where as before it did nothing for me. For the SS lines I used the following:
This thread has all the info you ever wanted to know about brake lines:
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-g...line-info.html

Likewise this tread has all the info you need about the brake upgrade:
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-g...n-4runner.html

RockfordRX

Thank you CaptainVA!