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[Arjun]

Aren't drums better in generl? Because of more surface area?

And last time I replaced the drum brakes...shit was a bitch to open. Would dust actually be able to get in?

[Arjun]

QUOTE(garver @ Aug 15 2006, 09:38 PM)

Discs are so much better than drums.

What's the reason?

[grim_d]

QUOTE(twistedsymphony @ Aug 15 2006, 05:05 PM)

Here's a question... If you plan on taking your truck off-roading is it better to go with discs or drums?

I've been considering upgrading the brakes in my pickup, I'm fairly certain they're just crappy drum brakes all around but I was wondering if discs would have problems when going through dust and mud.

The biggest advantage of discs brakes is the cooling, theyr exposed to the outside air therefore can be colled far easier. Going so far as to get drilled and grooved discs will increase braking performance massivly, all of this cant be done with drums. The only real disadvantage to drums is fade, the components are not exposed to outside air therefore tend to heat up and eventually fade, meaning a very scary moment for the driver.

if your going to use it off road then your drums should be fine, unless its fast off road or your going to be doing very heavy braking. If you just plan on bouncing around some feilds or something your drums will be fine.

Although if your thinking about upgrading your brakes perhaps you could go half way and get discs on the front wheels, most of a vehicles braking is handled by the front wheels anyway so that way you wouldnt suffer from so much fade under heavy braking.

Things like dirt and dust wont really affect the performance of disc brakes, think about all the new jeeps/ land rovers etc they have discs all round.

And drilled and grooved discs with 6 pot calipers looks so cool

[C o s m o]

I helped a former coworker build a mud bogger truck.  We didn't pay much attention to the brakes, just bigger discs and calipers up-front.
After his first competition, he called me back and asked about upping the brakes.  He managed to get dir, water, mud inside the stock drums in the back.  That messed the brake pedal bad.  He stood on it and could barely get it to stop.
We bought a drum to disc conversion kit and now he has all-wheel disc on his bogger with no real problems...except that he drives it too damn hard and we keep having to fix transmissions and SPUN BEARINGS...ass.

I personally would upgrade to all-wheel disc, even in a road truck.  It's not all that costly an investment for the security you get.
I spent $800 on an all-wheel conversion for my wife's car...a 2000 Focus.  It upgrades the front discs and replaces the rear drummies with all wheel SVT brakes.  I want her safe since she drives my kid around.  You should see that thing stop...unreal!

[Arjun]

Just replaced all the shocks on my dads car...it was easy but took a while.

Except my car has struts...that's going to fun...

[hamwbone]

lifting a toyota highlander is something that should not be done, a body lift is not possible as it is a unibody vehicle, and it is based off of a car (quote -Think of the Highlander as a kind of oversize Camry wagon that went clothes shopping at REI).  any kind of lifting of the vehicle would be a huge pain in the ass due to the 4 wheel independent strut based suspension. introducing spacers to the strut coils would not only destroy the camber but cause it to ride like hell.  

if you want to know more just ask!  

[Arjun]

QUOTE(hamwbone @ Aug 21 2006, 11:42 PM)

lifting a toyota highlander is something that should not be done, a body lift is not possible as it is a unibody vehicle, and it is based off of a car (quote -Think of the Highlander as a kind of oversize Camry wagon that went clothes shopping at REI).  any kind of lifting of the vehicle would be a huge pain in the ass due to the 4 wheel independent strut based suspension. introducing spacers to the strut coils would not only destroy the camber but cause it to ride like hell.  

if you want to know more just ask!  

Thank you for saving me a whole lot of trouble. And yea, it's based off of the Camry.
What about air cylinders? I don't even know what the hell they are...but this guy used them lol:
http://www.oznium.co...ighlander/1/734

[hamwbone]

air cyls should really only be used for leveling a modified suspension to a driveable use.  like raising a lowered vehicle, or controlling the amount of lift/lift stiffness on a heavily modified suspension.  what that guy did was insaine. cool none the less =)  but really out of your league (no offence) unless you want to spend THOUSANDS of dollars, best reguards!

[Arjun]

QUOTE(hamwbone @ Aug 22 2006, 06:49 AM)

air cyls should really only be used for leveling a modified suspension to a driveable use.  like raising a lowered vehicle, or controlling the amount of lift/lift stiffness on a heavily modified suspension.  what that guy did was insaine. cool none the less =)  but really out of your league (no offence) unless you want to spend THOUSANDS of dollars, best reguards!

Yea, I feel you. What if I lowered it then added those? This is soo confusing lol. How much you think it'd run?

EDIT: http://www.autoanyth...5A2509A0A0.aspx

[hamwbone]

you have a strut set up, those things are just straight shock replacements for a lowered truck. (keep in mind you have a car)  this is not something you would not be able to do yourself, the amount of work it took him (he appears to be a professional, judging by the other work he has done) i would guess 3,000-4,000$  plus tires and rims.  as you can see that is about the only lowered highlander you can find on the internet.  DO NOT let any one talk you into cutting parts of the coil out of the top of the strut.  

if you would like to chat and i can explain things in greater detail my AOL IM is habeeb26