Depending on the type of brake pads chosen and the degree of harm your previous worn-out pads have done to the various sections of your vehicle, such as the rotors, replacing the brake pads on a Toyota Tacoma can cost anywhere between $150 and $300 each axle.
In This Article...
When should I have my Tacoma’s rotors changed?
Toyota Tacoma brake pads should be replaced at or before 70,000 miles, but depending on your driving style and a variety of other circumstances, they may wear out even sooner. In many cases, you will need to replace the rotors on your Toyota Tacoma in pairs, starting with the front axle since it is prone to wear out first.
Can I replace my own brakes and rotors?
I took my wife’s car for the first time in a while a few weeks ago. The steering wheel shook a lot as I used the brakes while traveling at a fast speed. I was aware that the rotors needed to be changed. She drives a 2007 Chevy Malibu with more than 113,000 miles on it, which is far more than the amount of time before a brake replacement is advised.
Brake pad and rotor replacement is a quick and simple DIY project. But it took a lot more time this time. I visited the neighborhood parts store and purchased two front rotors and brake pads. I brought them home, parked her car on jack stands, and began removing the previous tires. Because of the worn brake pads, the rotors were severely damaged. However, they hadn’t yet begun emitting that high-pitched metallic screech that occurs when you brake. I made the decision to rotate the tires while the automobile was supported by supports. What’s this? Even worse were the ones at the back. I visit the parts store once more as a result. Advice: Just go ahead and purchase all four rotors, pads, and the required tools if you decide to wait that long to replace your brake pads. You’ll gain time this way.
I removed the back ones when I got home. I wanted to compress the piston on the back calipers, so I grabbed my C-clamp (one with a straight handle) and twisted it on the first as I slowly moved the handle, which caused the piston to slowly revolve and allow me to step in. Not that horrible. When I got to the right rear, even after removing the brake line and draining the fluid from that caliper, my clamp wouldn’t crush the piston.
I returned to the parts store. I also purchased a one-man bleeder kit, a brake fluid container, and a C-clamp with a “T handle. Thinking there wouldn’t be much fluid left once it ran out, I purchased the tiny bottle of fluid. For the third time, I returned home, squeezed the piston with the 9-inch C-Clamp, and put everything back together. It’s time to take a spin. I drove the car to test the brakes, and everything was flawless. The tiny bottle of liquid, though, wasn’t enough. The brake light failed to turn on. Returning to the parts store I spent $250 on materials and labor for the entire repair, which was considerably less than the $750 my mechanic would have charged me.
Are there four-wheel disc brakes on Toyota Tacomas?
In the tiny pickup truck market, potential buyers have a few different options. The Toyota Tacoma is by far the most popular option, followed by the new Ford Ranger and the Colorado from Chevrolet. Different cab and bed configurations are available for all three. All three have four-wheel disc brakes and can tow a minimum of 6,800 pounds. Wait, they don’t. The Tacoma still has drum brakes in the back. Yes, even the most recent TRD Pro models lack rear disc brakes after several generations, and Toyota has no plans to change this anytime soon. If the rear drums are deterring you from buying a Tacoma, whether you’re a potential customer or a current owner looking to improve, we’ve got some good news for you. Pedders Brakes & Suspension The TrakRyder Rear Disc Brake Conversion Kit (PED-PBCK006) is made particularly for the 20052021 Toyota Tacoma by the Australian aftermarket automotive professionals! For the purpose of demonstrating what this conversion to rear disc brakes is all about, we joined up with our friends at R/T Tuning in Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania, during a recent installation.
WHY DOES THE TACOMA STILL HAVE DRUM BRAKES?
There are several responses to that query, but the cost to Toyota for development on millions of trucks and the cost to the consumer for future maintenance items is the most important one. Toyota saves money by recycling existing brake components rather than developing an altogether new braking system because it had paid to create the Tacoma’s rear drum technology and parts decades ago (and potentially passes those savings onto consumers by offering the Tacoma at a lower price point). Better brake protection in adverse situations is another reason Toyota has stated that its well-known truck still uses outdated technology while its rivals have updated. However, there is considerable area for debate about this.
WHAT ARE THE DOWNSIDES OF DRUM BRAKES?
For starters, they have an enclosed system with all of the braking parts contained inside the drum, which encourages friction and heat and causes a problem called brake fade that negatively affects braking performance. Apart from the accumulation of used friction material (brake dust) from the shoes over time and its detrimental effects on the numerous springs, seals, and hydraulic system’s wheel cylinder, the enclosed braking area is also unable to discharge any trespassing foreign contaminants. The drum is not a sealed environment, thus any entry of mud or water can reduce the components’ capacity to brake.
WHY CONVERT TO DISC BRAKES?
To me, it seems like a no-brainer. Almost no excuse exists for not switching to disc brakes, with the exception of price, which in our business rarely serves as a deterrent. It is a more recent technique that is based on the open-air principle, which effectively dissipates heat. Centrifugal forces also work in conjunction with the open design to remove water and impurities, maintaining a continuous braking potential. If you want your braking system to look nicer, disc brakes also provide several options for drilled or slotted rotors, along with colorful caliper choices.
WHO IS PEDDERS?
The Pedders crew has been a major force in the Australian automotive aftermarket since 1950. The company’s main objective is to provide passionate drivers with solutions, and while each of its parts performs superbly on the racing track, each is still appropriate for the street. By tackling projects with the accuracy of OE engineers and free from the restrictions of large corporate finance departments, Pedders seeks to strike the ideal balance between courtesy and effectiveness. When it was time for the business to concentrate on the Toyota Tacoma, they were aware of two areas that needed immediate improvement. The rear disc brake conversion kit that we’re talking about today is the first. The truck’s suspension system is the second, which we’ll discuss another day.
KIT FEATURES AND BENEFITS
Let’s start with maintenance simplicity. I don’t want to sound like one of those late-night infomercials, but if you’ve ever struggled to change the delicate shoes, springs, and wheel cylinders on a drum brake setup, I’m sure you’re open to a simpler fix. Disc brakes can provide that, I suppose. After installation, the maintenance procedure is quite straightforward, requiring only the removal of two bolts to change the brake pads and no other removal of components to inspect the system. The factory parking brake cable is still used with this kit, which makes adjustments simple and keeps the OE look and feel.
The numerous general reasons for upgrading to disc brakes, such as heat dissipation, water dispersion, enhanced stopping power, and improved brake pedal feel and modulation, can now be discussed. The duration of brake fade increases with exposure to open air, and the disc brakes’ complete self-adjustability is an added benefit.
Last but not least, this kit includes pretty much everything required for the full conversion from rear drum brake to disc brake (though, some items will still need to be purchased). Included are parts like a set of rear TrakRyder Kevlar Ceramic brake pads and Pedders TrakRyder Geomet-coated disc brake rotors. It is ADR (Australian Design Rule) Certified and offers piece of mind with a 2-year/24,000-mile guarantee.
THE INSTALLATION
This would likely be a medium dog setup if our difficulty scale was based on dog size. This one may be best left to the experts if you’re not particularly tech-savvy or mechanically inclined (as we did by taking it to R/T Tuning). Be careful because some points need for sophisticated understanding and a press. We’re going to take you through our experience rather than having Pedders host an installation video that shows the procedure.
Before removing the wheels, Pat from R/T Tuning elevated the vehicle into the air. To release the fluid inside, he withdrew the fill and drain plug from the rear differential. He then removed the wheel cylinder itself, the hydraulic brake lines, the parking brake wire, and the drum to gain access to the interior parts.
Carefully removing the ABS sensor is a crucial step to avoid harming it in the process. It makes no sense to spend money on a replacement for one of these pricey little sending devices if you don’t have to. In our situation, the rust accumulation was so severe that they still needed to be replaced.
The installation’s assembly phase takes up the remaining steps. We began attaching the new Pedders backing plate to the prepared bearing and housing. Pat installed the wheel studs before repositioning the axle seal, backing plate, and new spacer on the axle. He reinserted the axle into the truck and pressed the axle assembly into the hub (making sure not to disrupt the seal).
Then, all of the brackets, hardware, emergency brake shoe assemblies, cables, rotors, calipers, and brake pads must be bolted on. The next step is to adjust the e-brake shoes’ tension, top off the gear oil in the differential housing, and bleed the complete brake system when everything has been torqued to specification. Pat adjusted the parking brake tension and bedded in the brake pads before the road test.
THE STATS
After installing this upgrade, Pedders presented verified data showing that the Tacoma and Hilux trucks slowed from 64.6 mph to 0. The truck’s original drum brake system required 327.1 feet to bring it to a halt, whereas the Pedders TrakRyder rear disc brake upgrade required only 199.2 feet. Upgrading the average deceleration from 13.88 feet per second to 21.52 feet per second results in this. The increased stopping power speaks for itself, but the disc brakes’ visual appeal is also noteworthy. Stay tuned as we tackle the Pedders SportsRyder suspension system on this same truck for the installation’s conclusion.
How much do brake repairs cost at Toyota?
What is the price of a brake job? Depending on the type of brake pad desired, brake pads for a Toyota might cost anywhere between $150 per axle and $450 per axle. For all four brake rotors to be replaced, the cost might range from $300 to $750. The labor and parts costs are included in this estimate.
How are the brakes on a Toyota Tacoma checked?
Once the wheel has been removed:
- Track down the brake pads. Turn your steering wheel until you can view your caliper’s back window if it has one. Alternately, you can just inspect the brake pads from the caliper’s top side.
- the thickness of the brake pads of your Toyota. Given the restricted space, measuring the thickness of your brake pads can be challenging, but a compass should be able to help. The brake pads must be replaced right away if the friction substance is less than 1/4 thick. They need to be replaced immediately if it’s less than 1/8 thick.
What equipment is required to replace brakes and rotors?
The Equipment Required to Replace Brakes
- Start with the appropriate defense.
- Rotors and brake pads.
- Jack Stands with Jack.
- wheel nut wrench
- Tool for brake caliper pistons.
- Bleeder Wrench for brakes
- Set of Allen wrenches
How durable are Toyota brake rotors?
The answer is very dependent on the circumstances surrounding your daily journey, your driving habits, the kind of rotors you have, and the kind of car you are operating. Depending on the aforementioned variables, Toyota Highlander rotors often need to be replaced every 30,000 to 80,000 miles.
How much should new brake rotors and pads cost?
What should the cost be to replace the brake rotors and pads? The typical cost of changing brake pads and rotors is between $250 and $400 per axle. Your prices may increase significantly if you operate a heavy-duty pickup vehicle and haul or tow a lot of weight.