Toyota Tacoma Brake Upgrade Options

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

The best brake upgrade for a Toyota Tacoma depends on which generation you own. On 2005-2023 trucks, the biggest everyday gains come from truck-and-tow pads and rotors up front plus fresh rear drum parts, with a rear disc conversion or a front big brake kit as the next steps. On 2024 and newer trucks, which already have four-wheel disc brakes, start with pads and rotors matched to how you use the truck.

Know Which Tacoma Brake System You Have

Every upgrade decision starts here, because the two most recent Tacoma generations use different rear brakes. The truck built through the 2023 model year kept rear drum brakes long after most pickups had moved on, a point critics raised for years. For 2024, Toyota switched the Tacoma to four-wheel disc brakes.

The 2024 lineup also splits by grade. All 2024 Tacomas get disc brakes front and rear, TRD models and above get a more robust front brake package, and trucks with the i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain get a larger rear brake package. That means two 2024 Tacomas can take different pads and rotors, so always order by grade and powertrain, not just the model year.

On the older trucks, most aftermarket upgrade kits are built for the six-lug Tacoma. Check your lug count before you order anything.

Signs Your Tacoma Needs More Than Stock Brakes

Stock Tacoma brakes are fine for an empty truck on flat roads. The problems show up when you add weight, tire size or steep grades. Watch for these:

• Fade on long descents. The pedal gets longer and the truck stops weaker after repeated braking, then recovers once the brakes cool. That is heat, and it is the main reason to step up to a heavier-duty pad and rotor.
• Soft pedal after towing. Overheated fluid or glazed pads can both cause it. Bleed the system and inspect the pads before assuming you need bigger hardware.
• Longer stops after a lift and larger tires. Bigger, heavier tires add rotating mass the factory brakes were not sized for.
• Rear brakes that do little work on older trucks. Drum shoes that are out of adjustment, a leaking wheel cylinder or a sticking parking brake cable all shift more of the load to the front brakes.
• Pulsation or vibration. Usually uneven rotor thickness from heat. Replacing rotors with a design that handles heat better fixes the symptom and the cause.

Diagnose before you spend. A seized caliper slide pin or a leaking wheel cylinder will make any upgrade feel weak, so fix the fault first.

Upgrade 1: Truck-and-Tow Pads and Rotors on the Stock Calipers

For most Tacoma owners this is the right upgrade. It bolts on, keeps the factory calipers and gives you a pad compound built for heat. Power Stop designs its Z36 Extreme Truck and Tow kit for towing, hauling, big tire upgrades, mountain driving and off-road use. The kit pairs carbon-fiber reinforced ceramic pads with drilled, slotted and zinc-plated rotors, and it includes stainless-steel hardware, a pin bushing kit, stainless shims and high-temperature brake lubricant. Power Stop says the drilled and slotted rotors are there to keep temperatures down on long mountain descents.

We carry the Power Stop Z36 front truck and tow brake kit for the Tacoma, and more options are in our Power Stop brake collection. If you want to keep plain rotors and change only the friction, a semi-metallic severe-duty pad such as the Bosch severe duty front brake pads is another way to handle heat. Compare more choices in our brake pads and brake rotors collections.

Do not skip the break-in. Power Stop's procedure is a set of moderate-to-aggressive stops from 40 down to 10 mph without cooling in between, then moderate stops from 35 down to 5 mph with about five minutes of cooling, then normal driving. Skipping it is a common cause of noise and uneven pad transfer.

Upgrade 2: Rear Drum Refresh or Rear Disc Conversion (2005-2023)

Before converting, make sure the drums you have are working. New shoes, a new hardware kit and properly adjusted shoes restore a lot of rear brake contribution for little money. Good starting points are the Bosch Blue Line rear drum brake shoes for the Tacoma or the complete rear drum brake kit with drums and ceramic shoes. If a wheel cylinder is wet, replace it at the same time. Browse brake shoes and brake hardware kits for the rest.

If you want rear discs, bolt-on conversion kits exist for the 2005-2023 truck. Pedders, for example, builds a rear disc conversion for 2005-2023 Tacomas with slotted, coated rotors and ceramic pads. It keeps the factory parking brake cable, and it fits six-lug 4WD trucks only. Pedders says pad changes after the conversion take removing just two bolts, which is a real maintenance advantage over drums.

Two cautions. A conversion changes how brake force is split between the front and rear, so follow the kit instructions exactly and bleed the whole system afterward. And confirm the parking brake holds the loaded truck on a grade before you call the job done.

Upgrade 3: Front Big Brake Kits

A big brake kit replaces the front calipers, rotors and pads with larger parts. It is the upgrade for heavy, frequent towing, steep terrain or a lifted truck on large tires, and it costs the most. Wilwood's Tacoma kit shows what the category involves. The kit uses a Forged Narrow Superlite 6R caliper with six pistons, a 12.88-inch diameter by 1.10-inch wide curved-vane slotted rotor and BP-10 pads. Wilwood also offers a 14.00-inch rotor version for six-lug Tacomas. Wilwood says the kits are engineered for full compatibility with the factory master cylinder output and ABS.

The catch is wheels. The 12.88-inch kit requires at least 17-inch wheels, and Wilwood tells buyers to check the wheel clearance diagram, because wheel offset changes how much room there is. Plenty of trail-built Tacomas run smaller wheels, so measure before you order. Wilwood sells a matching flexline kit for the application, and braided lines are worth adding with any big brake kit. See our brake lines and brake hoses collections.

Comparing the Tacoma Brake Upgrades

What to Replace at the Same Time and How Hard the Job Is

Any brake upgrade is the time to flush the brake fluid with the type printed on your reservoir cap, because heat-soaked fluid undoes the benefit of better pads. Replace rubber hoses that are cracked or swollen, clean and lubricate caliper slide pins, and install new hardware rather than reusing old clips. Torque caliper bracket bolts and lug nuts to the values in the factory service manual.

A front pad and rotor kit is a reasonable driveway job for someone with a jack, stands and a torque wrench. Rear drum work is more tedious than hard, but do one side at a time so you always have a reference. Rear disc conversions and big brake kits involve brake line work and a full system bleed, and on ABS trucks that bleed has to be done correctly. If you are not comfortable with that, have a shop handle it and bring them the parts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 2024 Toyota Tacoma have rear drum brakes?

No. Starting with the 2024 model year, every Tacoma has disc brakes at all four wheels. Trucks through 2023 used rear drums.

Do 2024 Tacoma TRD models use different brakes than the base grades?

Yes. TRD grades and above get a more robust front brake package, and i-FORCE MAX hybrid trucks get a larger rear brake package. Order replacement parts by grade and powertrain.

Can I upgrade my Tacoma brakes without changing wheels?

Yes. Truck-and-tow pads and rotors run on the factory calipers and stock wheels. Front big brake kits are different, and Wilwood's 12.88-inch kit requires at least 17-inch wheels.

Is a rear disc conversion worth it on a 2005-2023 Tacoma?

It is worth it if you want easier rear pad changes and consistent rear braking. Many owners get most of the benefit for less money by rebuilding the drums with new shoes, hardware and wheel cylinders and keeping them adjusted.

What is the best brake upgrade for towing with a Tacoma?

For most towing, a truck-and-tow pad and rotor kit with a fresh fluid flush is the best value. Move to a big brake kit only if you still get fade on long grades after that.

Do drilled and slotted rotors need a break-in?

Yes. Follow the maker's bedding procedure. Power Stop specifies a series of 40-to-10 mph stops, then 35-to-5 mph stops with cooling, before normal driving.

Sources

1. The Drive - 2024 Toyota Tacoma ditches rear drum brakes - previous Tacoma used rear drums; 2024 gets four-wheel discs
2. The BRAKE Report - 2024 Tacoma enhanced brakes - standard disc brakes, more robust front package on higher grades, larger rear package with i-FORCE MAX
3. PowerStop - Z36 Extreme Truck and Tow brake kit - pad compound, rotor design, included hardware, intended uses, break-in procedure
4. PowerStop - Ideal brake kit for towing - drilled and slotted rotor cooling, fade resistance on mountain descents
5. Wilwood - Tacoma front brake kit 140-14577-R - six-piston caliper, 12.88 x 1.10-inch rotor, BP-10 pads, 17-inch minimum wheel, OE master cylinder and ABS compatibility
6. FleetOwner - Wilwood big front brake kits for Tacoma - 12.88-inch and 14.00-inch rotor options for six-lug Tacomas
7. Pedders - Tacoma rear disc brake conversion kit - 2005-2023 fitment, six-lug 4WD only, retains factory parking brake cable, two-bolt pad changes