Wilwood Brakes for the Toyota Tacoma: Which Parts Fit

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

Wilwood's front big brake kit for the Toyota Tacoma is the 140-14577 family: a forged Narrow Superlite 6R six-piston caliper clamping a 12.88 inch rotor, built to bolt onto the factory front disc spindle of 6-lug trucks. It needs at least 17 inch wheels, works with the stock master cylinder and ABS, and changes only the front axle. If you want better Tacoma braking without a caliper swap, matched DBA rotors and pads are the other path.

Which Wilwood kit fits your Tacoma

Wilwood sells the Tacoma front kit in four finishes that share the same caliper, rotor size and hat. The only differences are caliper color and rotor face. The kits we carry are listed for 2005-2015 Toyota Tacoma 6-lug trucks, the second-generation truck with the six-lug front hub.

We stock three of them with brake lines: the Wilwood 140-14577-DR red caliper kit with drilled and slotted rotors, the 140-14577-R red caliper kit with slotted rotors, and the 140-14577 black caliper kit with slotted rotors. If you end up with a version that does not include lines, Wilwood's matching stainless flexline kit for this application is 220-14618.

Two checks before you order. First, the truck must have the 6-lug front hub and factory front disc spindle; Wilwood describes this kit as a factory disc spindle application. Second, confirm your model year against the fitment on the product page. Wilwood's own application pages for this kit also cover later 6-lug trucks and related Toyota and Lexus platforms, while our listings are written for 2005-2015.

What is in the 140-14577 kit

According to Wilwood's specifications, every version of the kit uses the same core hardware:

• Caliper: Forged Narrow Superlite 6R, six pistons with differential bores of 1.75 inch and 1.25 inch, for 4.86 square inches of total piston area.
• Rotor: 12.88 inch diameter by 1.10 inch wide, GT 48 curved-vane design in Spec-37 iron with a black electro-coat finish.
• Hat: Aluminum truck-style hat on the 6 x 5.50 inch bolt circle the Tacoma uses.
• Pads: BP-10 compound on the 7416 pad plate.
• Brackets and hardware to mount the caliper to the stock spindle.

The staggered piston sizes matter. A six-piston caliper with differential bores loads the leading and trailing ends of the pad more evenly, which fights tapered pad wear and keeps the pedal consistent as the brakes heat up on a long grade or with a loaded bed.

Wheel clearance, master cylinder and ABS

The single biggest fitment issue is wheels. Wilwood lists 17 inch wheels as the minimum for this kit and publishes a wheel clearance diagram for it. Plenty of Tacomas run 15 or 16 inch wheels, especially off-road builds that want tall tire sidewall. Before buying, print the clearance template or measure the inside barrel and spoke profile of your wheel. A 17 inch diameter alone does not guarantee clearance, because spoke shape and offset decide whether the caliper body hits.

On the hydraulic side, Wilwood says the kit is engineered for full compatibility with the OE master cylinder output and ABS functions where used. You keep your factory master cylinder, booster, ABS unit and wheel speed sensors. You do need to bleed the system thoroughly after install, since the new calipers and lines start dry.

The rear brakes stay stock

The 140-14577 series is a front-only kit. That covers most of the stopping work, since weight transfers forward under braking, but you should know what is behind it. The third-generation 2016 Tacoma launched with ventilated front discs and rear drum brakes, a choice Toyota defended by saying drums are better off road. If your rear shoes are worn, the drums are scored, or the self-adjusters are not working, a big front kit will not fix a long pedal. Service the rear first. We carry brake shoes for rear drum Tacomas and drum brake hardware kits.

When you bleed, flush the whole system with fresh fluid of the type printed on your master cylinder cap. Old fluid that has absorbed moisture boils sooner, and that shows up as a soft pedal regardless of caliper size.

Other Tacoma brake upgrades that fit

A 12.88 inch six-piston kit is a big job. If your goal is fade resistance for towing or mountain driving rather than a full caliper change, a better rotor and pad in the stock caliper gets you much of the way.

DBA's published spec for the 42716-series T3 front rotor is 319 mm diameter and 28 mm thick, with a 26 mm minimum thickness, on the 139.7 mm six-lug pattern. DBA recommends pairing its Street Performance pads with its T2 or 4000 Series T3 slotted rotors. First-generation 1999-2004 trucks are not covered by the 140-14577 kits we list, so those owners should look at the EBC pads above. For everything else, browse brake rotors and brake pads by vehicle.

How hard is the install

Wilwood says most of its big brake kits install with the hand tools used for routine brake service, and the Tacoma kit bolts to the stock spindle. Plan on a full afternoon if it is your first big brake kit. The basic sequence: remove the stock caliper, bracket and rotor; clean the hub face; mount the Wilwood bracket, then the hat and rotor assembly; check caliper alignment on the rotor; hang the calipers; connect the flex lines; bleed the brakes; and bed in the new pads. Torque every fastener to the values in the Wilwood instructions and your factory service manual, and use thread locker where the instructions call for it.

After the install, re-check clearance by spinning each front wheel by hand with the truck on stands, and turn the steering lock to lock to make sure the new lines do not stretch or rub.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the Wilwood 140-14577 kit fit my stock Tacoma wheels?

Only if they are at least 17 inches and clear the caliper. Wilwood lists 17 inch wheels as the minimum and provides a clearance diagram. Smaller wheels will not fit over the caliper.

Do I need a new master cylinder for the Wilwood Tacoma kit?

No. Wilwood states the kit is designed to work with the OE master cylinder output and with ABS where the truck has it.

Does the kit include rear brakes?

No. It is a front-only kit. The rear brakes stay as they are, so inspect and service them when you install the front kit.

What is the difference between 140-14577-R and 140-14577-DR?

Both use red calipers. The -R has slotted rotors and the -DR has drilled and slotted rotors. Caliper, rotor size and pad are the same.

Is there a cheaper upgrade that keeps my stock calipers?

Yes. DBA 4000 Series front rotors with DBA SP or XP650 pads fit 6-lug Tacomas in the factory caliper and improve cooling and fade resistance without changing wheels.

Does the Wilwood kit fit a 1999-2004 Tacoma?

The 140-14577 kits we list are for 2005-2015 6-lug trucks. For first-generation trucks, look at the EBC Greenstuff or Extra Duty pads for the 2.7L 4WD.

Sources

1. Wilwood 140-14577-R front brake kit - caliper bores, piston area, rotor size, hat bolt circle, BP-10 pads, 17 inch minimum wheel, OE master cylinder and ABS compatibility
2. Wilwood 140-14577-R Tacoma 6-lug application - kit variants and the 220-14618 flexline kit
3. Wilwood 140-14577-DR front brake kit - drilled and slotted Spec-37 rotor, factory disc spindle application
4. DBA 4000 Series T3 slotted Tacoma front rotor specifications - 319 mm diameter, 28 mm thickness, 26 mm minimum, 6-lug pattern, Kangaroo Paw vents
5. DBA Street Performance pads DB1482SP - recommended use and T2/T3 rotor pairing
6. Exploring Overland: the new Tacoma's rear brakes - 2016 Tacoma front disc and rear drum layout and Toyota's reasoning