Tools you need for front brakes on a 2005-2015 Toyota Tacoma

Front brakes on the 2nd gen Tacoma are one of the easiest jobs on the truck. The rotors slip over the hub, so there is no bearing or hub work involved - two 14 mm bolts release the caliper, two 19 mm bolts release the mounting bracket, and the rotor comes off. The only common headache is a rotor that has rusted to the hub face, and Toyota cast two M8x1.25 threaded holes into the rotor for exactly that: thread bolts in and turn them evenly to walk the rotor off.

The main thing people get wrong is parts selection. Rotor and pad sizes go by drivetrain, not by engine name - a 2WD 2.7 base truck uses noticeably smaller front rotors than a PreRunner or 4WD 4.0. Measure your rotor diameter before ordering. The second mistake is skipping the abutment clips and shims or piling on grease; use a thin film only, on the clips, guide pins and shim backs, and keep it off the friction surfaces.

Complete tool and parts list

Differences within the 2005-2015 generation

Socket sizes are the same for the 2.7 2TR-FE and the 4.0 1GR-FE: 14 mm slide bolts, 19 mm caliper bracket bolts, 21 mm lug nuts. What changes is brake size - 2WD 4-cylinder trucks use smaller front rotors and pads than PreRunner and 4WD models, so order by drivetrain and measure the rotor first.

Torque specs

How the job goes

1. Park on level ground, chock the rear wheels, and break the lug nuts loose with the tires still on the ground.
2. Jack up the front at the frame or lower control arm, set jack stands under the frame rails, and remove both front wheels.
3. Open the brake fluid reservoir cap and check the level; if it is at the top, siphon a little out so it does not overflow when you push the pistons back.
4. Push the caliper pistons back slightly with a C-clamp against the outer pad to give the pads clearance on the rotor.
5. Remove the two 14 mm caliper slide bolts, lift the caliper off, and hang it from the coil spring with a bungee cord. Do not let it dangle by the hose.
6. Pull the old pads, shims, and abutment clips out of the mounting bracket and note how they sit.
7. Remove the two 19 mm bolts holding the caliper mounting bracket to the steering knuckle and take the bracket off.
8. Pull the rotor straight off the hub. If it is rust-seized, thread M8x1.25 bolts into the two threaded holes in the rotor face and turn them evenly to press it off, or tap the rotor hat with a dead blow hammer.
9. Wire brush the hub face clean so the new rotor sits flat, then clean it with brake cleaner.
10. Spray both sides of the new rotor with brake cleaner to remove the shipping oil, then install it on the hub.
11. Reinstall the caliper bracket and torque the 19 mm bolts to 90 ft-lb.
12. Grease the abutment clips lightly with silicone brake grease, install the clips, apply a thin film of anti-squeal grease between pads and shims, and fit the new pads with the wear indicator in the original position.
13. Fully compress the caliper pistons with the C-clamp, wipe and grease the guide pins/bushings, then set the caliper over the pads and torque the 14 mm slide bolts to 25 ft-lb.
14. Repeat on the other side, then reinstall the wheels and torque the lugs to 83 ft-lb in a star pattern.
15. With the truck still up, pump the brake pedal until it is firm, top off the reservoir to the MAX line, and reinstall the cap.
16. Lower the truck and bed the pads: several moderate 40-to-10 mph stops with cool-down in between. Avoid hard stops or parking with hot brakes for the first 200 miles.

Watch out

The 14 mm slide bolts, 19 mm bracket bolts and 21 mm lug nuts are consistent across the whole 2005-2015 Tacoma range; double-check your rotor diameter by measuring before ordering, since 2WD 2.7 trucks use a smaller front rotor than PreRunner and 4WD models.

Other jobs on the 2005-2015 Toyota Tacoma

Front Brake Pads and Rotors on other vehicles