If you searched for rear pads and rotors on a 2nd gen Tacoma, the answer is that Toyota never put rear discs on this truck. Every 2005-2015 Tacoma, including the 4.0 X-Runner, uses rear drum brakes with shoes, springs and a star adjuster. So this page covers the job you actually need: rear shoes and drums.
The work itself is straightforward but fiddly - most of the time goes into getting a rust-stuck drum off and getting the springs back on without launching one across the garage. Photograph the assembly before you take it apart and do one side at a time. The single most common mistake is skipping the initial star-adjuster setup: people bolt the drum on with the adjuster fully retracted, end up with a long soft pedal, and assume they have an air bubble. Snug the adjuster until the drum drags, then back it off a few clicks.
| Item | Type | |
|---|---|---|
| Floor jack 2 ton minimum, lift at rear axle housing Raises the rear axle to remove the wheels. | Required | shop |
| Jack stands Pair, 3 ton, under frame rails Supports the truck while both rear wheels are off. | Safety | shop |
| Wheel chocks Pair, at front wheels Parking brake must be released for this job, so the truck can roll. | Safety | shop |
| Lug nut socket 21 mm 6-point, 1/2 in drive, deep All 2nd gen Tacoma lug nuts are 21 mm. | Required | shop |
| Breaker bar or 1/2 in ratchet 18-24 in handle Loosens lug nuts and stubborn drum puller bolts. | Required | shop |
| Drum puller bolts Two M8x1.25 x 40 mm hex bolts, grade 8.8 Threaded into the drum's two puller holes to press a rust-stuck drum off the hub. | Required | shop |
| Dead blow or rubber mallet 2-3 lb Shocks the drum loose around the hub flange. | Recommended | shop |
| Flat screwdriver Long, 8 in blade Backs off the star adjuster through the backing plate slot and pries springs. | Required | shop |
| Brake spring pliers Drum brake spring tool with return-spring hook Removes and installs the upper and lower shoe return springs. | Required | shop |
| Hold-down spring tool Brake shoe retaining spring / cup tool Compresses and turns the shoe hold-down cups and pins. | Required | shop |
| Needle-nose pliers Standard and bent-nose Handles the parking brake cable clip, adjuster spring and C-clip on the lever. | Recommended | shop |
| Socket set 10 mm and 12 mm, 3/8 in drive Wheel cylinder mounting bolts (10 mm) and backing plate hardware if serviced. | Recommended | shop |
| Flare nut wrench 10 mm line wrench Only needed if you replace a leaking wheel cylinder brake line fitting. | Recommended | shop |
| Torque wrench 1/2 in drive, 20-150 ft-lb Torques lug nuts to 83 ft-lb so drums do not distort. | Required | shop |
| Wire brush Steel, plus small parts brush Cleans rust off the hub flange and backing plate shoe contact pads. | Consumables | shop |
| Brake cleaner 2 cans, chlorinated or non-chlorinated Washes brake dust off the backing plate and degreases new drums. | Consumables | shop |
| Brake lubricant High-temp silicone or synthetic brake grease Thin film on the six backing plate shoe pads and the star adjuster threads. | Consumables | shop |
| Brake drum micrometer Inside drum gauge, 0-8 in range Checks drum diameter against the max limit cast into the drum. | Recommended | shop |
| Rear brake shoe set 10 in (2.7 2WD) or 11.6 in (4.0 / 4x4 / tow pkg) Replacement friction; measure the old drum before ordering. | Parts | shop |
| Rear brake drums Pair, 254 mm or 295 mm to match the truck New drums restore correct diameter and surface. | Parts | shop |
| Drum hardware kit Springs, hold-down pins, cups, star adjuster Old springs take a set and cause dragging or noise. | Parts | shop |
| Nitrile gloves and safety glasses Brake dust and cleaner spray. | Safety | shop |
Fastener sizes are the same across the generation - 21 mm lug nuts, 10 mm wheel cylinder bolts, M8x1.25 drum puller holes. What changes is drum size: base 2.7 L 2TR-FE 2WD trucks generally use the ~10 in (254 mm) drum, while 4.0 L 1GR-FE, 4x4, Pre-Runner and tow-package trucks use the ~11.6 in (295 mm) drum with wider shoes. Measure the old drum before ordering, since 2.7 L trucks with the tow package can also have the large drum.
| Wheel lug nuts | 83 ft-lb (113 Nm) |
| Wheel cylinder mounting bolts | 7.5 ft-lb (10 Nm) - verify in the service manual |
| Brake line union nut at wheel cylinder | 11 ft-lb (15 Nm) - verify in the service manual |
| Backing plate to axle bolts | verify in the service manual |
The 21 mm lug nuts, 83 ft-lb lug torque, M8x1.25 drum puller holes and the fact that all 2nd gen Tacomas use rear drums are solid; confirm your exact drum diameter by measuring and verify wheel cylinder and backing plate torques in the FSM.
No. All 2nd gen Tacomas, from the base 2.7 L 2WD up through the 4.0 L X-Runner and TRD models, came with rear drum brakes. Rear disc conversions exist as aftermarket kits, but nothing factory.
The drum face has two threaded M8x1.25 holes. Thread two M8 bolts in and tighten them evenly a little at a time to press the drum off the hub. If the shoes have worn a lip in the drum, pull the rubber plug from the backing plate and retract the star adjuster first.
Base 2.7 L 2WD trucks typically use a 10 in (254 mm) drum; 4.0 L, 4x4, Pre-Runner and tow-package trucks use an 11.6 in (295 mm) drum. Measure the inside diameter of the old drum with a tape or drum gauge before buying parts.
83 ft-lb (113 Nm) with a 21 mm socket, tightened in a star pattern. Over-torquing with an impact gun is a common cause of brake pulsation and warped drums.