Toyota Tacoma 2008 2.7L 4cyl 2WD Front Brake Job

[David Swait]

I did this a few weeks ago and have been meaning to post up this DIY Tacoma front brake job here. This is my first time ever doing one, but thanks to Eric’s videos, the process was fairly straight forward. (Big Thanks to Eric and his awesome videos!) The reason behind why I decided to start doing brake jobs myself, please see my introduction post here.

Tools Required:
14mm socket wrench (or 9/16″ equivalent)
17mm flare wrench (or 11/16″ equivalent)
Jack
Jack stands
Lug nut socket wrench to take off wheels (I’ve used 13/16″, probably a 21mm will work too)
Screw Driver
Torque Wrench (optional, for putting the wheels back on with the correct amount of torque of 85ft-lbs)
10 mm flare wrench (if bleeding your brakes)

Cleaners/Compounds
Brake Parts Cleaner
High Temp Silicone
Anti-Seize Lubricant
Clean Rag
bleeder hose and container and brake fluid DOT 3 (if bleeding your brakes)

First start off by taking off the rims of the tire like so:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake1.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake1.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake2.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake2.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Then take off the hub cap cover:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake3.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake3.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake4.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake4.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Then proceed to remove the lug nuts:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake5.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake5.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Now for me, removing these damn things is a bit of a pain, so I use a bar for extra leverage. This bar does wonders for loosening lug nuts (well worth investing in one if you have trouble like me):
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake6.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake6.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Put lug nuts in a place you will not loose them (or you can just keep them loose and take them off after the vehicle has been jacked up on jack stands):
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake7.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake7.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Begin jacking up the truck. According to the owner’s manual, this should be the correct jack location for the front tires. (Ignore the 2×4 piece of wood under the jack, accidentally left it there to get extra lift for another car to do an oil change prior to this, not necessary for the brake job)
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake8.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake8.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake9.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake9.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

After the desired height has been reached and the wheel is off the ground, place jack stand under the truck next to jack and lower weight onto the jack stand:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake10.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake10.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Its a good idea to keep the emergency brake on, since we are only working on the front brakes. I placed two logs on the back tire just to be safe:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake11.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake11.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Now that the vehicle is on the jack stand and the lug nuts are loose (and you can remove them now if you haven’t already), its time to take the wheel off. Once the wheel is off, you will clearly see the rotor and the front brake caliper:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake12.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake12.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

The first thing you want to do is grab your 14mm socket wrench (or 9/16″ in my case, yeah I don’t own many metric tools as you might notice).
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake14.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake14.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

We want to use this wrench to loosen the caliper mounting bolt. See yellow arrows in picture below:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake13.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake13.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

If the bolt spins in place like one of them did for me, you might need to use a 17mm flare wrench (or 11/16″ in my case) to hold the nut in place. See example photo below:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake15.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake15.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake16.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake16.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Remember to put your mounting bolts in a safe place:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake17.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake17.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Next you want to pry off the brake caliper unit. I find this easy to do using a screw driver as shown below:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake18.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake18.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Remember that the brake fluid hose will still be attached to the caliper unit and its a good idea to tie a string around the caliper unit and tie the other end to something sturdy behind the brake assembly. Letting it hand by the brake fluid hose is typically a bad idea. See examples below:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake20.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake20.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake21.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake21.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake22.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake22.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake23.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake23.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Next, you will want to remove the worn out brake pads as seen below. These simply slide out. Just use your hands, no tool required:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake24.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake24.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake25.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake25.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake26.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake26.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Used brake pad. Still looks good, but I’m also on a mission to get rid of a squeal. Also, brake pads come in a set of 4, so might as well replace both sides while I’m at it, even though this side was good.
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake27.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake27.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

While we have everything taken a part, now is a good time to take out the caliper pin and lubricate it with high temp silicone (do not use grease). Sorry, I did not take a picture of removing the pin, but this is the part where the mounting bolt screwed out of. It should be held in by some retention rubber and you should be able to slide it out by lifting some of the rubber off. Here is a photo of what the pin looks like after its been removed:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake28.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake28.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Next, make sure to put both caliper pins back in and that the retention rubber is back in place. If you are not planning on replacing the rotor, then now is a good idea to spray it with some brake parts cleaner and wipe it down:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake29.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake29.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake30.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake30.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake31.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake31.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

After you wait a few minutes to let the brake cleaner dry, now its time to put on the new brake pads on. These should slide in rather easily. These also only go on one way, ceramic part facing the rotor and the metal facing outwards:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake32.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake32.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake33.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake33.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake34.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake34.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Make sure the new brake pads sit flush against the rotor:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake35.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake35.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

You may also want to put some high temp Anti-Seize Lubricant around the caliper piston as so, this is suppose to help reduce any squealing sounds:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake37.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake37.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Now its time to take the brake caliper off the wire and place it back over the brake pads:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake38.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake38.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Then take your caliper mounting bolts and screw them back into place. You may want to lubricate the threads a little with the Anti-Seize. I didn’t because I did not feel it was necessary as they were easy to take off.
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake39.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake39.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

And don’t forget to remove the wire/string you used to hold the brake caliper.
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake41.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake41.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

If you plan to bleed your brakes, you will need to locate the bleeder valve as seen in the photo. You will probably need to remove a black rubber cover:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake49.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake49.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake42.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake42.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Now is a good time to check your brake fluid level and to make sure that it is near the max line. If not, then add a little DOT3 brake fluid. This is located under the hood towards the driver’s side:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake43.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake43.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Now attach your bleeder container to the bleeder valve:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake44.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake44.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Once its securely attached, go ahead and loosen the bleeder valve using a 10mm flare wrench until you see fluid come out.
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake45.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake45.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Now go to your driver’s seat and pump the brake pedal 5 times and then come out and check the fluid hose. In my case I saw some air bubbles. This is what we want to bleed out of the brake system:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake46.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake46.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Go back and pump the pedal 5 times, and keep doing so until you have no more air bubbles. Remember to also check your brake fluid reservoir level as you do not want it to run dry. Replace missing brake fluid as needed:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake47.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake47.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake48.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake48.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

After you’re done, make sure to tighten the bleeder valve back up, and everything should look the same as before you started:
[URL=http://s234.photobucket.com/user/darksoul210/media/Tacoma_FrontBrake50.jpg.html][IMG]http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee186/darksoul210/Tacoma_FrontBrake50.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Now its just a matter of putting the wheel back on, removing the jack stand, lowering the truck and you’re done. Also, if you are one of those that like to keep the lug nuts in spec, use a torque wrench and torque them to 85ft-lbs as described in the owner’s manual. Enjoy your new brake pads!

Topic

[twiggy]

Nice write up. Thanks!

[Rudy Wilmoth]

🙂 That is a nice write up on your brakes. I have a 012 SR5 4 cylinder access cab and I do enjoy it. I did like seeing your chrome wheel covers, mine didn’t come with them and I didn’t know they made them for a base wheel.
You did a great job with your pictures and your write up, but I think you may have made an error when you chose to use Silicon high temp gasket maker to lube your slide pins on your caliper. You should have used a high temp synthetic wheel bearing grease or a high temp brake caliper grease. I hope you are not having problems with the caliper sticking or not releasing all the way. You may want to redo that part of your brake job. Good Luck.

[Ryan]

I agree. Remove and clean the caliper pins and bores thoroughly and apply the proper lubricant. RTV is not a luricant.
Permatex makes a nice brake lube, but i believe SilGlyde is the best.

http://www.google.com/imgres?sa=X&biw=1024&bih=671&tbm=isch&tbnid=MCwnTZH_BWiC9M:&imgrefurl=http://www.carid.com/permatex/disc-brake-caliper-lube.html&docid=epWltJysCclLRM&imgurl=http://www.carid.com/images/wp/permatex/w01331845117pmx.jpg&w=640&h=455&ei=QItEUp63G4Xs8QTI2YDwDg&zoom=1

[Gumpy Guss]

Good job, but you skipped over lightly through the bleeding process. You describe it as a 1-person job, so you probably used one of those bleeding bottles that has a check valve. Those are a bit shaky, as you have to loosen the bleed valve a bit, and I’ve always seen a little bit of air get sucked back in through the loose threads when you let up on the brake. Now you could do something like take out the bleed screw and daub the threads with some thick grease or that natural-gas pipe thread compound that is like a big crayon, that might keep air from bubbling back, but still a bit iffy IMHO.

I’ve had to resort to calling my wife or son out to sit and operate the pedal while I open and close the bleed valve. A bit tedious but has to be done every few years at least.

[Lancer]

yea but why have you changed a good pair of brake pads? I mean they look as good as new, you did not even had to push back the brake piston. Squeling on new brake pads is not unusual. it disapears it most cases.

The calipers also look like new, so the brake fluid cant be that old. Is there a reason why you change this or is it just for training? 🙂

[Author]

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