Last Sunday I was about 5 minutes away from ordering new stock rotors and pads for my taco when I found argonzeros thread on TT about the Tundra brake upgrade. Normally I find stuff like that AFTER I've ordered parts, but this time went better, I think. The brake thread set me on a research binge, searching everything I could find, at TT and it led me to yotatech. Great site BTW, I'd seen YT before but never did much digging here. Decided that tundra brakes were what I needed. Figured out the difference in the 2 caliper choices, early 199mm and the upgraded, 03 and newer 231mm. Stock taco calipers are apparently 149mm, so 199s are good for me, plus they were a few bucks less NAPA. 199s fit the stock backing plates with minimal work and have way less interference issues with the wheels than the 231s. The bigger, thicker rotors are a big part of the improvement, and I wanted to get drilled rotors because it seems that the extra airflow helps cooling. Plus they look cool. Found some rotors and pads at

http://stores.channeladvisor.com/bra...%20Van/Tundra/

I got the R1Premiums, they were on ebay for a few bucks less than the current price, so I ordered a set the day before they raised the price. Finally, I figured that if I'm gonna upgrade, then I am going to do it right so I ordered a set of tacoma stainless steel brake lines from Wheelers.

http://www.wheelersoffroad.com/9504tacolines.htm

It's now Friday morning and I've got the calipers in the garage. NAPA part #s 242-61401 and 242-61402. Casting # is S13WE, 199mm calipers. Thats an important # to know if you want to do this mod. Got a Mityvac vacuum pump, a big jug of brake fluid and a couple cans of brake cleaner. I figure that Gary will have my brake lines here by tues or wed, based on several orders from Wheelers in the past. Great service. The rotors and pads are supposed to be here next tues or wed also, but I've never ordered from R1Concepts before, so we will see if they are good for their word or not.

In 42000 miles I've already gone thru one set of pads, and the current set is pulsing pretty bad. From what I've read the tundra brakes will be awesome on the lighter taco. I'll update here as the project progresses, and let everyone know how it goes. argonzero did a really good writeup on TT, this is the one that started this whole thing for me

http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum...ad.php?t=51597

but his pics are down so I'm gonna try to back up his words and make sure that with his writeup and mine anybody will be able to get it done. There is a bunch of threads on this mod here at YT, thanks to all who already figured this one out and took the time to post it.

Reg

 

Cool i cant wait to see what you come up with.

 

Update:

I've got all the parts. The R1Concepts rotors and pads showed up and look good. Wheelers / Goodridge lines are here, very nice parts. I have painted my S13WE calipers and I'll start the install tonite.

 

Install is done. These brakes are awesome, and their not even broken in yet. Easily 30-40% stronger than stock. The install was no more work than installing stock parts except for having to bend the dust covers out of the way. I did have a problem with one of the brake lines, the fitting looked like it had been massively overtorqued during assembly. 10 minutes of careful filing fixed it, the other side was ok. All told it took me about 3 hours including 15 minutes of help from my wife with the final bleeding. The Wheelers / Goodridge lines bolted up to the Tundra calipers perfectly, the calipers are a quick 2 bolts each and the discs slipped on same as the stockers. The stock 16" Taco wheels fit over the calipers fine, but a spare 15" 4 runner alloy wheel I tried wouldn't fit. If I had to guess I'd say that no 15s would fit.

Cost was about $380 + shipping and tax. This mod could be done for about $250 using new blank rotors, reman'd calipers and slightly modified stock lines. Or even less if you find deals on used parts.

To use the stock lines you will have to do a small mod to the banjo bolt. The end with the hole in it needs to be slightly recessed to ensure it does not bottom on the nipple in the caliper. Just take a drill bit and drill into the end until you are about to reach the threads. Test fit and make sure the banjo does not bottom in the hole, if it doesn't bottom its good to go!

Thanks to all here who have done this mod and took the time to post about it. I'll remember you guys when I'm pulling my trailer down mountian passes and have the stopping power I was lacking last summer.

 

Good job...where's the pics?

 

Camera batt died after the truck was in the air and I wasn't gonna walk to the store. I did link to a thread on TT that has great pics of the mod, check those out.

 

Sounds like everything went well for you so you didn't really need a write-up, but a member created a one a few months ago (might be the same TTora writeup)

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...ghlight=tundra

Anything you could add would definitely be appreciated for future Tacoma owners looking to do the tundra brake upgrade.


*edit* it is the same, but the YT thread is also lacking pics, maybe you could help out...

 

One last update. New brakes are run-in and have gotten even stronger. Regular driving around town takes 30-40% less pedal pressure than before, and if I want to stop fast it's no problem. At 70 mph when I hit the brakes hard the front tires start howling and the truck stops straight and HARD.

Great performance increase for the $ spent.

 

It's been a few months now so I figured I'd do another update. IMO there is no downside to this mod and if I was to start with another stock -04 Taco today I'd probably do tundra brakes before any other mods. Last weekend I went to my local mountians with my trailer (#3500, 18ft) and dirtbike (450 KTM, OH YEAH!!) and the trip down was way better than with stock brakes, zero fade, zero chatter, strong braking every time I hit the pedal.

If you tow or have 32"+ tires on a Taco then get Tundra brakes.