Disclaimer: I am not a mechanic. Brakes should be done by a reputable certified mechanic! I am not responsible for any failures from following my directions. This is just a step-by-step of what I did. Procede at your own risk!!!
My truck is a 2006 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4x4. This may not work on other year models as I am not sure of any year model changes.
OK. Most of yall do your own brake jobs and are wonderin what the big deal is. I have found that Toyota has redesigned their front disc brakes. It is no longer as simple as removing 2 bolts from your caliper and sliding the caliper off. The caliper is hard bolted to the front spindle and I didnt want to compromise the thread lock. So.....this makes it impossible to compress the piston back into the caliper with a C-clamp.
Im not gonna bad mouth the little Japanese fellas for their design. Because....I have already done that in a text to J~Bone, Deathrow & D~Mo.
Lets get dirty!!!
You will need the following simple tools....
jack
jack stand
lug wrench
needle nose pliers
7/16" open end wrench
7/16" socket and ratchet
two 1/4" x 1-1/4" bolts
two 1/4" nuts
Find a firm stable area in which to work.
Lift the hood and remove the cap from the master cylinder.
Some folks say that if you force the brake fluid back into the master cylinder....you will damage a diaphram or sensor or sumpin. I have never had a problem. If you dont want to do it the way that I am doing it....you will need to loosen the bleeder to compress the caliper and then re-bleed your brakes when you are done.
Im doin it my way.
Lift 1 front corner of your truck with a quality jack and then put a secondary jack stand under the frame for insurance. Remove the tire.
This is what you will find...
Remove the 2 little cotter pins from the pins that the disc pads ride on. You will find them inboard.
As you can see....they are tiny and can easily be lost when you have crushed acorns in your drive like I do!
Remove the 2 horizontal pins. You will notice in the caliper and pads have several holes in them. We are gonna use most of these holes.
Place the 1/4" bolts in the holes as shown. At this point.....you will either need to be sure that the cap is off the master cylinder or the bleeders are open.....whichever route you choose.
Start tightening each bolt a little at a time untill they are both tight. Do this evenly! You dont want to push one of the caliper pistons in at an angle....or ir will damage a seal.
Once both bolts are tight.....loosen and remove both bolts and slide the 1st pad out. Slide the new pad in and partally slide the 2 horizintal pins back in to line up the pad.
Keep in mind.....if you dont line the pad up before proceeding....the compression of the other pad will force the 1st pad into the disc and you may have alignment problems.
Next....you will need to compress the other side.
Remove the bolts and the pads and install new pad.
Be sure you reinstall the rattle clip, push the horizontal pins in and reinstall the little cotter pins.
Keep in mind that the inboard pad is the one with the little piece of metal attached to it.
Repeat process on other side.
Oncet complete....reinstall master cylinder cap or bleed brakes or both. The way I do it usually doesnt require re-bleeding the brakes.
Make sure lugs are tight!!!!!!!
This what my pads looked like at 89,4XX miles.
My truck is a 2006 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4x4. This may not work on other year models as I am not sure of any year model changes.
OK. Most of yall do your own brake jobs and are wonderin what the big deal is. I have found that Toyota has redesigned their front disc brakes. It is no longer as simple as removing 2 bolts from your caliper and sliding the caliper off. The caliper is hard bolted to the front spindle and I didnt want to compromise the thread lock. So.....this makes it impossible to compress the piston back into the caliper with a C-clamp.
Im not gonna bad mouth the little Japanese fellas for their design. Because....I have already done that in a text to J~Bone, Deathrow & D~Mo.
Lets get dirty!!!
You will need the following simple tools....
jack
jack stand
lug wrench
needle nose pliers
7/16" open end wrench
7/16" socket and ratchet
two 1/4" x 1-1/4" bolts
two 1/4" nuts
Find a firm stable area in which to work.
Lift the hood and remove the cap from the master cylinder.
Some folks say that if you force the brake fluid back into the master cylinder....you will damage a diaphram or sensor or sumpin. I have never had a problem. If you dont want to do it the way that I am doing it....you will need to loosen the bleeder to compress the caliper and then re-bleed your brakes when you are done.
Im doin it my way.
Lift 1 front corner of your truck with a quality jack and then put a secondary jack stand under the frame for insurance. Remove the tire.
This is what you will find...
Remove the 2 little cotter pins from the pins that the disc pads ride on. You will find them inboard.
As you can see....they are tiny and can easily be lost when you have crushed acorns in your drive like I do!
Remove the 2 horizontal pins. You will notice in the caliper and pads have several holes in them. We are gonna use most of these holes.
Place the 1/4" bolts in the holes as shown. At this point.....you will either need to be sure that the cap is off the master cylinder or the bleeders are open.....whichever route you choose.
Start tightening each bolt a little at a time untill they are both tight. Do this evenly! You dont want to push one of the caliper pistons in at an angle....or ir will damage a seal.
Once both bolts are tight.....loosen and remove both bolts and slide the 1st pad out. Slide the new pad in and partally slide the 2 horizintal pins back in to line up the pad.
Keep in mind.....if you dont line the pad up before proceeding....the compression of the other pad will force the 1st pad into the disc and you may have alignment problems.
Next....you will need to compress the other side.
Remove the bolts and the pads and install new pad.
Be sure you reinstall the rattle clip, push the horizontal pins in and reinstall the little cotter pins.
Keep in mind that the inboard pad is the one with the little piece of metal attached to it.
Repeat process on other side.
Oncet complete....reinstall master cylinder cap or bleed brakes or both. The way I do it usually doesnt require re-bleeding the brakes.
Make sure lugs are tight!!!!!!!
This what my pads looked like at 89,4XX miles.
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