🔧 Tacoma - Rear Brake Service (Pads/Rotors OR Shoes/Drums)

On your Tacoma, the rear brakes may be either drum brakes (most common) or disc brakes with rotors (less common). I’ll give you both procedures: first you’ll identify what you have, then follow the matching path.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-4 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the truck on jack stands; never rely on a floor jack.
• 🛑 Chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• 🛑 Brake dust is harmful—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• 🛑 Keep brake fluid off paint; wipe spills immediately.
• 🛑 Release the parking brake before removing rear drums/rotors.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• 21mm lug nut socket
• Breaker bar 1/2" drive
• Torque wrench 1/2" drive (20-150 ft-lbs range)
• Ratchet 3/8" drive
• 12mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 10mm box wrench
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Flathead screwdriver
• Needle-nose pliers
• Rubber mallet
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner
• Bungee cord
• High-temperature brake grease
• Drum brake spring tool (specialty)
• Drum brake adjuster spoon (specialty)

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Rear brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Rear brake rotors - Qty: 2 Replace in pairs
• Rear brake caliper hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 2
• High-temperature brake grease - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) - Qty: 1 quart
• Rear brake shoe set - Qty: 1
• Rear brake drums - Qty: 2 Replace in pairs
• Rear drum brake hardware kit - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to P, and chock both front wheels.
• Loosen rear lug nuts 1/2 turn using a 21mm lug nut socket and breaker bar.
• Release the parking brake (this is critical for rear drums/rotors to come off).
• Lift the rear with a floor jack and support with jack stands under the frame.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Confirm whether you have rear drums or rear rotors

• Remove both rear wheels using a 21mm lug nut socket.
• Look at the brake: a flat disc “rotor” with a caliper = disc brakes; a closed round “drum” with no caliper = drum brakes.

Step 2: Choose the correct path

• If you see a caliper + rotor, follow Path B (Disc Pads/Rotors) below.
• If you see a drum, follow Path A (Drum Shoes/Drums) below.

Step 3 (Path B): Remove the caliper

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed for the rear; just access the caliper from behind.
• Remove the lower and upper caliper slide bolts using a 14mm socket.
• Lift the caliper off and hang it from the suspension using a bungee cord. Never let it dangle by the hose.

Step 4 (Path B): Remove the pads and bracket

• Pull the pads out of the bracket by hand (use a flathead screwdriver gently if stuck).
• Remove the caliper bracket bolts using a 17mm socket.
• Set the bracket aside.

Step 5 (Path B): Remove the rotor

• Pull the rotor straight off.
• If the rotor is stuck, tap the rotor hat with a rubber mallet and wiggle it off.
• If it still won’t come off, the parking brake shoes may be holding it—use a flathead screwdriver to access the adjuster through the backing plate and back it off with a drum brake adjuster spoon (specialty).

Step 6 (Path B): Prep and install the new rotor

• Clean the new rotor braking surfaces using brake cleaner.
• Clean the hub face with a wire brush so the rotor sits flat.
• Install the new rotor.

Step 7 (Path B): Service slide pins and reinstall bracket

• Pull the slide pins out of the bracket by hand (a “slide pin” is the smooth pin the caliper moves on).
• Wipe old grease off and apply high-temperature brake grease lightly.
• Reinstall the bracket and tighten the bolts using a 17mm socket.
• Torque to 88 Nm (65 ft-lbs)

Step 8 (Path B): Install new pads and compress the caliper piston

• Install any new pad clips from the hardware kit (if included).
• Apply a very thin layer of high-temperature brake grease where pads touch the clips. Keep grease off pad friction surfaces.
• Compress the caliper piston using a C-clamp (slowly) until it’s fully seated.

Step 9 (Path B): Reinstall caliper

• Set the caliper over the new pads.
• Install slide bolts using a 14mm socket.
• Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs)

Step 10 (Path A): Remove the brake drum

• Pull the drum straight off.
• If it’s stuck, tap around the drum with a rubber mallet.
• If still stuck, back off the adjuster using a drum brake adjuster spoon (specialty) through the backing plate access slot.

Step 11 (Path A): Remove old shoes and hardware

• Take a clear photo of the spring layout before disassembly.
• Remove springs using a drum brake spring tool (specialty).
• Remove hold-down pins/clips using needle-nose pliers.

Step 12 (Path A): Install new shoes and hardware

• Clean the backing plate with brake cleaner.
• Apply a tiny amount of high-temperature brake grease to the shoe contact pads on the backing plate.
• Install the new shoes and springs using the drum brake spring tool (specialty), matching your photo.

Step 13 (Path A): Install drum and adjust

• Install the drum.
• Adjust the star wheel using the drum brake adjuster spoon (specialty) until you feel a light, even drag when spinning the drum by hand.

Step 14 (Both paths): Reinstall wheels

• Install wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the truck and tighten lugs in a star pattern using a torque wrench.
• Torque to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs)

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✅ After Repair

• Press the brake pedal slowly 10-15 times until it feels firm. This seats pistons against pads/shoes.
• Check brake fluid level; top off with DOT 3 if needed.
• Test drive at low speed and verify no pulling, grinding, or brake warning lights.
• If you did rear disc/rotors: bed-in the pads with 6-8 moderate stops from 30 mph to 5 mph, allowing cool-down between stops.
• Set and release the parking brake a few times; confirm it holds the truck.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$900 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $140-$380 (parts only)

You Save: $310-$520 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-3 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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