Really firm brake feel compared to other tacos?

I just got a 2011 TRD OR DC. I used to have a 2004.

The 2004 brake feel was pretty typical of a normal passenger vehicle...some travel in the brake pedal and perfectly good feel throughout depressing it to achieve more braking.

My 2011 feels like I'm stepping on a rock when I press the brakes. There is very minimal travel, and it's just shocking how much more firm it is than the 2004. I know firm brakes are better than mush, however, I almost think it's too extreme...that I can't get any progressive feel for the braking. Also, because it's such a firm feel, I really have to lay into the pedal to achieve much braking, because a normal soft press doesn't really do much at all.

To confuse things even more, right now I have a 2013 as a loaner. It's a DC non-OR/non-TRD. The brake feel on this is just like my 2004. Much more "typical". Now, I realize the TRD's have a whole different brake booster/reservoir to work with ATRAC and whatnot, but could that really cause a night and day difference in brake feel?

I guess I should double check the brake fluid level when I get my truck back, but it was a CPO vehicle and the brakes were just replaced a short while ago (new rotors and pads), according to the paperwork I pulled up on the service history, so, you'd think the fluid level would be fine.

The only other way I can describe the brake feel is if you were to get in a vehicle and repeatedly press the pedal with the engine off...it builds up the fluid and causes a rock hard pedal. This is basically what mine feels like all the time.

Can anyone comment as to their 2nd gen TRD brake feel, and especially if you came from a 1st gen?

 

normal

 

I just upgraded from a 2001 to a 2013. The brakes work really good! Kind of embarrassing the first couple days actually. The front of the truck was nose diving really bad cause I was using to much brake. Much more predictable now that I lifted and threw bigger tires on.

 

Yes.


I have an 07 Sport, brakes feel like you describe on your old truck. '12 OR, brakes are as you describe on your '11.

Normal.

David

 

Thanks all. Interesting. I mean it is really night and day different feeling between same year OR and non OR then!

 

Brake booster issues? doesn't sound right.

 

This^^^^

 

+1

Probably just OP not being used to the brakes in the new Tacoma. My dad owns an 04 TRD and tells me the same thing. However, yeah, the pedal feeling like a "rock" doesn't sound right. My 2013 pedal is "sensitive" and extremely responsive but doesn't feel like a "rock", if I am imagining it in the same image as OP is depicting.

To be further detailed, my pedal has a fast response when I barely press it, however for example, if I am in traffic I can slight press on the brake to slow down rapidly, but I am further able to depress the pedal even further when I come to a stop. If all you can do is barely press it and it only travels like a centimeter and no further (as rock like as I can imagine) then that seems like it is a little TOO sensitive.

 

Yeah, that's what I want to mess with next...pedal travel. On "normal" pedals int he past, you can always jam it to the floor without a ton of effort, while the car is sitting still. I want to try this with the Tacoma next time I get a chance.

From memory, the pedal does travel more than a centimeter or so, but it's just VERY firm in doing so. And I'm not just a newb to brakes...I've had cars with steel lines, and others with 14" rotors and 6 piston binders, so I'm not just using my old 160k mile 04 taco as my only reference point.

Also, I guess another option would be to ask the dealer to let me hop in another 2nd gen OR and compare the two. Could be a quick easy test.