Rear disc brakes?

I just did my rears and they were the most annoying drums I've ever done. I just got my wife a new 4 Runner and I like the brakes on that. The fronts are bigger and I wish our trucks came with the same rear brakes.

That being said. I've only changed them twice in 180K miles.

 

The braking is excellent on these trucks IMO, even better on the Tundras with multiple pistons. IMO, drums in the rear are nice. Why? After driving through crap for a week or so, take a look at your rear wheels compared to your front ones. The rear ones are covered in dirt, sand, and grime. The fronts, still fairly clean. All that crap would have been all up on your rotors and pads, gouging them to Hell if they were discs. The shoes in the drums are sealed up from most of that junk. My 2c.

 

I think you'd get far more out of upgrading the front discs to bigger ones than you would changing the rears to discs. I had a massive 1988 Bronco with rear drums and the thing still almost put you through the windshield when you hit the middle pedal, drums are just fine.

 

They are also a great deal more expensive.

 

This keeps getting repeated but its not true
TRD offroad hydroboost is better because allows for faster braking. Drums itself failed on its face. Look at TRD sport (no hydro boost) vs Colorado

I think the only people who claim drums are better are people who never offroad, or they offroad on piece of dry dirt road with couple dry rocks.

Drums are horrible for off roading, they fill up with mud, water grass when you drive through forest. When you driving on the beach they fill up with sand and sound like dying animal. In winter, God help you if you drove through stream and had to use brakes afterwards. You maybe there until spring because crap will freeze.
There are some that lost rear diff when that happened (one that comes to mind is @isthathemi guy). Once rear brakes get packed with crap they will get locked, most of the time people will think they are stuck so they will try to rock truck, and end up breaking rear diff.

Rear drums are cheap, that is all.

 

So true because it does brake better? This is an or, if you can find numbers for a sport I would be happy to look.

I think disks in general are better too but considering how little weight there is over the rear wheels, and the fact no one puts a taco on a track, I don't think it makes much of a difference.

http://m.caranddriver.com/compariso...ng-performance-data-and-complete-specs-page-4

 

I concur. Most of my off roading is surf fishing. The sand wears out all the drum internals fast. Kind of crazy but once a year when the season is over I'd pull the drum off, hose everything really good, spray down with break cleaner, then spray all the necessary areas with WD-40. A pain in the ass.

 

Well sure, but I wonder how much more could they really cost. Take away the cost off drums, add the difference of discs and I bet the consumer wouldn't be too worried about it.

 

No, brake response is better (time from pressing brake to full brake power) is shorter. Thats all. Thats why you dont test hydroboosted brakes against regular in simple press brakes to see what stops shorter. Unless you want to prove that hydro boost is a great thing and nobody disputes that.

Its comparing apples to oranges...

but to compare apples to apples

http://www.motortrend.com/news/2016-chevrolet-colorado-is-the-motor-trend-truck-of-the-year/

From here Sr5 V6 (non hydroboosted vehicle on stock street tires, weight 4178 lb )
got 132 ft going 60 mph -0

In meantime
http://www.motortrend.com/news/2016-chevrolet-colorado-is-the-motor-trend-truck-of-the-year/

2016 Chevrolet Colorado LT Duramax Diesel (non hydroboosted vehicle on stock street tires, weight 4568 lb)

needed 122 ft to go 60 MPH - 0



Thats 10 ft better, and almost 9% improvement for rear disc brakes.
So done right on Tacoma (disc brakes on rear), we would see less than 120 ft stopping distance on Tacoma (with the same weight and all) It would be great improvement in braking.

I think Nissan Frontier stops even shorter than all.

 

Yup, I go to OBX so I tend to burry rear axle into the sand just so kids have easy access to bed. That always fills up the drums with sugar sand. I can drive back home (500 miles trip) and year later still have some sand inside the drums.
Drums are cheap, thats all.
Its like I have Husqvarna chainsaw and Echo. I use Echo most of the time because its cheap crap, so I don't care if I brake it. But if I need to take only one chainsaw with me I always take Husqvarna. Husqvarna works, and it works great every time.
Does Echo works, sometimes, and it sucks. Its cheap i was given free because broke thats why I have it, but I would not spend any money on it.
Same with drums, they cheap, but in 2016 I would not buy any new vehicle with drums. It would be stupid.

 

Small world. I go to Hatteras area yearly. Typically staying in Buxton, Avon of Frisco. The sand there is like powdered sugar! As light as the trucks are, still have to air down to 18.

 

Similar here, we usually go to Duck/Corolla/Carova, since kids love to watch wild horses. So truck bed serves as bed, picking table, used to be diaper changing station, and carries all the boogie boards, air mattress, kites etc.
Sand in OBX is brutal, especially entrance to rt12 and near mile markers where entrance is to go to homes. When you bury axle in the sand, sometimes you can see sand flowing inside the drums, like watching sand in hourglass.

 

A necessary evil but I wouldn't change it for the world. I live an hour from the DE beaches and OC Maryland and will travel 8 hours to OBX before there haha.

 

Same here, drum brakes are small price to pay overall for the experience. I would not buy new truck with them, but in 2006 when I bought mine truck drums were more common. That however was a decade ago.

I travel over 530+ miles one way. It takes us little over 11 hours with two stops for fuel (driving through the night) We have whole system work out. Drive over night, than in the morning go for breakfast than go to Manteo Aquarium. Stay there until we can get keys to the rental. Kids love OBX. I love Corolla Gold in Weeping Radish Its fun...

 

Just thought i would tell you that semis of all sizes are switching to all wheel disc brakes. Been out for a while now. Still an option to get but the disc brakes on semis are substantially better.

 

Yeah I watched that video on Facebook I will just leave drums on it

 

I know this is old but I found this but I don't think I'm not going to do it. if I can get another 120,000 miles out of the new brakes drums again ill need a new truck by then but I found this.
http://sosperformance.com/products/rear-disc-conversion-with-parking-brake-slash-tr-dot-ps2-dot-ta16

 

I'd be interested in doing this if that was half the cost....They are charging an arm and a leg for that stuff. If it was a stoptech kit maybe but wow. Just a bunch of brackets, few springs and bolts, and a noname caliper with basic pads? That probably costs them 100$/set to put together.

 

Cost more than that for me, buying refurbished OEM parts. Since I did mine a la carte, versus the whole expense at once.

There is also a Stop Tech rear kit available. Another member here has that on his off road setup truck. So

For all of those whom are speculating about which is better for braking performance, I will say this. It is ALL SPECULATION, until you actually get to have a set yourself and feel the difference on the same truck. OR, get the opportunity to test drive someone else's, which is similarly modded to your with the exception of the rear disk upgrade, and compare the differences.

Rear disks are hands down a better performer for stopping, than drums. Instantly a noticed difference in improved stopping. Since I road course my truck, I had to re-acclimate myself to the new found shorter stopping distances. Actually kinda scared me at first. Out of my comfort zone with its new capabilities.

Get the whole kit with the ebrake. Then having the kit saves you money through time and leg work. Convenience.