Big brakes vs stock slotted

So as the title states how are these comparable?

I did the big tundra upgrade years ago when one of my calipers froze up on me, and I have been happy ever sense.

the conundrum I’m in is they don’t make very many mud terrains in a 16”/17” wheel that isn’t E rated, and I refuse to run that on my Tacoma. I like C rated tires, have always ran them on my Toyotas.

so I’ve had the thought of going back to stock rotor size in order to fit a 15” wheel on my truck again.

would a nice slotted rotor in a stock size have the braking comparable to the bigger tundra rotor that’s just the standard smooth setup??

thanks for any opinions on this matter, I know it’s very unconventional to downsize brakes, but it’s just a thought to try and solve my tire issue.

 

I've never really had any issues with my brakes and stops on a dime.
Running slotted rotos and EBC green stuff brake pads.
In order for the brake system to work correctly it's very important to make sure the rear Proportional valve is adjusted correctly especially if you have any type of lift.
IF YOU HAVE ANY LIFT you need a taller bracket to offset the lift.
If the rear brakes are not setup working correctly you will have too much load on the stock front brakes because they are smaller and have rotors that will warp from heat

 

In its current form it has been adjusted properly, and depending on what I do I also have a built fj80 rear end to swap in also with disks. But obviously I would need to find smaller rotors from the Japan version to fit 15’s if I go that route.

im also toying with the idea of staying with the ifs doing all this vs sas, because I’ve got a built front axle also. But I’m kinda digging the idea of staying smaller more stock, so just looking for opinions.

thank you

 

EBC green stuff brake pads are great BTW

 

The reason to do the Tundra brake upgrade is often misunderstood .

A lot of folks think the reason to do the Tundra upgrade is for the larger calipers/braking surface, thereby getting additional braking power. However, that's not the benefit; the benefit is in the larger rotors. Usually, this comes up with people also consider swapping their rear drum brake for discs, since they think that by doing so, they'll get even more braking power.

However, on a stock 1st gen Tacoma, or even one like mine that’s 5500lbs (about 1700lbs heavier than stock), properly adjusted stock brakes - both front and rear - have no trouble locking up the wheels (or engaging ABS if you have it) when you press on the brake pedal. You can’t stop any faster than a skid (or ABS), so you don’t need bigger brakes for more “stopping power.”

The reason larger brakes come into play is because a lot of us carry weight (hence the 5500lb trucks) or brake for long periods of time (going downhill), and that can cause a lot of heat/friction build up. That can end up overheating the stock front rotors and cause them to warp. So, really, the main reason for the Tundra upgrade is to get the *much larger* rotors in the front, since they can absorb a lot more heat before warping. Also related - if everything gets *way* too hot, you also risk boiling the brake fluid, so technically the larger 13WL/13WE calipers (which have more fluid volume) reduce that risk as well, but it’s a distant second to the rotor heat.

So, when it comes to braking, either the Tundra upgrade or slotted rotors will work just fine for stopping and most situations. The place the Tundra system will continue to outshine any stock-size slotted rotors is in heat dissipation and reduced rotor warpage. And in my mind, that's the important bit.

 

SA > IFS

 

no more than these little trucks can pull/stop?

super happy with the drilled/slotted/vented rotors & ceramic/carbon pads that i just did a couple weeks ago. way better than my stock brakes & all id expect out of the taco.

 

EBC yellow pads are great and have good stopping power without being grabby. Replacing the old lines with some braided lines with some new dot 4 fluid and you'll be A-OK unless you haul a lot. A trailer heavy enough to affect your braking should have its own trailer brakes.