Brake Upgrade: StopTech Rotors + TRD Performance Pads

Thanks. Went ahead and ordered the full Sport axle pack. Slotted rotors and 309 pads.

 

Hey @crashnburn80 thanks for the great write up. Really helped! For anyone looking for a discount, advanced auto parts has a 20% off code (AugustSavings) during this month. Yes sorry I know we have like a week left. It’s a max of $50 off bought I just purchased each rotor by themselves

 

I've been trying to decide on brake upgrade, and Wilwood bent my ear. Their 6 piston calipers, in standard color (grey with white logo) are Billet Al and anodized, plus the pistons are SS, with statement that they will never rust. (variety of factory paint colors available +$88)

I also discovered (thanks to a link from @crashnburn80 ) that the cost effective way to get bigger brakes on a Tacoma, is to install 4Runner brakes, and that https://www.rr-racing.com/RR-Racing-Front-Big-Brake-Kit-for-Lexus-GX-4Runner-p/gx4fbk0002.htm has a kit with Wilwood 6 piston, calipers with bracket and street/track Pads for only $1,249. They also offer hoses and rotors.

RR Racing also makes statement that stock Lexus calipers have a reputation for pistons sticking after a few years, due to the steel pistons and iron calipers corroding. I have not been able to identify the piston material for other big brake kits, but my being in the north-east winters with road salt; this steers me away from Alcon (Iron calipers).

I will likely buy these Wilwood 4Runner calipers, and I will choose good 4Runner rotors to go with them, because:
- Reduces Un-sprung weight
- Not locked in to a specific replacement rotor, lots of choices and even std aftermarket 4Runner rotors would work.
- 4Runner Rotors are 338 mm (13.31in), (need 17in wheels min. ) Wilwood's Tacoma BBK is only 12.8in, and 2x the $, though they are special, heavier duty rotors.
- Easy on the wallet, but still a serious upgrade.
- Down the road, if the Wilwoods fail, can reasonably replace with stock 4Runner calipers and would still be an upgrade from the Tacoma brakes. (is also the cheaper option now, but without the weight savings or street cred of Wilwoods).

Can anyone confirm that the 4Runner calipers would bolt right up? Not certain if the bracket provided with the Wilwoods will still require a 4Runnder caliper bracket too?

Also curious what others think?

 

Note that the 4Runner has larger piston volume than the Tacoma with the bigger brakes and utilizes a larger master cylinder than the Tacoma. This can lead to excessive pedal travel when using just the brakes without upgrading the master cylinder. Going to a BBK 4Runner kit on top of the already larger volume calipers might be even more problematic for the Tacoma master cylinder (MC) volume. SOS Performance sells an MC upgrade replacing the stock unit with a larger one from a Sequoia, it is listed for 2nd Gen trucks that don’t have ATRAC. Unsure on 3rd Gen compatibility. My truck had ATRAC so an MC upgrade wasn’t very feasible unless going into uncharted waters and attempting a $2k 4Runner ATRAC swap, so I went the safer route and bought a complete BBK system designed for the correct truck.

 

Which BBK did you go with?

 

StopTech 340mm w/ 6 piston calipers. The Wilwood setup would also be worth considering, while the rotors are smaller they are also lighter and have directional cooling vs StopTechs straight vein cooling.

 

Awesome, thank you. I’m on 35s so the lighter rotors from wilwood would be nice to reduce the rotational mass. Kinda hate that I have the electronic Master cylinder, I find it confusing.

 

Its a love/hate relationship. The electronic MC provides more clamping power and shorter stoping distance than the conventional vacuum unit found in the other trucks, it just isn’t easily upgradable.

 

Yeah I was considering the rear disk brake setup but I don’t feel like messing with the Master cylinder, figured a BBK should suffice.

 

The extra fluid volume would be much better spent up front, unless you are going full send on brakes and willing to spend $4k+ for rear disc + a 4runner MC. Doesn't seem worth it at all.

 

Would you be concerned in any away about wilwoods two piece durability for extreme off roading situations? being on 35s and abusing the heck out of the truck I’d be concerned about the bolts sheering or something snapping in between.

I suppose being significantly lighter might also raise a few concerns for cooling?

 

Wilwood is a high quality name brand, I would not be concerned. They are lighter, but they also use far more efficient directionalized cooling vs the straight vein cooling on the StopTechs. StopTech does offer 2 piece directionalized vein rotors as well, but only in larger sizes that require less ideal 18”+ wheels.

 

Thank you for the Heads Up. I reached out to Wilwood, but they simply commented that they do not offer a kit or components for a 2020 Tacoma at this time. and Added that they could not identify the Wilwood part number for the RR-Racing offering (4Runner brakes), so I should raise my questions with RR-Racing.

I have reached out to RR-Racing and will report back.

In the mean time, I got to reading the posts that followed, and it seems to me that the electronic brakes may well compensate for larger piston area. Not sure what the system monitors or reacts to, but would be interesting to know if it monitors brake pedal travel and brake effectiveness. Has anyone documented trying big brakes on one? Is there reported trouble? Or is it that no one has tried?

 

Well, got a response form RR-Racing, and again no use. They simply state that their kit has never been tested on a Tacoma.

I have been trying to compare master cylinders between Tacoma and 4Runner, but seems there are a few different ones, adn they are an assembly, so can't really compare them at all so far. Not sure what the next steps are. Sure would like to be able to compare piston diameters, amongst the various options. Just not sure where to find that information.

 

A couple other threads for more research:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/my-2006-tacoma-brake-upgrade-edited.652471/
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...unner-bbk-upgrade-for-2nd-gen-tacomas.504234/

Note that the 4runner uses rear discs and has significantly higher fluid volume capacity in the MC for the rear calipers vs the Tacoma's small volume drums. So even if you could get the MC volume comparisons, it would not be straight forward as to what is needed for the front calipers alone.

 

Ahhh, Makes sense. So swapping cylinders would go the other extreme. I do not have a sense on just how critical a balance there must be, though seeing there are 3 different M cylinders for my truck, pending options, it may be very critical. But your statement regarding the added capacity for the rear discs also provides a hint that doing only the front calipers may have a small effect? After all, look up M cylinders for your truck, you may find that Toyota has different ones depending on options for your vintage too. If that is the case, and piston size seems absolute critical; but then how can StopTech offer a single caliper regardless of which M Cylinder? The only BB Vendor that seems to make a distinction at all is Wilwood, as they have a single BBK for Tacoma, but do not offer it for 2020 model year, even though we all understand that it will bolt right up. Even this is not as distinct as offering a different caliper depending on model within a year; suggesting there may be some acceptable variation.

do you know a good sight where I can look easily look up Toyota part numbers? Might be interesting to see if for different M cylinders, there are different calipers too? Then would be interesting to see if for every different caliper used by Toyota, if there is a different caliper offered by the aftermarket, or if the aftermarket blends them together.

Not sure how much farther I will take this, before simply going with StopTech or other offering with claim to fit my truck, but I did reach out to RR Racing again, informing them that there is plenty of interest by Tacoma owners, and if it works well, their offering has considerable price advantage, and would be the only Wilwood offering. Then I asked if they had interest or capability of testing, and offered to test for them, if they would provide an attractive return policy, should the test prove problematic. Will report back.

 

Another member made me aware that StopTech now offers the 2 piece directionalized cooling rotors in both 340mm and 325mm, fitting 17” and 16” wheels respectively. The 325mm is slightly larger than the 323mm BBK for 16” wheels. Previously the 2 piece rotors were limited to 355mm and up.
https://sosperformance.com/products...-brake-kit-fits-17-plus-wheels-2005-21-tacoma

 

So RR-Racing returned expressing interest:

Hi Alan,

We are looking in to the possibility of the 4 runner kit fitting on the Tocoma we are not 100% sure so we will do some research. But Rafi ( the kits designer) said there are minor differences and we might be able to figure something out.​

I again responded with offer to be a beta, and report back. Fingers crossed!

 

hey @crashnburn80, I am pretty new to these boards, and have come across the term hijacking a thread. Please let me know if you prefer I post my brake info elsewhere, as I appreciate all the info you have collected on brakes here, and your comments to me have been important to keeping me from making expensive errors. I do not want to in any way hijack it, nor discount your work.

 

Not at all, I just need to be at my laptop for a more detailed response than mobile!