Disc Brakes vs. Drum Brakes: Which Brake Setup Is Best For Your Tacoma

If you’re anything like us, then you’re obsessed with making every part of your truck as good as it possibly can be. Whether you have a daily driver, a work truck, or an exciting off-road vehicle, half of the joy of owning a truck is getting to modify it, customize it, and improve it. And there are few components as important as your Toyota Tacoma brakes.

People sometimes overlook brakes when working on their truck, and that’s a mistake that shouldn’t be made. Brakes are a key part of both performance and safety, and having good brakes can help maintain the health of your tires and suspension, as well.

Brakes come in two main forms: disc brakes and drum brakes. Both have their pros and cons, so how do you decide which option is best for you and your truck? We’ve got all the answers for you, and a full inventory of brakes to help you find the perfect setup for your Tacoma.

What Are Disc Brakes and Drum Brakes?

Before diving into the positives and negatives, let’s start with the basics: what are Tacoma disc brakes and what are drum brakes? Disc brakes, as the name suggests, have a metal rotor that is the shape of a disc. A caliper, which holds two brake pads, covers part of the disc. When your foot presses on the brake pedal in your truck, the brake lines (which use a hydraulic pump) send pressure to the caliper, which squeezes the brake pads against the disc, causing the wheels to stop moving.

Drum brakes consist of a drum, which is basically a cylindrical bowl that spins with your truck’s wheels. As you press on the brakes, brake shoes inside the drum press outward, which rubs against the inner surface of the drum. This causes friction and helps bring your truck to a stop.

The Differences Between Disc Brakes and Drum Brakes

Now that we know what disc and drum brakes are, let’s focus on what makes them different for you and your truck.

Performance

Performance represents the biggest gap between disc brakes and drum brakes. Simply put, disc brakes are substantially better performing brakes. Disc brakes are a more effective way of bringing a truck to a stop, which means that your brake pedal will be more responsive. A vehicle with disc brakes can stop in a shorter distance than the same vehicle with drum brakes.

It’s not just peak performance, though. Disc brakes are designed to not maintain heat, so they don’t overheat as quickly as their drum brake counterparts. As brakes heat up, their performance starts to diminish. Because disc brakes are better with heat dissipation, they’ll continue to perform at a high level for longer. All of this is important for anyone who is in their vehicle for extended periods of time, or an off-roader dependent on maximizing the performance of their Tacoma.

Durability and General Maintenance

While disc brakes offer better performance, drum brakes usually have much longer-lasting durability. That’s because drum brakes have an enclosed design, which essentially protects the brake shoes from outside damage. The brake pads on disc brakes are much more exposed and, because disc brakes are so effective, the pads wear out more quickly. You’ll almost surely need to replace your disc brake pads far more frequently than drum brake shoes.

However, it’s worth noting that disc brake pads are relatively easy to replace. Because the pads are on the outside of the brakes, they’re a fairly quick and easy maintenance task. If you’re comfortable doing mechanical work on your truck, changing the brake pads should be a quick and easy chore. Drum brake shoes, on the other hand, are a much more complex bit of maintenance work. They’ll take a lot longer to replace and are a bit harder.

Cost

If you’ve seen the type of cars that exclusively have disc brakes, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that they’re a little bit pricier than their drum brake counterparts. Disc brakes are more expensive to manufacture and offer better performance, and the price follows. And because they are less durable than drum brakes, the cost of maintenance is usually higher, too.

Should You Get Disc Brakes or Drum Brakes for Your Tacoma?

Choosing between disc brakes and drum brakes is really a matter of what you use your Tacoma for. If you use your truck for off-roading, towing heavy loads, or long road trips, it’s probably best to opt for the increased performance of Tacoma disc brakes. However, if you primarily use your truck around town as a daily driver or commuter vehicle, then it might be worth saving some money now and in the future by using drum brakes. And really, it’s all about finding the truck you want with the brake setup you’d prefer, since swapping from drum to disc brakes – or vice versa – can be tricky.

Whatever your choice, we’ve got tons of options in stock, and a team of sales techs standing by to help you find the perfect brakes for your truck.