What have you done to your Tacoma today?

Doing front brakes on these trucks is easier than changing your oil. These trucks never seem to need a rear brake job unless heavy trailering all the time. Changing the differential fluid is childs play, a 15 minute job.
Do you have to remove tire wheel to swap disk pads?
 
Hmmmm......that reminds me. I should pull the wheels to check brake pad/shoe thickness. IIRC, the minimum is 1 mm for replacement.

The truck is at 125,xxx miles still running on original pads/shoes.

Cheap parts.....a set of pads or shoes is about $50. Assuming only pads and shoes, then a $100 should nearly cover it.
 
Then no way it is easier than changing engine oil!
Takes me the same amount of time to pull a tire as it does remove the bolts that hold the engines shield plate on. With the oil on my truck, you have to remove the oil filter housing using a special tool, once you use drain the housing using special nipple thingy that comes with the filter kit. Only then you can access the cartridge filter inside, and replace it, being sure to fill it back up before reinstalling the o rings, and housing drain cap. Now that you've done that, you can move over to removing the drain bolt for the oil pan. You still have to replace all that stuff after.
Removing a tire takes a few minutes to expose the pads, and caliper. You pull the 2 retaining spring wires from the caliper /pad pins,...remove the pins, and the pads come right out. Just slide in the new pads, and reverse the procedure...you're done. Of course it's a bigger job if the rotors are toast. Oh yeah, don't forget to put the tire back on.
 
Hmmmm......that reminds me. I should pull the wheels to check brake pad/shoe thickness. IIRC, the minimum is 1 mm for replacement.

The truck is at 125,xxx miles still running on original pads/shoes.

Cheap parts.....a set of pads or shoes is about $50. Assuming only pads and shoes, then a $100 should nearly cover it.
Last I knew the toyota ceramic brake pads were $75 and that was over 10 years ago. The shoes were even more. These trucks don't like a lot of the aftermarket cheap brake components, so be very careful what you select.....thats been my experience and others here.
 
@tacojoel. Thanks for the tip.

Looking at RockAuto for reputable brands of ceramic OEM type pads/shoes, ACDelco, Wagner, Raybestos, Bosch, Bendix.......

I don't do kafunga-bunga brands. They ain't worth the minor savings. Always end up needing to do the work a 2nd time using a good part. Meaning repair costs and time double.
 
@tacojoel. Thanks for the tip.

Looking at RockAuto for reputable brands of ceramic OEM type pads/shoes, ACDelco, Wagner, Raybestos, Bosch, Bendix.......

I don't do kafunga-bunga brands. They ain't worth the minor savings. Always end up needing to do the work a 2nd time using a good part. Meaning repair costs and time double.
I can tell you bendix and raybestos pads didn't work in any of my toyota trucks. There's something about the way the pads are machined, or pad material used, you'd swear something major just broke in your front end every time the brakes are applied. I even tried ACdelco semi metallic pads in my tundra, and found them too noisy, plus they needed a lot of heat to work as they should. I don't drive like a moron with a high performance vehicle. Seemed soon as I swapped back to the oem toyota pads all was good in the universe again.
 
Takes me the same amount of time to pull a tire as it does remove the bolts that hold the engines shield plate on. With the oil on my truck, you have to remove the oil filter housing using a special tool, once you use drain the housing using special nipple thingy that comes with the filter kit. Only then you can access the cartridge filter inside, and replace it, being sure to fill it back up before reinstalling the o rings, and housing drain cap. Now that you've done that, you can move over to removing the drain bolt for the oil pan. You still have to replace all that stuff after.
Removing a tire takes a few minutes to expose the pads, and caliper. You pull the 2 retaining spring wires from the caliper /pad pins,...remove the pins, and the pads come right out. Just slide in the new pads, and reverse the procedure...you're done. Of course it's a bigger job if the rotors are toast. Oh yeah, don't forget to put the tire back on.
I was unaware it was an effort to get to the drain plug onna gen3
Thank you for the education
 
@tacojoel

So....Bendix and Raybestos are out. ACDelco is maybe. Need to pay attention to pad material.

First, I need to inspect. Then get pads or shoes if needed.
 
Ive read raybestos brand are quite decent from a dude in Wisconsin with an old camry
 
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Takes me the same amount of time to pull a tire as it does remove the bolts that hold the engines shield plate on. With the oil on my truck, you have to remove the oil filter housing using a special tool, once you use drain the housing using special nipple thingy that comes with the filter kit. Only then you can access the cartridge filter inside, and replace it, being sure to fill it back up before reinstalling the o rings, and housing drain cap. Now that you've done that, you can move over to removing the drain bolt for the oil pan. You still have to replace all that stuff after.
Removing a tire takes a few minutes to expose the pads, and caliper. You pull the 2 retaining spring wires from the caliper /pad pins,...remove the pins, and the pads come right out. Just slide in the new pads, and reverse the procedure...you're done. Of course it's a bigger job if the rotors are toast. Oh yeah, don't forget to put the tire back on.
To drain the oil and remove the stuffs do you need the truck elevated on stands to get at it or is there enough wiggle room under there to keep wheels on the ground
 
WHYDTYTT...

Old guy, old vintage truck
Hopped onto that i95 south mess I heard about after visiting a 300 year old Spanish outpost with cannons built to protect the pirates and invading Brits from getting at st Augustine, the oldest American city I was told.
So I wheeled that old truck onto the i95 with AC on 'coz of the nastiest humidity in these southern parts
Almost had it flying down the 95 going 95 :eek: once it hit 3k rpm in gear 5 you could feel its wanton abandon to go even faster but the traffic no allow it
 
To drain the oil and remove the stuffs do you need the truck elevated on stands to get at it or is there enough wiggle room under there to keep wheels on the ground
To change the oil you can crawl under the truck to do it.

To remove the struts you have jack up the truck, and remove the wheel to start the job. Same for doing a brake job.
 
Actually.....I have yet to come into difficult work on this truck.

Oil/Filter change every 5K with prop shaft lube is a 20-30 minute task. Wheels on ground
Fluid change in Diffs, Xfer case, AT, PS and brake took about 2 hours. Wheels on ground
Tire rotation with wheel cleaning, about 1 hour, 2 wheels off ground, truck on jack stands.
Spark plug change every 30k, 1 hour. Wheels on ground.
This is just some of the work I've done. Other tasks took longer, like U-joints and valve cover gaskets, but were not difficult.

My point. None of the maintenance is difficult or time consuming. Just need basic tools and the willingness to do. I can't imagine the money I have not spent on vehicle maintenance by going the DIY route.

Tasks that are planned or need inspection.
inspect brake pads and shoes.
oil/filter and engine air filter change
cabin filter change
replace battery (7 yo, must do before winter)
replace radio
replace horns
 
took the old truck (now with 300800 miles) for a peaceful afternoon on the Biscayne Bay just across from Miami in the very far hazy distance
A sunny muggy 80 degrees out... Back home on the great plains it's barely above 40 :oops:

Also was able to score one of very few near completely shaded from the blistering sun in the parking lot to not worry of the heat absorption



...further down the boardwalk


Then a very late lunch of some tasty grilled gator stir fry and onion rings

 
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Going to take a ride to the local nursery to pickup some shrubs and do a little landscaping. I've pretty much prepared my garden for some more planting in the next week, or two. Already got the chard, lettuce, brussel sprouts, radish's, and a few cooler weather tomato plants in. Even my blueberry bushes, and apple tree are starting to bud.....pear tree already has.
 
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