Brakes

[chadmg7]

Hi guys. Question about brakes.

My local mechanic put new brakes on my 97 ES last November. He put semi-metallic in front and organic in back. The rear brakes seem to always grind when I first start the car and drive, and the front ones squeal a bit for the first few applications. They also squeal when I push the brakes to about 50% when I am braking coming off the highway.

I talked to him and he said he is willing to put ceramic brakes on if I pay the difference, which I think is really nice of him, as I think that putting new brakes on would generally cost a considerable amount in labor.

Should I get the ceramics put on to replace the semi-metallics that are squeaking and creating brake dust and the organics that are grinding? Or should I just have the current brakes tweaked?

Was it right for him to put these brakes on in the first place? I was under the assumption that Lexuses were supposed to have ceramics on them, even when the brakes are replaced.

[SKperformance]

brakes take about 15 mintues a corner once the car is in the air.

read how to in the workshop tutorials that i made on changing them.

ceramics make more noise than organic.if it only happens for the first few miles then you have rust build up on the rotors and they burn off like normal.

if they squeal alot it may need new shims//brake disc quietner which was not applied or shims

[chadmg7]

It just frustrates me to hear squeaking because my old brakes never did it. And when I leave work, none of my friends' cars make any noise, only mine. So ceramic brakes squeak even more??

[steviej]

semi-metallic and metallic tend to squeal a little bit. It is inherent in there make-up.

I have never had ceramic, so I can't speak to that.

Simple solution is just to go back to Toyota/Lexus OEM pads. They are about $40 a set on the web. Provided the shims are place right and the backs have ample amount of "brake quiet" on them.

good luck.

steviej.