Jump to content


Lx470 Brakes And Rotor Survey


skyman

Recommended Posts

I am interested in LX470 owners experience with brake replacement and rotor problems. What kind of mileage before brake replacement? I understand from some that rotors have been replaced or resurfaced on every other brake change.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I had lexus replace my brakes and machine the rotors at 34k. They were surprised when i told them the mileage and that they are the orginal brakes. They told me most people get 20-25 thousand. I had less than 5% left however.

How far has anybody else gone on one set?

BTW, are the TRD brakes worth it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've also gone about 33-34k with my brake pads. They were almost gone and made the squealing sound but my mom kept on saying it was fine and okay. Eventually the squealing turned into grinding and there went my rotors. The lesson I took from that was to never let my mom make decisions about anything related to cars.

I plan on install DBA slotted/drilled rotors when funds are more available (in 3 weeks!!!). As for brake pads, I'll stay with the stock toyota pads for now. I hear that the TRD pads squeal more since they are harder.

-Robert

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Brakes were replaced at 25K and again at 59K. Rotors ground. These trucks are heavy and chew through breaks. I heard the sqeeking when we backed up not when applying them.

I've gotten huge variations on brake life based on the service writer I pick. With my Landcruiser, the service writers use the Landcruiser brake jobs to make thier money, and I've had them try to change pads with as little as 8K miles on them. I'm buying a Lexus this time hoping for better, more honest service.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brakes were replaced at 25K and again at 59K. Rotors ground. These trucks are heavy and chew through breaks. I heard the sqeeking when we backed up not when applying them.

I've gotten huge variations on brake life based on the service writer I pick. With my Landcruiser, the service writers use the Landcruiser brake jobs to make thier money, and I've had them try to change pads with as little as 8K miles on them. I'm buying a Lexus this time hoping for better, more honest service.

My wife is the daily driver of our lexus. We got 65K out of the first set of pads. Just changed them again at 120K and they weren't even 1/2 used up but the rotors were warped. Had all four turned for $200. In addition, with 120K, we are still on just the 2nd set of Michelins.

Edited by erupert
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got 31,000 miles out of the last set of Pads. Only changed them as the Fluid was due for Replacement and they still had a good amount of material left.

Rotors are skimmed at Pad replacement to remove the grooves that have been created by the old Pads. The new Pads will not work too well without a matching surface.

Rotors warp due to the difference in Heat dissapation. Worse thing to do it to keep your brakes applied when stopped after a bout of heavy braking. The heat is retained under the Pads causing warping as the rest of the rotor cools down.

Remember, if you never use your brakes, the Pads and Rotors will last forever. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...

Remember, if you never use your brakes, the Pads and Rotors will last forever. :)

Well, I think that it all depends on how you use the brakes. Do you crawl up behind someone then brake hard or do you coast in with more stop time. Brakes exchange kinetic energy for heat. The heat is caused by friction. The longer the period of time that you dissapate the energy over, the less friction you will require. In addion (just saw this again today in the holiday traffic), when creeping up on someone on the highway, do you let off and let the wind drag slow you down or do you touch your brakes. I was behind someone who was touching the brakes for a second about every 5 seconds on a downhill when the car in front of them was at least 10 car lenghs ahead. Definately someone who will be replacing brakes sooner.

In addition, the dealer will be very conservative about when the pads are replaced. They first mentioned changing them at the 45K service. At the 60 they said that it was "critical". I got another 10K out of the front and 15K from the rears before they were really starting to get thin. I checked them at the 45K mark and they were barely under 1/2. Now, if this was my race car, I would definately pitch them at 50% because there isn't enough material to dissapate the heat and the brakes will generally boil the fluid and fade once the pads get under 50%, but a street vehicle should almost never be subjected to that kind of heat load.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

People must drive much differently that I as I got 32500 miles on my 2004 LX 470 and the pads are less than half gone. I just do not see how anyone could go thru their brakes so fast.

See my post and the one previous. There's obviously some heavy brakers out there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Our LX is on the 3rd set of brakes/tires with 68000 miles. My mother had it for the first 26k and the tires nor brakes got worn down badly. Once i started to drive it, brakes a few months later and by the time winter came around the next year tires were in despirate need. about a year later it happened again. I wonder if my short tire/brake life has something to do with my 10mpg too. Maybe i need to get my right foot checked out.

BTW, does anyone get their VSC Trac to beep at them on dry pavement taking turns or is it just me?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I have 77K on my truck. Original set of brakes. They were at 50% at 75K service.

I am quite conservative with my driving, braking.

I have just noticed a squeak from one side while reversing (and not applying brakes).

I am going to have a mechanic look at them soon. Lexus quoted me around $1000 for replacement.

So I bought OEM pads (Denso) for $90 total and will have local mechanic do the job.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
I had lexus replace my brakes and machine the rotors at 34k. They were surprised when i told them the mileage and that they are the orginal brakes. They told me most people get 20-25 thousand. I had less than 5% left however.

How far has anybody else gone on one set?

BTW, are the TRD brakes worth it?

I just replaced ft and rear pads myself today on my 03 lx with 62,000k on the orig brakes. The scraper on the rt ft had made contact so that was how I knew it was time. This was the 1st time I've ever attempted a brake job and it wasn't too tough. total cost about $130 for all pads,$20 for 4" channel lock pliers and $3 for brake lube. It took me over 3hrs but won't take as long next time now that I think I know what I'm doing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Usually when the rotors grab, they are not really "warped," but the pad deposits on the rotor surface are uneven. The major problem is improper bedding. The brake pads distribute residue on the rotor surface. When you bed in new rotors/pads, you are effectively distributing this material evenly on the surface. When you change new pads, the new pads are flat, but rotors aren't, so the pad material isn't uniformly distributed on the surface. If you brake hard and come to a complete stop, the pad material is no longer uniformly distributed; the new pad doesn't wear to the shape of the rotor. I'm sure this is what happened to my rotors/pads. WHen I bought my 03 at 50K mi, the front pads were changed at certification, rotors were not resurfaced. I don't brake hard, but they started to slightly grab soon thereafter. When you change pads, you should either resurface the rotor or install a new rotor. One of my coworkers track races and says the rule is "new pads, new rotors." Check out http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_warped_brakedisk.shtml for more on warped rotors.

I plan to install a full set of cryogenically frozen slotted rotors w/ Porterfield R4s pads on my LX later this spring or summer. I'll try to document it and post pics. I have non-cryo slotted rotors (Powerslot) and the Porterfield R4s pads on the front of my old 86 4runner...braking is remarkably improved, no fading under repeated hard braking, no warping. Pads/rotors are at about 50% after 75K mi (last 30K mi 100% city driving). I only do the installations myself, as I don't trust the dealer doing the install and then "test driving" it w/o the brakes being bedded. That can lead to immediate "warping." On my 4runner, I did the work myself. So far, no issues, and I know everything is done to factory spec.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had three LX 470's a 2000 that had original brakes and tires at 88000 miles when traded for a 2003. I ran that one for 58000 miles with original tires and brakes and the third one is a 2006 with currently 48000 miles. Original brakes and tires still.

I don't know why some of you have such lousy brake life. Mine are still over 50% at this time. Weird, I guess..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had three LX 470's a 2000 that had original brakes and tires at 88000 miles when traded for a 2003. I ran that one for 58000 miles with original tires and brakes and the third one is a 2006 with currently 48000 miles. Original brakes and tires still.

I don't know why some of you have such lousy brake life. Mine are still over 50% at this time. Weird, I guess..

In my case, I think the PO was hard on the brakes. On my other 2 vehicles which I've owned since new or installed new rotors/pads, the brakes have been perfectly true. The ones on my 86 have 75K mi since the last change, still ~50% life left on the rotors/pads. IMHO, the critical part is if the brakes are bedded properly when the rotors and pads are NEW.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In my case, I think the PO was hard on the brakes. On my other 2 vehicles which I've owned since new or installed new rotors/pads, the brakes have been perfectly true. The ones on my 86 have 75K mi since the last change, still ~50% life left on the rotors/pads. IMHO, the critical part is if the brakes are bedded properly when the rotors and pads are NEW.

Yep...I agree with that. If I do have to do brakes, the rotors will be turned or replaced. No way will I just add new pads. That is a recipe for disaster.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In my case, I think the PO was hard on the brakes. On my other 2 vehicles which I've owned since new or installed new rotors/pads, the brakes have been perfectly true. The ones on my 86 have 75K mi since the last change, still ~50% life left on the rotors/pads. IMHO, the critical part is if the brakes are bedded properly when the rotors and pads are NEW.

Yep...I agree with that. If I do have to do brakes, the rotors will be turned or replaced. No way will I just add new pads. That is a recipe for disaster.

Yes, but this is what the dealer does, at least when they "certify" their vehicles, as it's quick & easy, plus the prospective buyer won't notice during the test drive. Even if you turn the rotors, there's a chance that the trueness won't hold after bedding, as the metalurgy of the rotor may have changed (metal is harder in the spot the PO kept the pads clamped on the rotor), causing uneven friction and wear. Only way to be sure is to replace all rotors and pads at the same time, then bed in properly. Even if you allow the dealer to do the install, problem is, they test drive the rig before you pick it up, so the bedding already might be done incorrectly. Also, the dealer never hand torques the new rotor to the hub (they use the impact for speed). This doesn't exactly help, plus they also don't hand torque the lug nuts (again, doesn't help keeping rotors true).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just had the brakes replaced on our 2001 LX at 46,000 miles. Unfortunately now I have a squeek in my brakes and it sounds like some old junker pulling up to a stop light. I had Firestone do the work but they put Lexus pads on and turned all 4 rotors. They (Firestone) of course is saying the squeek is caused by not replacing the calipers, which would have been $1200, and one of them is hanging up. BS in my opinion because the squeek is only at low speed stops. I'm going to ask them to take it apart and deglaze the pads.

Any other suggestions?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...

Forums


News


Membership