Brake Pads

[DB Cool]

have 2004 LX470 w/17K miles... where can I buy new front brake pads??

[steviej]

at 17k miles, are you looking to replace the OEM pads because they wore out prematurely or do you just want a different type? Brake pads should go for at least 50k miles before needing replacing.

steviej

[Lexusfreak]

Agreed, brake pads should last much longer than 17k miles.

[amf1932]

at 17k miles, are you looking to replace the OEM pads because they wore out prematurely or do you just want a different type?  Brake pads should go for at least 50k miles before needing replacing.

steviej

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I doubt whether the OEM brake pads will last 50K miles especially on an LX, unless you're doing mainly highway driving.

[Lexusfreak]

at 17k miles, are you looking to replace the OEM pads because they wore out prematurely or do you just want a different type?  Brake pads should go for at least 50k miles before needing replacing.

steviej

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I doubt whether the OEM brake pads will last 50K miles especially on an LX, unless you're doing mainly highway driving.

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They should last a heck of a lot longer than 17k. B)

[Shadow]

How long pad last depends on the road, driving habit and car weight. 17K isn't too bad for the unfortunate ones.

[VGR]

SUV owners where I live drive like a bat out of hell so I'm not surprized their brakes wear out in 20K miles. However, Toyota owners with a calm, relaxed driving style and who have a manual transmission can get enormously long OEM pad and OEM rotor life. Extreme example: The factory original set of pads on my '92 Toyota pickup were changed at 275,000 miles and the second set changed at 456,000. The driver side brake rotor was also only 25% worn at 456,000 http://www.saber.net/~monarch/456.jpg and the passenger side rotor 37% worn.

[VGR]

Oops, I meant to post this picture of rotor thickness http://www.saber.net/~monarch/rotorthick.jpg

[amf1932]

Oops, I meant to post this picture of rotor thickness http://www.saber.net/~monarch/rotorthick.jpg

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Wow.....That's unbelievable!!! I have NEVER heard of anybody getting that kind of brake life on either a car or truck! Did you get this loooooooong life on OEM rotors & pads?? I'm very skeptical.

[VGR]

Yes, I got that life on OEM pads and rotors. The reason I know having a manual transmission helps alot is because I also have an identical Toyota pickup with an automatic transmission and the pads and rotors on the automatic are wearing about 60% faster than on the manual tranny truck.

[amf1932]

Yes, I got that life on OEM pads and rotors.  The reason I know having a manual transmission helps alot is because I also have an identical Toyota pickup with an automatic transmission and the pads and rotors on the automatic are wearing about 60% faster than on the manual tranny truck.

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Well.....you must be doing something right to be able to get that kind of pad life. Like I said, I have never, ever heard of this astronomical brake pad mileage in all my experience when i was in the automotive field! And I started my career back in 1950.

[steviej]

I'm guessing since VGR/monarch/saber is constantly condeming the way young people and SUV onwners drive that he got that many miles on his rotors cause his vehicles never see the high side of 20 mph. :whistles: :D

just kidding, couldn't resist that one.

steviej

[Lexusfreak]

I'm guessing since VGR/monarch/saber is constantly condeming the way young people and SUV onwners drive that he got that many miles on his rotors cause his vehicles never see the high side of 20 mph.    :whistles:    :D

just kidding, couldn't resist that one.

steviej

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LOL!! :whistles:

[mburnickas]

I also have not gone that long on breaks or rotors ever. I have a hard time believing a picture of some odometer and some break rotor correlates to anything; but that is me here. We need to document tractability here.

I drive on a highway and travel long distances from my house so keeping it slow in today major cities is not gonna happen. . I am going on 50K miles on my last set and they will last till about 60K miles. My last 1-ton pickup lasted till about 100K miles on pads and rotors but on the flip side the pads are over $100 for the front and the rotors are more (each).

But my new lexus pair of front OEM pads cost about $35 (shipped free). That is a drop in the bucket since it cost more then the vodka for the drinks to help me install them!

Yes, manuals help stop the car but on the flip side put more stress on the trans etc. For me the brakes are much cheaper then a transmission (clutch etc). If you do not use the breaks that much, the K.E. needs to go to something if not the breaks. Nothing just goes away for free and something absorbs the K.E (aka wearing something).

Some thing with my breaks on my bike. For me the $120 for pads (for both wheels) is much cheaper then the wear on the gears, sprockets / chain & tires; chain and sprocket are over $500. Take your pick. Pads only live about 8K miles and that is the norm. Again breaks are the weakest link.

Also since the thickness has dropped 0.019 inches, how about what is parallelism? Also there is a HUGE weight delta between a little 1992 Toyota pickup and the heavy SUV’s of today. Where you drive (dirt, sandy roads) also comes into play.

I know BMW use very soft pads to help with braking. Always notice the very black front wheels on BMW’s? They do not last as very long but stop much better/quicker (which is better for you).

[98es]

agreed- I learned that "braking with the clutch" was definitely not good when I was 16 with a 5 speed accord. Pads are MUCH cheaper to replace than a dang clutch. But believe it or not, downshifting to stop is something that a lot of manual tranny drivers have ingrained in their heads. I got out of that habit real quick after paying to replace the clutch instead of the $40 brake pads, but it was hard.