Brake Pad And Rotor Replacement

[bostonsnowboarder]

Hi everyone,

on the 02-06 ES330's , how often are people finding that you need to replace OEM brake pads? and how often for rotors? does anyone bother to turn the rotors these days or is it just as easy/costly to replace them?

[BoaR]

I have an older es, but regardless - I inspect my brakes here and there to get a feel for how they are wearing. generally speaking i find this is the best way because it all really depends on how much you drive. Ive put 25k on the car already and only had it for a bit over half a year.... obviously my pads/discs are under much more use than the buying bread and milk corner store driver.

When i check, if i dont like how low the pads are getting. i just change them. it's a very easy job anyways and do-it-yourself way costs next to nothing. while the pads are being done, then ill check the discs for wear/warping/gouges and the works. if those are sketchy for some reason, off they come and a new set gets installed. again doing this yourself is a joke of a job, and costs parts only. which again are cheap.

when i bought the car the previous owner had done the brakes about a month before. I re-did them about 2 months ago, and im gonna guess that when i put the winter tires on sometime in november, while the wheels are off im going to do a complete pad/disc change also. quebec winters are retarded and i like the security knowing that im fresh and good to go.

hope that helps a bit !

edit: just realised that i didnt even mention cost or answer your rotating question. all depends on your budget for rotating. i never rotate. even though i could/should. it's just as easy for me to put new discs on as to rotate... so i just dont bother and slap new ones in when it's time. i dont do this until i see wearing or something. as for oem pads/discs - the oem are generally better than the jobber parts you can get. i think it was dc or sw that was telling me in some other thread of this very fact. i dont bother going oem because i like to keep new(er) parts and change them often enough.

I know people will say that putting oem will last longer, thus be more cost effective etc... yes you are right. But i rather have new parts on the car being swapped for more new parts. where i live and the routes i drive are ever changing. from incredibly stupid torn up roads under constant construction that abuse the hell out of cars to instantly changing weather conditions that end up forcing you to work the car harder than necessary under regular driving.

to me having brand new parts on by brakes, is total piece of mind. where as if i had 5 month old oem pads and 1 year old discs... i might not be as confident as the sudden flash rain storm hits when im dodging chunks of cement and broken cones from construction dotting the @#$% terrible torn up roads.

not that it will matter if i make a mistake and die. new brakes or not, but at least then i know it was my fault at the last second, and not worn brakes. heh. ;)

[fergi]

I have an older es, but regardless - I inspect my brakes here and there to get a feel for how they are wearing. generally speaking i find this is the best way because it all really depends on how much you drive. Ive put 25k on the car already and only had it for a bit over half a year.... obviously my pads/discs are under much more use than the buying bread and milk corner store driver.

When i check, if i dont like how low the pads are getting. i just change them. it's a very easy job anyways and do-it-yourself way costs next to nothing. while the pads are being done, then ill check the discs for wear/warping/gouges and the works. if those are sketchy for some reason, off they come and a new set gets installed. again doing this yourself is a joke of a job, and costs parts only. which again are cheap.

when i bought the car the previous owner had done the brakes about a month before. I re-did them about 2 months ago, and im gonna guess that when i put the winter tires on sometime in november, while the wheels are off im going to do a complete pad/disc change also. quebec winters are retarded and i like the security knowing that im fresh and good to go.

hope that helps a bit !

edit: just realised that i didnt even mention cost or answer your rotating question. all depends on your budget for rotating. i never rotate. even though i could/should. it's just as easy for me to put new discs on as to rotate... so i just dont bother and slap new ones in when it's time. i dont do this until i see wearing or something. as for oem pads/discs - the oem are generally better than the jobber parts you can get. i think it was dc or sw that was telling me in some other thread of this very fact. i dont bother going oem because i like to keep new(er) parts and change them often enough.

I know people will say that putting oem will last longer, thus be more cost effective etc... yes you are right. But i rather have new parts on the car being swapped for more new parts. where i live and the routes i drive are ever changing. from incredibly stupid torn up roads under constant construction that abuse the hell out of cars to instantly changing weather conditions that end up forcing you to work the car harder than necessary under regular driving.

to me having brand new parts on by brakes, is total piece of mind. where as if i had 5 month old oem pads and 1 year old discs... i might not be as confident as the sudden flash rain storm hits when im dodging chunks of cement and broken cones from construction dotting the @#$% terrible torn up roads.

not that it will matter if i make a mistake and die. new brakes or not, but at least then i know it was my fault at the last second, and not worn brakes. heh. ;)

thinking of doing my front rotars, how long does it take to put new ones on, is it just a matter of taking the wheel off and does the rotar come off easily,i assume the calipers have to be taken off first.

cheers

fergi

[gbhrps]

A first timer can remove and replace both front pads and rotors in little over an hour. Pull the wheel, remove the slide pins on the caliper and remove caliper (hang it from the coil spring with some wire so the rubber brake line isn't stressed). Then remove the 2 bolts holding the caliper mounting bracket to the hub assembly. Slide the rotor off.

Clean the pad ends and middle groove in the pads. Clean the chrome runways that the pads slide in on the caliper mount. Push the caliper piston back into the caliper using a large C clamp or water pump pliers. Lube the slide pins with silicone grease. Optional, ... lube the chrome pad runways with antiseize compound, but don't get carried away.

Reverse the entire procedure. Then pump the brake pedal until the pressure holds the pedal from the floor, then disassemble the second front wheel and do the same to that side.

The rears are similar, except that there is only one slide pin/bolt to remove. Then you swing the entire caliper up until you can slide it off the upper slide pin towards the centre of the car. Remove the caliper mount, and pull the rotor. Your emergency brake shoes will be visible and should only need cleaning with a spry bomb of brake cleaner. Don't be concerned about how thin the shoes are, as they are only 4 mm thick when new, and should last the life of the car. Rears should take about an hour as well. Good Luck!

[fergi]

A first timer can remove and replace both front pads and rotors in little over an hour. Pull the wheel, remove the slide pins on the caliper and remove caliper (hang it from the coil spring with some wire so the rubber brake line isn't stressed). Then remove the 2 bolts holding the caliper mounting bracket to the hub assembly. Slide the rotor off.

Clean the pad ends and middle groove in the pads. Clean the chrome runways that the pads slide in on the caliper mount. Push the caliper piston back into the caliper using a large C clamp or water pump pliers. Lube the slide pins with silicone grease. Optional, ... lube the chrome pad runways with antiseize compound, but don't get carried away.

Reverse the entire procedure. Then pump the brake pedal until the pressure holds the pedal from the floor, then disassemble the second front wheel and do the same to that side.

The rears are similar, except that there is only one slide pin/bolt to remove. Then you swing the entire caliper up until you can slide it off the upper slide pin towards the centre of the car. Remove the caliper mount, and pull the rotor. Your emergency brake shoes will be visible and should only need cleaning with a spry bomb of brake cleaner. Don't be concerned about how thin the shoes are, as they are only 4 mm thick when new, and should last the life of the car. Rears should take about an hour as well. Good Luck!

ok thanks for the info, i have done brake pads before so sounds like the rotars are straight forward, didnt know if i needed special puller for rotars, thanks again.

cheers fergi

[gbhrps]

A special puller isn't needed for the rear rotors. The factory provided two threaded holes in the rotor for that job. Usually the rotors can be removed with a light tapping on the edge with a hammer. But if they're rusted on, you put a suitable bolt into each hole and tighten them. They'll bottom out on the hub and force the rotor off.

I've only ever needed to do that on one car over the years, one of my wife's early ES's, and I believe I used one of either the front or rear caliper mounting bolts to do the job. Just be sure not to destroy the bolt by stripping it, and then find that you can't use them to remount the caliper you took it from. Good Luck.

[fergi]

A special puller isn't needed for the rear rotors. The factory provided two threaded holes in the rotor for that job. Usually the rotors can be removed with a light tapping on the edge with a hammer. But if they're rusted on, you put a suitable bolt into each hole and tighten them. They'll bottom out on the hub and force the rotor off.

I've only ever needed to do that on one car over the years, one of my wife's early ES's, and I believe I used one of either the front or rear caliper mounting bolts to do the job. Just be sure not to destroy the bolt by stripping it, and then find that you can't use them to remount the caliper you took it from. Good Luck.

thanks again ,that is good to know about the rear rotars,'

fergi

[edelson]

I have a '99 ES300 that's been as trouble-free as one could ask for. It's also been treated very well and has pretty low mileage (~75000 miles). During a routine oil change (non-Lexus dealer) I was told that the rear brakes needed attention. Only 3mm on the pads and I was quoted $346 to replace pads, rotors, which includes labor. My inclination is to have serious work done at a Lexus dealer so we asked for a price from them. We were quoted ~$300 for just the pads and labor. We were also told that rotors almost never need to be replaced but, if they did, it would cost another $300 or so to replace them.

Here's my question ... is it the case that rotors almost never need to be replaced? Are Lexus rotors made harder or so much better that they last for the life of the car?

Note: My wife and I aren't 100% certain but we believe that we have never serviced the rear brakes before.

Thanks.