2004 Es330 Brake Pads & Rotors Equivalent Replacements

[cwz]

Hello All,

I’m going to attempt my first rotor and brake pad replacement on my 2004 ES330. According to the dealer I need front pads and rotors and that’s all I want to replace. Does anyone know what aftermarket pads and rotors are equivalent to the original Lexus parts so the front and rear won’t be mismatched?

[gbhrps]

cwz,

Any GOOD quality rotors and pads should fit and perform well on your ES. If you really want the Toyota quality but not the price Lexus charges, use the rotors and pads for the same year Camry V6. I've gone this route several times and have been pleased with the results.

[1990LS400]

If you really want the Toyota quality but not the price Lexus charges, use the rotors and pads for the same year Camry V6. I've gone this route several times and have been pleased with the results.

Did you do that on your 2004 ES? The parts lists I have show the 04 Toyota Camry V6 and 04 Lexus ES as not using the same brake parts. Weren't the previous generation Camry and ES the last that shared the same brake parts?

[cwz]

cwz,

Any GOOD quality rotors and pads should fit and perform well on your ES. If you really want the Toyota quality but not the price Lexus charges, use the rotors and pads for the same year Camry V6. I've gone this route several times and have been pleased with the results.

OK, thanks. I found Bendix pads and rotors for about $100 a set. Are they good quality?

[gbhrps]

The rotors and pads on our present 04 ES are from our local Toyota dealer. Perfect fit and perfomance.

Bendex should work out just fine, as they,ve been in the business longer than Toyota has. Good Luck, whichever way you decide to go.

[1990LS400]

The rotors and pads on our present 04 ES are from our local Toyota dealer. Perfect fit and perfomance.

Bendex should work out just fine, as they,ve been in the business longer than Toyota has. Good Luck, whichever way you decide to go.

I'm wondering if your Toyota dealer got you some ES brake parts from a Lexus dealership in the same ownership group. According to all the information I've seen, the front brake parts for an 04 ES and 04 Camry V6 aren't much alike - see the attached diagram. The previous generation ES and Camry V6 were the last on which the brakes were identical.

And what the heck does Bendix (the correct spelling) being in business 2 years longer - 1924 vs. 1926 - than "Toyoda" (the original spelling) have to do with anything? Much of what Bendix has sold over the years has been substandard.

[odessit]

To add my 0.02. Highest quality Napa disks (gold ?) should be good choice. I used them for ES300 and Cadillac and my mechanic was impressed with the quality of machining. Not the cheapest but reasonably priced. Choice of pads - ceramic or regular is more driven by a choice of driving. I personally did not feel much of a difference with ceramic ones. Akebono bought from Tirerack had a bit of play in Toyota front calipers. Not a safety issue, but duly noted by my mechanic. So I would suggest buying pads from Lexus or Toyota (if Toyota fit per comments above)

[cwz]

Thanks for all the input. I bought a pad and rotor set from 1aauto and installed them without any problems. The brakes are quiet and work well, now we'll see if they last. I saved a bunch of cash doing the job myself and this includes the cost of jack stands and a 2.5 ton floor jack. I think I'll be fixing my own brakes from now on.

[lenore]

Welcome to the DIY. Good job.

[cwz]

Thanks lenore.

One question I have is whether or not to bleed the brakes. Some tutorials I've seen, mostly with American cars & trucks, bleed the brakes as part of the job. It's probably the safe thing to do but it looks messy and in my case was not necessary. Any opinions?

[gbhrps]

cwz,

Bleeding the brakes isn't necessary unless you know that you've had a leak in the system, or the brakes feel spongy, indicating air in the system. Over and above that, the general rule of thumb is to flush out all of the brake fluid every 48 months, and refresh it. That means bleeding each caliper in turn, and it doesn't have to be messy.

I usually have a friend pump the brake pedal, as I open and close the bleeding screws, to which I have attached a clear plastic tube long enough to empty into an old plastic drink bottle. No mess whatso ever.

Check your owners' manual for the timing of the brake flush, and online for the proper procedure for bleeding the brakes. You've already tackled the hard part (new rotors and pads), the bleeding is easier. Good Luck!

[cwz]

Bleeding the brakes isn't necessary unless you know that you've had a leak in the system, or the brakes feel spongy, indicating air in the system...

That's good to know.

One more thing I'm curious about is cleaning the rotor hub. Most tutorials I've seen show the rotor being mounted to the hub with no attention to cleaning the hub at all. After I completed my brake job I found a tutorial where the guy put a mirror finish on the hub claiming you could ruin your pads if you don't do this. Should I clean the hubs or can I let it slide? I don't have any pulsations/vibrations in the brakes after 200 miles of driving.

[gbhrps]

I make sure that there is no rust scale on the hub surface or the inner and outer surfaces of the rotor that contact the hub and the mag wheel. Basically clean them up so that they all alignment correctly so no wobbles occur.

Apply a thin coat of antiseize compound to all of those surfaces. That guarantees that you'll be able to get everything apart easily the next time, particularly if you live in an area where there is high humidity or they use salt on the winter roads. Don't get any on the wheel studs.

I don't use very much as I have the wheels and rotors off at least twice a year to clean the pads and relube the slide pins in the calipers.

[cwz]

I make sure that there is no rust scale on the hub surface or the inner and outer surfaces of the rotor that contact the hub and the mag wheel...

That makes sense. I guess I'll take the rortors off and dress up the hubs, can't hurt.