tjc73

Thanks for the replies! I think bleeding the brake fluid while compressing the pistons makes a lot of sense. I'm sure if you do it properly (carefully), no air will be introduced into the lines. Going shim-less is always an option. I'll have to see how my new pads fit. Again, many thanks.

Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely take a crowbar to those pistons! Reusing shims+using a crowbar=more cash in my wallet.

I'm about to replace the rear rotors and pads on my 1997 ES300 but my pads did not come with replacement shims. Since I hate spending money I don't absolutely have to, I was hoping to reuse the shims currently on my car. If they're completely destroyed, I will of course go out and buy new ones, but if they look good, I was hoping to reuse them after spraying them with brake squeal goop. The only reason I ask is simply because many people on other forums say, "Absolutely, go ahead and use the old ones. I always do and have never had a problem," while others say, "NEVER USE OLD SHIMS!!!" (usually just like that- all caps and three exclamation points). I'm wondering why some people are so adamant about replacing shims (and these people are in the minority- it's around 10 to 1 in favor of reusing old ones). Shims don't seem like a safety item- more just something to reduce noise. Any opinions would be much appreciated. Also, does anyone know how big the C-clamp should be in order to compress the pistons? I have a 3-inch C-clamp and I have a feeling it's too small. Would a 6-inch do it? Thanks in advance.

After some effort, I found a way to remove the ball mounts from the old hood supports without causing any damage. First, you remove the old supports from the car. Next, you drill a hole in the support to the side of the ball mount using a titanium bit (see attachment). I used a 1/8" bit and it worked fine. At this point, you should see the ring that holds the ball mount in place (note: the attached picture was taken after the ring and ball mount were removed- it just gives you an idea of where to drill the hole). Using needle nose pliers, grip the ring and pull it out (you may have to twist it a bit to get it out). After that, the ball mount pops right out and you can install the new supports with no problem. The whole process probably took about 1/2 hour for both supports. Hope this helps. -TJ

Thanks for the response. I figured that was the case, but I was hoping there was a way to get the ball mount out of the old hood support. Next, I'll see if they sell replacement ball mounts, and if not, I'm off to the Lexus dealership to buy official Lexus hood supports that come with the ball mounts installed (I don't even want to think about how much they'll charge!).

Hey everyone, First off, thanks for all the great info. I've already removed my door panel and replaced the plastic door lock clip thanks to all the great advice here. Now I have a new problem. My gas hood supports on my '97 ES300 don't hold the hood up anymore and I need to replace them. I bought two new ones on ebay (not official Lexus or Toyota) and now I need to remove the old ones. Upon inspection, the top mount is a ball type mount with NO clips of any kind. I read on another post to apply sharp outward pressure and this should pop off the top portion of the support. I tried this with all my might and it didn't budge (and I tried removing it straight out and from several different angles- nothing worked). I then tried hitting it with a hammer close to the mount and this didn't help. I tried removing the bottom of the hood support and swiveling the base in order to pry the support off the ball mount and this didn't help (I may have even bent the hood slightly where the ball connector screws into the metal). I'm fairly convinced that I have to remove the ball mounts from the hood itself and replace the old supports with new ones that come with a ball mount already attached. I'm just wondering if anyone has successfully removed the hood supports from the ball mounts without having to replace the ball mounts themselves? The replacement hood supports I already bought didn't come with ball mounts so I'll have to buy new hood supports which will be a royal pain. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks, TJ