Newbyguy

Hi everyone,

Recently my wife was complaining that her brakes were acting badly. I took her truck for a spin and I did sense some steering wheel shudder when braking, so I replaced the front rotors. The pads were still in good shape from not long ago when the previous set of front rotors had been turned and I replaced the pads at that time. Anyway, after replacing the rotors and making sure there was no glazing on the pads the truck brakes much better but it is still a bit touchy in the fact that the brakes do not slow the vehicle in a steady, linear manner. Instead, it slows the truck down to a certain point, then with the same constant pressure on the brake pedal it slows the car more and more powerfully as the truck gets slower and slower. So you end up having to take your foot off the brake a bit as you get close to slowing to a stop - otherwise you get an abrupt stop when applying constant pressure to the pedal.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Does anyone have any ideas to try to fix this?

Thanks - Paul

By the way, I learned a lot while doing this brake job, but it was all pretty easy. The hardest thing was getting the old rotors off the front. Knowing what I know now about the back rotors, I would rotate the hub+rotor til the inspection hole is at the bottom, then spin the adjuster thing until the inside parking shoes are as loose as they could get, then use bolts in the threaded holes of the rotor to push it loose (much like a gear-puller).

I used a hand squeeze clamp with the rubber on the claws to push the pistons back into the calipers (after unscrewing the cap of the brake fluid reservoir).

:)

Hope this helps someone in the future.

Ok guys, I was able to get this piece back on. There is indeed a small hole in the hub that when rotated to the proper position, I could fit a nut driver through it to push the front clip in while I shoved the pin through from the back and turned the clip 90 degrees to secure the whole thing. I did have to get the bottom clip, spring, and top clip in behind the hub (the spring held all 3 pieces in place til I could get the nut driver through the hole).

All is good again in Lexus GX470 brakeland!

So I replaced all 4 discs and sets of pads this weekend on my wife's 2006 GX470. In the process of getting the rear rotors off I managed to pop off one of those little spring and clip apparatuses which hold the ebrake shoes to the rest of the housing.

I only today learned that a guy should back those ebrake shoes down with the adjuster before pulling the rotors off. Will keep that in mind for next time...

Anyway, I was trying to get the clip secured again and after 45 minutes I just put the rotor on without the clip in there. I can hear it rubbing on the rotor when the car moves so I want to get it put back on. Problem is that the rear wheel hub is in the way such that I cannot gain access to the nether-regions where this clip needs to be squished down and turned 90 degrees to lock the pin in.

Surely a guy does not need to remove the entire axle to get at these minor braking parts????

I don't have it apart anymore to look, but is there maybe a hole thru the hub that would allow for some special tool to be inserted to get that clip pushed on and twisted over the pin?

Any help here would be much appreciated.

Also the last place we took the car to for an oil change forgot (don't ask me how) or didn't tighten the 6th lug nut on the wheel and it is now missing in action - where could I buy one OEM lugnut?

Thanks!

I need two headphone ear pads for the wireless headsets. The are the ones that just twist off/on to change batteries.

Also need the little plastic anchor-like thing on the sides of the very back - they just screw onto a bolt that protrudes through the interior panel. I think it is a cargo net anchor point.

The Lexus battery is guarantee for 7 years? I never knew that.

What does that mean to me then?

Usually the batteries are pro-rated. As the years go by, you get less of the replacement cost.

Yeah that makes sense - Probably just go to fleet farm then...

Lol, you are lucky you got 7 years out of a battery.

It's only been 4. Car is an 06.

Why would the battery say 84 month on it then? Just hopeful still...

So the truck has 67000 miles on it but the battery is way less than 84 months old. I'm wondering the likelyhood that the local Lexus dealership will replace the faulty battery at no charge - even if I didn't buy the car from them?

Any guesses?

Thanks!

Welcome to the GX forum... and congrats on buying a GX. If it is dealer maintained check out the service history and check if the famous clunk issue was there, if it is have they done a replacement of it , you would see it in the service history with the TSB number mentioned. Have a visual inspection of the below chassis and check steering linkage ball joints and dust covers, drive shaft boots, chassis bolts, check all if they are good condition, check the time belt for any warps. Check on fluid inspections. Check out the last service when it was done. so long !!!

Thanks Mann,

I'll have a look at that stuff. How do you check to see if the timing belt is warped?

I did see the carfax and it shows that the vehicle had been in to the Lexus dealer for normal maintenance regularly. It didn't say anything about the driveshaft so maybe this is one that doesn't have the clunk.

One thing I want to call that dealer about is if it has been filled with synthetic oil or not. I bought an 02 Volvo a few years ago that I put synthetic oil in and it started leaking oil...I'm guessing that it had regular oil in it before I did that. Don't want to make that mistake twice.

The dealer I am getting it from is not the same dealer that did all the maintenance. Looking forward to getting it.

Aw come on guys! I know that there are some knowledgable guys out there.

Just wondering what I should have checked first once we get the truck?

Thanks - P

Still patiently awaiting our 06 Black Onyx with Ivory Interior. Sorry, in my humble opinion that is the best color combo out there. My wife has an unlimited soft-cloth carwash membership so keeping it clean will not be a problem. ;)

Hey everyone,

I purchased a used GX 470 off ebay and am waiting for it to be delivered.

It is supposedly in magnificent shape mechanically and aesthetically. I am wondering what I should be looking for with this particular year? It has DVD, Nav, Levinson.

I want to make sure there are no surprises with the vehicle and I would like to make sure everything is in good shape within a few days of receiving it.

Any help here would be much appreciated!

We are about to take delivery of an 06 GX470 sometime within the next couple weeks. I'm not sure if it will have the clunk or not. It has 67k on it. So it is out of warranty.

If it does have the clunk will Lexus still take care of it or do you have to have some warranty left in order for the TSB to be done?

That's it, huh?

One more question. Can a person expect a 2004 gx470 to ride any differently than a 2005 or 2006? Or were they pretty much identical between those years?

Thanks!

We took a gx 470 for a test drive last weekend - then went across the street to the Toyota dealer and drove a Sequoia. The Toyota drove like a 3/4 ton truck whereas the lexus drove nicer than my Volvo S60.

I'm not even a Lexus owner yet, but I'm pretty sure you won't like the ride after owning a GX470

Hi,

We are looking at purchasing a 2004 Lexus GX 470 with 60,000 miles.

I'm wondering what the most common problems are with these trucks and what should I be looking specifically for?

Any major issues to be concerned with as far as the engine, drive train, or suspension?

Hoping that I don't spend a pile of money and end up with a money pit.

Thanks everyone!