89vette

After 22000 miles the rotors are warped. I think its the back ones. Does anyone know if the rotors can be cut? Also what brake pads are you using if not OEM?

cmarshack

It's very unlikely that the rear rotors are warped. Most of the heat and friction is on the front rotors and it's a very common problem with this car. I have heard that some people on this forum have had them replaced under warranty, so you may want to go down that road.

The problem is not really the pads or the rotors. The problem is the size of the rotor. It is really too small for a vehichle of this weight. The small size equates to less surface area on the rotor and less friction area on the pad. So, with less surface area, more friction has to be applied to the smaller area=more heat. It's the heat that warps rotors. But at the same time it's the largest rotor that will fit in the tiny wheels that Lexus decided to put on the GX.

So, without replacing your breaking system with a larger setup-which would require fitting your car with larger wheels, you really only have one option.

-Replace your rotors with ones that can dissipate the heat better: Some people feel that drilled rotors are the best way to do this. Others say that slotted rotors are the best. I went with drilled and slotted rotors and Axxis pads and have much better "pedal feel" since then. (I did this because my rotors warped at 20k miles too). I did not want to simply put the same rotor back on the car because I knew that there is better technology out there.

The bottom line is that the OEM brake setup is not big enough for this car. So, you can find the whatever "fix" you want that is in your budget. Replace everything-go Brembo Big Brakes, replace rotors with something that won't get as hot, or just let the dealer replace it with what you know will probably warp again in 20k miles-but you bought yourself some time

My 2c

financedog

My rear rotors were warped too around 26k. The dealer turned them and I have not experienced any vibration since. The car has 41K now.

I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee and it had cronic warped rotors. I think they were warped after only 5K miles. It drove me crazy.

Because of this, I asked many owners and mechanics if warped rotors were a common occurance on the GX before I bought the car. In summary, I found that the GX rotors were not any more likely to warp than any other vehicle on the road today. However, it can happen on any vehicle.

steevr

Do you guys get your car washed at the dealer? I can't tell you how many times I go to the dealer wash after driving a few miles to the dealership. The front rotors are still hot and then they spray water (manually & in the wash) on the front wheels to the point that you can see steam coming off them. That sure isn't good for the rotors and often leads to warping.

BobsGX

I have yet to see any stock brake system which doesn't warp rotors. That includes Porsche, MB, BMW, Corvettes, etc. They will all do it under the right conditions.

cmarshack

That's the point, our cars are doing it under normal driving conditions.

cssnms

I am very surprised there are not more posts on the subject regarding the problem with the GX rotors...

In speaking with a lexus mechanic who is a 16 yr veteran as a lexus master technician, the rear rotors of the GX have a history of premature warping. As noted in another post, the rotors are undersized for the weight of the GX. Resurfacing only thins the rotor further so it is more then likely to not only warp again, but warp sooner, which is why IN THIS CASE it is recommended to replace vs. resurface. W/32k miles on my GX that has rotors that started warping around 20k, I am looking into the CRYO Slotted Rotors. I replaced my front OEM rotors on my 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland which warped chronically w/the cryo rotors and never had a problem after.

98Nav400

I have an '04 with ~ 40k miles. At around 20k Lexus replaced the pads/turned rotors on all wheels due to brake warpage. The brakes have become warped again in the last 1k miles or so. I will have them fixed on my own dime this time without asking.

It is not uncommon for brakes to warp on heavier vehicles. It's happened on every SUV I have owned in the last 8 or so years. For me, it is part of the cost of ownership. With this being the only real "fault" within 40k miles I am happy. Moreover, without Lexus doing what they did on their dime at 20k I suspect I would be due for a full replacement by now so ..I am money ahead in my mind.

I am sure will say it shouldn't happen on any vehicle but in my experience it does regardless of the manufacturer (Ford, Nissan, Lexus).

LexGX

iTrader: (1)

I guess i'm one of the few lucky ones. I have an 04' with 57,xxx miless and i haven't replaced my brake pads or rotors yet. Now thinking about it, i might have to check just to be sure that everything is fine. But i'm sure if my rotors have warped, i would have notice it by now. Good luck to the op

Pearlpower

iTrader: (2)

Warped my front rotors within 5k miles due to my driving style.
The rear rotors (front too) do not have a lot of meat on them so turning them will just make them even thinner and more prone to warping again.

I purchased the Ebay drilled/slotted (for looks) and Hawk HPS pads. Have 10k (some hard) miles including towing some cars (200+ miles) and no warping so far. To be honest this truck is way under braked and I keep meaning to upgrade to a BBK kit.

jbonecpa

My 2019 GX has 85K miles on it and I’m on my 3rd set of rotors. These were installed last fall. I can feel the issue starting again. It will be several months before they get too bad, but damn Lexus fix the problem! This is the 5th Lexus I have purchased and likely the last. I’m currently looking to sell my GX and buy something else. A $60k+ vehicle should not have these types of issues.
Just curious for those who have installed rotors other than the standard where did they have them installed?

Davenlei

iTrader: (1)

I have heard swapping to GX460 calipers and rotors helps. The GX460 has thicker rotors (thus more metal) and resists warping and will not get brake fade as fast. The GX460 is supposed to be a direct bolt on so no modifications needed.
I did replace my stock rotors to a different brand (I think stoptech? It has been a while) and it also warped after some time. I think the engineers did not take enough consideration of the braking needs of the car.

ALAN553

2019 makes it a GX 460....rotors don't really "warp" its a buildup of pad material on the surface of the rotor making it uneven...have them resurfaced

Lexicon1

Here is a link regarding warped rotors and supports your statement regarding a buildup of material on the rotor

https://www.centricparts.com/media/t...c-8-2018_1.pdf

IanB2

If you have a '19 then you have a GX460, you've posted in the GX470 section, FYI.

If you've have had that many sets of rotors "warp" in that time, then it's got to have something to do with HOW you're braking, try changing your technique and I bet your rotors quit building up deposits like this. That is a pile of miles to put on in that time, but you shouldn't be having repeated problems like this.