dyeman12

Just replaced the rear pads with Ceramic pads from Akebono. Drove the car for 5 miles to work and the rear pads were hot enough to smell. Made sure the parking brake was not engaged (it wasn't). Parking brake is a drum unit on the inside anyway if I'm not mistaken.

On the way back home, same problem. Disks were hot enough sizzle when I flicked some snow on them. I have not had the time to jack it back up and check the free wheel ability of each wheel.

There is not that much of a bind that the car will not roll freely in neutral at a light, but I am worried that too much heat will warp my rear rotors.

I checked to make sure there was no "back pressure" in the fluid reservoir.

I am concerned that either:
1. the brake pads from Akebono are thicker than OEM
2. the two springs that hold the pads apart are not stiff enough to hold the new pads apart (Doubtful)
3. the travel arms of the brake assembly are stiff and not opening all the way up properly.

Help!

Bigkahuna

It seems like your pads are the wrong size rather thickness. So they are creating constant pressure on the rotors. Did you bleed the lines to realease the pressure? Other wise the caliper might have shifted postions.

Vette Boy

here's a good tutorial, not sure what the problem is, I'd pull the pads and make sure the caliber is loose on the guide pins and the cylinder is moving freely. Then I'd reassemble the pads and make sure there was some slack before the brake pedal is depressed.

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/brake/rbpad.html

austxlexus

Check the caliper pistons to make sure they're not bound up.

You can use a C-clamp and a piece of wood to depress them back into the caliper.

dyeman12

Thanks much. I found the tutorial on Lexis.com after I changed the pads. Sure wish I would have read it before the fact, would have save mucho time.

Found the problem- one of the travel arms was gunked up and holding the pad against the rotor just a bit. The tire would free-wheel when out of gear and jacked up, but there was enough drag to heat up the rotor. I cleaned and re-greased the socket that the floating pin rides in and all is well.

I also found a spec sheet on the thickness of the pads and rotors. My rotors are exactly to specs of a new rotor and the pad is exactly to spec for the thickness of new pads. Also, I highly recommend going with the Ceramic based pads- really cuts down on the black dust.

Glad to say another wad of cash saved from the mechanic's shop by doing it yourself. Thanks much for all the good info on this and other LS owner's sites.

I am still amazed at how well made and strait-forward these LS models are. Mine is a '96 at 165K and still running strong. I love a well designed machine!

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

hey dyeman, i have a question for you.

could you please detail the procedure for removing and greasing the floating travel pins? my brakes have a wierd "creak" whenever i put or release pressure off of them. only from the front for some reason ( ) any help is appreciated thanks!