Rear Pads and Rotors - RX300 AWD Brakes replaced
10-30-06, 05:35 AM
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Rear Pads and Rotors - RX300 AWD Brakes replaced
Well, while getting my timing belt replaced the Toyota dealership noticed that the rear pads were low and recommended the rotors to be replaced as well. They wanted about $530 for the job, but I have done it on other vehicles in the past and figured it wouldn't be too bad.
My company has a wholesale account with the local Lexus dealership so I can purhchase parts for about 20% off list. With my discount it was about $230 in parts for new rotors and pads. I have always reused the shim kits and they were still fine to use again. You will also need brake lube and Lexus was nice enough to just give me a tube.
For anyone looking to do this yourself, it is really an easy DIY. Here are the steps. YMMV and I take no responsibility if you "F" up your car.
-Lift rear of vehicle and secure on jackstands (I also leave the jack just touching the car incase a stand failed.
- Remove rear wheels
- Remove caliper retaining bolt, and the caliper will rotate up and can be pulled back and removed. Lean against something on suspension or use a coat hanger to secure out of the way while not stressing the brake line
- Remove pads and take note of position. The pad with the wear sensor should be in the inside with the wear sensor on top
- Remove caliper retaining bracket bolts (2 of them) and pull off bracket.
- This is the point where things can get difficult. My vehicle has the original rotors and has 120K miles on it. The rotors were pretty rusted in place. After about 30 minutes of hitting them with a dead-blow and almost giving up, I decided to hit them with a regular hammer, but in the center of the hub area. After hitting this area several times very hard, the rotors came off with a nice tap from behind (this was the most difficult step).
- Put on the new rotor, then reassemble the caliper retaining bracket.
- Remove shims from old pads and put on new pads, with a layer of brake lube (anti squeal stuff that looks like vaseline) between each shim and the pad. Make sure this does not get on the surface of the pad only the rear and between the shims. I also lubed up the piston on the caliper a bit.
- Using a "C" clamp, press the piston into the housing. You may want to check on the brake fluid level in the engine bay to make sure it does not overflow, I had not problems. If yours is going to overflow, remove some of it with whatever you can use as this stuff can be very bad for your paint.
- Put caliper back on bracket and check that it will rotate over new pads.
- Using "C" clamp again, you may also have to adjust bottom bushing on caliper so it will fit on the caliper bracket again. This will make sense when you see it. Just press it an inch or so and the caliper will fit over the bracket again.
- Assemble the bottom bolt on the caliper to the bracket. I did not know the torque specs and just used the tried and true torque spec of "Tight"
- Put wheel back on car and do the other side.
Total time on job was about 2 hours, but over 30 minutes of that was banging at the old rotors to get them loose. If I had tried hitting them in the center at the begining, total job could have been 1.5 hours.
Go back inside and think about how easy that was and be glad you did not pay $300 in labor. I also took the car out and made sure the pads were properly tested and to "Bed them in" (I think that is the term). Car stops much better than before and I can actually get the ABS to engage, which was nearly impossible on dry roads before. You also may want to then flush your brake fluid if you have the tools, or take it to a mechanic. I had this done just over a year ago so didn't see the need.
On these forums, I read up a bit on this job and some people said that you had to rotate the piston back into the caliper. On my 99 RX 300 AWD, this was NOT the case and it just pressed in without any problem. Hope this helps someone in the future. Hopefully I did not miss any steps.
My company has a wholesale account with the local Lexus dealership so I can purhchase parts for about 20% off list. With my discount it was about $230 in parts for new rotors and pads. I have always reused the shim kits and they were still fine to use again. You will also need brake lube and Lexus was nice enough to just give me a tube.
For anyone looking to do this yourself, it is really an easy DIY. Here are the steps. YMMV and I take no responsibility if you "F" up your car.
-Lift rear of vehicle and secure on jackstands (I also leave the jack just touching the car incase a stand failed.
- Remove rear wheels
- Remove caliper retaining bolt, and the caliper will rotate up and can be pulled back and removed. Lean against something on suspension or use a coat hanger to secure out of the way while not stressing the brake line
- Remove pads and take note of position. The pad with the wear sensor should be in the inside with the wear sensor on top
- Remove caliper retaining bracket bolts (2 of them) and pull off bracket.
- This is the point where things can get difficult. My vehicle has the original rotors and has 120K miles on it. The rotors were pretty rusted in place. After about 30 minutes of hitting them with a dead-blow and almost giving up, I decided to hit them with a regular hammer, but in the center of the hub area. After hitting this area several times very hard, the rotors came off with a nice tap from behind (this was the most difficult step).
- Put on the new rotor, then reassemble the caliper retaining bracket.
- Remove shims from old pads and put on new pads, with a layer of brake lube (anti squeal stuff that looks like vaseline) between each shim and the pad. Make sure this does not get on the surface of the pad only the rear and between the shims. I also lubed up the piston on the caliper a bit.
- Using a "C" clamp, press the piston into the housing. You may want to check on the brake fluid level in the engine bay to make sure it does not overflow, I had not problems. If yours is going to overflow, remove some of it with whatever you can use as this stuff can be very bad for your paint.
- Put caliper back on bracket and check that it will rotate over new pads.
- Using "C" clamp again, you may also have to adjust bottom bushing on caliper so it will fit on the caliper bracket again. This will make sense when you see it. Just press it an inch or so and the caliper will fit over the bracket again.
- Assemble the bottom bolt on the caliper to the bracket. I did not know the torque specs and just used the tried and true torque spec of "Tight"
- Put wheel back on car and do the other side.
Total time on job was about 2 hours, but over 30 minutes of that was banging at the old rotors to get them loose. If I had tried hitting them in the center at the begining, total job could have been 1.5 hours.
Go back inside and think about how easy that was and be glad you did not pay $300 in labor. I also took the car out and made sure the pads were properly tested and to "Bed them in" (I think that is the term). Car stops much better than before and I can actually get the ABS to engage, which was nearly impossible on dry roads before. You also may want to then flush your brake fluid if you have the tools, or take it to a mechanic. I had this done just over a year ago so didn't see the need.
On these forums, I read up a bit on this job and some people said that you had to rotate the piston back into the caliper. On my 99 RX 300 AWD, this was NOT the case and it just pressed in without any problem. Hope this helps someone in the future. Hopefully I did not miss any steps.
10-30-06, 07:07 AM
#2
Lexus Champion
A couple of small additions.
The bottom caliper bolt is torqued to 14 Ft Lb.
Is is recommended to loosen the bleeder nipple with a tube attached when pressing back the caliper cups. Just pressing back, like performed with older systems, may push crud in the brake fluid back into the ABS pump, causing it to malfunction when it auto tests.
Lastly, it is always recommended to replace the brake fluid in the entire system when replacing the brake pads or rotors.
The bottom caliper bolt is torqued to 14 Ft Lb.
Is is recommended to loosen the bleeder nipple with a tube attached when pressing back the caliper cups. Just pressing back, like performed with older systems, may push crud in the brake fluid back into the ABS pump, causing it to malfunction when it auto tests.
Lastly, it is always recommended to replace the brake fluid in the entire system when replacing the brake pads or rotors.
10-30-06, 02:48 PM
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Lastly, it is always recommended to replace the brake fluid in the entire system when replacing the brake pads or rotors
10-31-06, 04:05 PM
#4
On any break job I'd just do the fluid change out, minor cost, good cost/benefit ratio, imo.
The only question I have with this and similar fluid changes through small portals such as radiator drains is can that "crud," that I really want to be rid of too, really get discharged?
The only question I have with this and similar fluid changes through small portals such as radiator drains is can that "crud," that I really want to be rid of too, really get discharged?
11-01-06, 06:59 AM
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Gravity bleeding or the use of vacuum pump helps reduce particles from being thrown around when flushing. It is much more likely you will have contaminants from the MC run through the ABS system if you use the "bleed the brakes" method for flushing.. by pumping the pedal.
Water is the main culprit and I do my cars every 2 years regardless of mileage. My main point earlier is some peoples cars I have worked on goes through brakes in less than a year, and I doubt there is enough moisture contamination to justify a flush. I have heard there are actually testers out there to gauge the brake fluids boiling point or moisture content.
Water is the main culprit and I do my cars every 2 years regardless of mileage. My main point earlier is some peoples cars I have worked on goes through brakes in less than a year, and I doubt there is enough moisture contamination to justify a flush. I have heard there are actually testers out there to gauge the brake fluids boiling point or moisture content.
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