Originally Posted by NDGPE

Hello all,
I have an interesting issue with my 2010 gx460. I had a local Toyota specialty shop install EBC rotors and pads about 8000 miles ago. I also had them swap the brake hoses with power stop stainless steel braided brake hoses. Last weekend I noticed that my brakes were making some awful noise so I dropped the vehicle back at the shop that did the install. They pulled the wheels off and said that the rear pads are completely worn through and the rear rotors are shot from metal on metal braking. They also indicated that the fronts are already down to 8/32. The technician working on the car has no suggestions as to the cause of the premature depletion of the pads. According to the tech the rears are completely worn through on both sides and worn even/flat which suggests that it is not an issue with the caliper. The best that they could offer is that I was driving with the parking brake on, which I know is not the case as the GX screams at me if I do that. Additionally, the parking brake on the GX is a drum inside the rotor hub so I don't believe that would even cause the rear pads to wear out. Any ideas here? At this point I am going to have them replace the rears and see if it happens again, pretty expensive experiment assuming I will be right back where I am now in 6months. Any help here would be appreciated!

Originally Posted by GXLUX

Could they have failed to install the return springs thingies when they put he pads in and the pads were dragging against the rotors?
Did you notice your MPG was off since the install? Maybe a weird smell?

Originally Posted by ASE

What "spring thingy" are you referring ?

Originally Posted by Romanova

For popping off the rear rotors, I tried the star wheel but they were still stuck due to light rust on the face. Rather than hitting it with a hammer, I used two bolts for the threaded holes on the face of the rotor to push against the hub and off they came. If you're messing with the star wheel, it takes little effort to move it either direction. These were the same bolts I had used on my LS430 awhile back. Not sure what size/pitch/thread... though I found the info here on CL.

The rust was light since it's a Texas rig. For your northern guys, it might be worse. I put some antiseize on the lip of the hub where the rotor sits so hopefully it won't be an issue for the next guy.

Originally Posted by Hrocks

Forget about SS brake lines, glazed pads and the like. If you breathe too hard too fast on a GX brake pedal, the dang ABS kicks in so much more aggressively than any other vehicle I've driven. Usually you can do some pretty hard threshold braking in ABS vehicles without them immediately kicking in hard and fast. If you're GX isn't stopping easily or you truly have a mushy brake pedal, then there's either air in the system or some other malady. I used to totally purge my braking system on my track cars, but now have it done every couple of years. Brake fluid is hygroscopic--it attracts moisture. If you've ever heard someone say that they "boiled" their brakes, and their pedal went to the floor after riding their brakes down a hill (or at the end of a long straightaway) it's very likely that it was the water in the brake fluid that boiled @ 212*F, not the 550*F or higher brake fluid. I would go to a reputable shop or more likely who knows how to effectively totally purge your system and most importantly the ABS system. Some vehicles require a very deliberate and bleeding procedure for the ABS. Hope this gives you some direction that helps.