Brake Pad and Rotor Thread
02-02-17, 09:39 AM
#31
Lexus Test Driver
I recently did a brake job on my wifes Pilot-Centric Premiums and Akebono pads, and like Chris said, the rotors are clearly top notch, very sturdy and love the black rust-proof cap/side veins.
Im sure the results would be the same on an LS, but the difference was immediate once getting in the truck and going for a test drive. Very smooth and very linear.
Chris-just curious...
Was there a reason you didn't chose the Akebono pads?
Im sure the Centrics are excellent pads as well, just wanted to know what made you chose one versus the other.
Thanks ahead of time.
Im sure the results would be the same on an LS, but the difference was immediate once getting in the truck and going for a test drive. Very smooth and very linear.
Chris-just curious...
Was there a reason you didn't chose the Akebono pads?
Im sure the Centrics are excellent pads as well, just wanted to know what made you chose one versus the other.
Thanks ahead of time.
02-02-17, 09:39 AM
#32
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by Oliver Enterprises
roadfrog - Thanks for starting this thread. I have a feeling I'll be going down your path before long. I'm going to follow the requested format, but only have a minor amount to report. Mostly an OEM datapoint here, FWIW.
My vehicle has just a skosh over 30k miles.
Pads: OEM pads remain.
Rotors: OEM rotors remain. When I bought the car with 13,800 miles, the front rotors were horribly warped.
Hardware: OEM hardware remains.
Miles: 30k miles on the car to date.
Vendor: N/A. But had a NAPA store resurface the front rotors with GREAT results.
Comments: The fronts have been resurfaced once. But now I'm picking up a slight tremor again. I'm wondering if it may be the rears. I may pull them soon and have them resurfaced ($20, $10 each). I'll make them last as long as is possible.
My vehicle has just a skosh over 30k miles.
Pads: OEM pads remain.
Rotors: OEM rotors remain. When I bought the car with 13,800 miles, the front rotors were horribly warped.
Hardware: OEM hardware remains.
Miles: 30k miles on the car to date.
Vendor: N/A. But had a NAPA store resurface the front rotors with GREAT results.
Comments: The fronts have been resurfaced once. But now I'm picking up a slight tremor again. I'm wondering if it may be the rears. I may pull them soon and have them resurfaced ($20, $10 each). I'll make them last as long as is possible.
If I do the full job with the centric parts I'm in it probably $250 for all the parts and $150 in labor, so $400. But I have pads with 50% or better life I'm throwing away.
02-02-17, 09:49 AM
#33
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Chris-just curious...
Was there a reason you didn't chose the Akebono pads?
Im sure the Centrics are excellent pads as well, just wanted to know what made you chose one versus the other.
Thanks ahead of time.
Was there a reason you didn't chose the Akebono pads?
Im sure the Centrics are excellent pads as well, just wanted to know what made you chose one versus the other.
Thanks ahead of time.
My mechanic is adamant that it makes no sense to resurface these rotors because they're terrible, 90% of he labor of the brake job is done when you remove the rotors to resurface them and you may as well just do a whole brake job with new better rotors.
02-02-17, 10:18 AM
#34
Former Sponsor
02-02-17, 11:13 AM
#35
Pole Position
Oliver
If I have read your posts correctly you have had your front rotors turned twice? Or did I miss read that? I never even had them turned once. At 57,xxx miles I threw them in the trash and moved on. They really are so cheap these days that I did not think they were worth turning even once. My 66 year old wife is the one that drives the LS a couple of times a week so it is not like it is being driving hard.
Dennis
If I have read your posts correctly you have had your front rotors turned twice? Or did I miss read that? I never even had them turned once. At 57,xxx miles I threw them in the trash and moved on. They really are so cheap these days that I did not think they were worth turning even once. My 66 year old wife is the one that drives the LS a couple of times a week so it is not like it is being driving hard.
Dennis
02-02-17, 11:56 AM
#36
Former Sponsor
Dennis - They've been turned once. Just the fronts. I didn't do the rears. And ... I agree with you. I would just throw them away, if it weren't so cheap. So I tried it, and it worked. They've been fine since then. But I suspect I'm on borrowed time. I'm just starting to feel a hint of vibration coming on. The first 13,800 miles were in Beverly Hills traffic. On TV, it looks like a pleasant, fast paced place to drive. But as I drove away from there, the roads were tight, bumpy, and crowded. It became evident that along with the fact that the OEM rotors leave a lot to be desired, those driving conditions also aided in the premature warp.
02-02-17, 02:21 PM
#37
Pole Position
Oliver
I know you baby your LS as I do but I would bet that you are a hard stop or two away from warping those babies faster than I lost hair after turning 21, which was amazingly fast. Stay safe my friend.
Dennis
I know you baby your LS as I do but I would bet that you are a hard stop or two away from warping those babies faster than I lost hair after turning 21, which was amazingly fast. Stay safe my friend.
Dennis
02-02-17, 04:43 PM
#38
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Drove around town again today. Sooooo smooth. I drive to work 40 minutes on the highway tomorrow, so I'll follow up with another update. Part of that commute involves a long fairly steep downhill grade, which always accentuated the pulsation.
02-02-17, 06:32 PM
#39
Lexus Test Driver
Funny how such an experience like smooth braking when driving your car can bring a smile to ones face...
Just makes driving all that much more enjoyable, especially when it's in an LS!
02-02-17, 08:00 PM
#40
Pole Position
So tired of my squealing Brembo sport brakes. First world problems, but pretty embarrassing when I pull into the country club parking lot and my Lexus brakes squeal like a 30 year old dump truck.
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lizhekb (11-19-21)
02-02-17, 08:14 PM
#41
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Yeah...I wouldn't put up with that either. might be "first world problems", but you sure as heck didn't pay third world prices for the car!
Last edited by roadfrog; 02-02-17 at 08:25 PM.
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lizhekb (11-19-21)
02-02-17, 08:49 PM
#42
Lexus Fanatic
One are on the way!
02-03-17, 08:21 AM
#44
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Update: Still soooo very smooth. This is the one thing I didn't like about my LS. The grabbing and pulsation. Long downhill grade, heavy braking were all smooth this morning. If this behavior keeps up over time, I will use these rotors and pads for all my cars. Very happy so far, though it is still early.
02-03-17, 10:45 AM
#45
Lexus Fanatic