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Well, after 66k miles I'm finally doing my brakes and rotors. The sensors haven't tripped yet but I'm driving a halfway across the country next week so I want to go ahead and get them done. I can't believe I've gotten 66k out of these brakes due to the mileage most people seem to get out of them. My rotors have some deep grooves in them from the pads though. I also had some new shoes put on today too (tires).
I haven't seen anyone post a DIY thread about changing the brakes and rotors, so I was wondering if anybody that has done the rotors on our cars had some advice to offer up about anything out of the ordinary they encountered while doing them? I'm figuring it will be a normal process. But I'd hate to get started only to find out I don't have something special I need. I've done rotors several times before on 350zs and Camaros.
When I'm done I may post a thread to aid other people who want to do them. My total cost is around $1800. I'm using the OEM replacement rotors.
They are the same as the GS F, and the IS F is the same as the GS F except for the wear sensors. Get the wear sensors from Rock Auto. There is no magic to them at all, just a piece of wire that lights up a dash warning when continuity is broken. Some on Club Lexus have actually replaced the broken wire (it's pretty easy to do) and kept on rolling.
If you buy the OEM pads, it includes ALL the hardware and new wear sensors.
I am surprised you got 66k on the OEM brakes. The wife killed the fronts in about 22k, and now at 46k both fronts and rears are ready to go. Rotors are also very close to minimums too. Sounds like you've done a lot of highway driving so the mileage is high, but the wear is low.
I'm going to use the old sensors since they should still be in good condition.
I have been looking for all of the caliper torque specs and I've found some differences between the IS F and the RC F.
For the front caliper mounting bolts on the IS F the proper torque appears to be 58 lb-ft. But on the RC F the info I have located states 100 lb-ft for the same bolts? I'm a little tired so I may not be comprehending something properly...
I can't find any specs for the RC F rear caliper. Does anyone have the proper torque specs for all caliper related bolts on the RC F? I really don't like guessing.
Best I can tell so far is:
Front Caliper Bolts: 100 lb-ft
Bridge Bolt: 22 lb-ft
Bleeder Valve: 14 lb-ft
Rear Caliper Bolts: ??
Bridge Bolt: N/A?
Bleeder Valve: ? (probably the same as the front)
Bleeders are all the same - 18.5 N·m {189 kgf·cm, 14 ft·lbf}
TIS is also pretty adamant about using Techstream to actuate the ABS valves when bleeding the brakes. Huge warnings about failing to do this.
CAUTION:If air is bled without using the Techstream, damage or accidents may result. Therefore, always use the Techstream when bleeding air.
Call me a skeptic, but unless you've really done something foolish (or replaced the master cylinder), you shouldn't need to actuate the ABS to purge the air from the system.
^^^^Not stock pads, Endless pads. Look at the pict in the first post.
Lou
I saw that. Just commenting that the OEM parts include the wear sensors. So do the Centric pads from Rock Auto, but I don't think I'd pick those for the RC F. Fine for the wife's daily GS F because she'll never fade them.
Bleeders are all the same - 18.5 N·m {189 kgf·cm, 14 ft·lbf}
TIS is also pretty adamant about using Techstream to actuate the ABS valves when bleeding the brakes. Huge warnings about failing to do this.
Call me a skeptic, but unless you've really done something foolish (or replaced the master cylinder), you shouldn't need to actuate the ABS to purge the air from the system.
Awesome! Thanks for the torque specs.
I also don't believe that bleeding the brakes is going to cause any kind of adverse effects if done properly. I don't expect to have to purge any air from the system. After the brakes are done I'm going to use a turkey baster to remove most of the fluid from the reservoir. Then top it off with the new fluid. Starting in the rear I'll bleed the brakes until the old fluid is out of the lines without ever letting the reservoir completely empty. Rinse and repeat for all wheels.
I also don't believe that bleeding the brakes is going to cause any kind of adverse effects if done properly. I don't expect to have to purge any air from the system. After the brakes are done I'm going to use a turkey baster to remove most of the fluid from the reservoir. Then top it off with the new fluid. Starting in the rear I'll bleed the brakes until the old fluid is out of the lines without ever letting the reservoir completely empty. Rinse and repeat for all wheels.
there is a hole in the hub of the rear calipers so you can adjust the tension of the emergency brake. Make sure you tighten that a few turns and line up the hole with the rotor. I made that mistake ,
there is a hole in the hub of the rear calipers so you can adjust the tension of the emergency brake. Make sure you tighten that a few turns and line up the hole with the rotor. I made that mistake ,
Yup, I figured that out. My buddy told me the hole should be at 6 o'clock to adjust them. He was wrong. He's used to Acura and Mitsubishi. For our cars the hole needs to be at 9 o'clock on the passenger side and at 3 o'clock on the driver's side. I pressed the pedal in 3 clicks and made the drum pads stop the rotor from turning at that point. At 2 clicks the rotors can be turned by hand.
So far so good on changing out the brake fluid without using Techstream. I couldn't use the turkey baster on the reservoir as planned due to a screen blocking the access. So I bled the entire reservoir out through the bleeder valves on the calipers and just kept the reservoir from going below the minimum mark with the new fluid when bleeding. I haven't fully bedded the brakes in yet. But I drove it 15 miles and no lights on the dash and the brakes feel fine. I haven't done any hard stops yet and haven't tried to trigger the ABS. But I can't see why the braking system would have any issues. I think it's just a way for Toyota to get people to bring it in for service instead of doing it themselves.
About 4mm of pad left on the front brakes but already rubbing the sensor. After 66k miles on stock pads. (lots of highway miles and plenty of top speed runs) The rotors have deep grooves that make the rotor about .100" thinner between their lowest points. I was skeptical that these were stock pads due to the life they had until I seen them myself today. I bought the car with 7k miles on it and no record of the brakes being changed. Because I'm OCD... But they all checked out within tolerance of .004" runout.
About 4mm of pad left on the front brakes but already rubbing the sensor. After 66k miles on stock pads. (lots of highway miles and plenty of top speed runs) The rotors have deep grooves that make the rotor about .100" thinner between their lowest points.
Ouch - just had mine in for 20k service and they reported 5mm left on my front pads. What is the recommended replacement level? Looking at yours with 4mm tells me I should be shopping pads. I'm guess 3mm is about the limit.
Ouch - just had mine in for 20k service and they reported 5mm left on my front pads. What is the recommended replacement level? Looking at yours with 4mm tells me I should be shopping pads. I'm guess 3mm is about the limit.
I've read that the sensor trips at 2mm. I personally don't know as I've not tripped the sensor yet. But it was touching the rotors at 4mm pad thickness.
Yes that's what is in the service manual, however, your brake pad wear light will come on at 2mm left. At least that's what happened with the wife's GS F. Really annoying too, as you can't dismiss it even for one drive cycle. It keeps popping up while you are driving. I would like it a whole lot better if it came on at 1mm, but it doesn't unless you modify it.
02-18-19, 12:29 PM
Changing my brakes and rotors...
