Dolphin

Vlad, great minds think alike :-)
I had already posed this this question to the dealer... LX brakes won't fit, not enough space.....that was my first try, as I knew for sure the brakes would be oversized, a welcomed addition.

vlad_a

Well, the space requirements are different depending on the wheels installed.
19" wheels will have more space. Now, the suspension components may get into the way and the mounting holes may not get aligned. That's where the custom manufacturing may need to take place.

Dolphin

Good point....and Lexus prob. won't entertain custom brackets. I have 19" wheels and FWD, dealer claims that mix makes it hard to fit larger brakes in that area. They prob. would not know for sure till they had the car up on the rack, and tried it. Lots of risk ordering these parts, etc. Unless there is some obvious reasons... dealers are only willing to go so far..... this falls more under R&D, vs. getting paid for every minute a mechanic is working on the car.

m1964

I have not used EBC Yellow pads but they are designed to work well only when warmed up, and are considered to be a "racing" pad.
I did use EBC Redstuff ceramic pads, in LR2 and Q5 and they produce less dust then OEM Audi or OEM LR brakes but then the redstuff pads do not brake as well ...

Their Greenstuff may be better then Lexus OEM since they are semi-metallic compound.

Clutchless

EBC Greenstuff may stop faster but will likely wear out faster as that is the tradeoff.



http://autoplicity.com/products/8106...FchM4Aodq0YAaA

Dolphin

Thx guys for feedback, much appreciated......
Since I drive in warm to HOT climates, it won't take much to heat up the brakes. Big difference when pads start temp is 90+ deg, vs. 0 deg. :-)
I have been reading up on the EBC, and it seems this is a simple, relatively low cost attempt to improve braking performance. I read the Yellow pads, decrease SUV's stopping distance up to 20ft. Of course, I assume this means 60-0 stopping distance... as usual, so little performance data to make informed decisions. Considering the relatively low cost, I am not concerned with shorter life span or even dust. Reviews have ranged from, GREAT, to, zilch improvement combined with excess dust and noise.
For those who have done these mods, is potential success (such as the 20ft decrease in stopping distance) often tied to the marriage of the EBC pads + EBC rotors? Is there a symbiotic relationship here that will provide better performance? I am not overly concerned with heat build up, as I am pretty good at not "ridding the brakes". So my thought is, slotted rotors would could potentially decrease braking gains? Any input would be appreciated...

MjThind

I'm waiting for the outcome your gonna have one sick RX with huge brakes...

Dolphin

Mj, would love to respond, but I have no idea what your post means?
Income? Money making opportunity? Confused....

MjThind

Outcome, was a typo, stupid auto correct on iPhone...

Clutchless

Slotted rotors may be noisier and may warp sooner. Be sure to get a high quality rotor. Lexus rotors almost never warp. The advantage of slots is some extra cooling effect. I had EBC Greenstuff on my 2008 MINI Cooper S and they were not better than the aggresive factory MINI pads, but had less dust. They will have more dust than Lexus pads. I think they will stop better, but may also be noisier than Lexus pads. I would just install the pads and forget about the rotors. If you do not like them, stick the Lexus pads back on. Replacing brake pads is not difficult.

Dolphin

I installed the EBC Yellow pads. So far, only 500 miles on them, so the jury is still out, but an early report as promised. As for braking performance, the improvement is SUBSTANTIAL! I would estimate 20-25% shorter braking distance. Most noticeable of course, if you are towing, having a heavy load (people or cargo) and going downhill. All braking systems are ultra sensitive to added load, so the improved braking performance become more obvious under these conditions, although the performance gains are there under normal conditions as well.

These Yellow Pads are EBC's most aggressive pads. They do squeal a bit for the first 1k miles as they seat and mesh with the Rotors finish. The squealing comes n goes. If you have the radio on, or the windows up, you can't even hear the squealing. The rotors were unchanged. Brake dust is greater, but not a problem if you wash the car somewhat regular. EBC claims the noise subsides after 1k miles. Wear can be anywhere from 5k to 100k miles as stated by EBC, it all depends on how hard you push them. If I get 30k miles from these pads, I would be very happy, at $250 for all 4, they provide excellent value. For those who know anything about braking, slight increases in braking performance can costs thousand$. It's obvious, Lexus opted for the quietest, longest lasting, and dust-free pads ...these characteristics unfortunately create reduced braking performance. Lexus knows their market. Understood.

I would now put my RX in the LX category of braking, which has superb brakes vs. the RX. As soon as I tested drove the RX, I knew a brake upgrade of some type would be required if I purchased it, as the brakes "were" mediocre, at best. Some Crossovers in the same class at much less cost have significantly better braking performance. From all the testing I could google, the RX is at the end of the pack for braking performance. It seems once you have superb brakes in a vehicle, its hard to go back.

Considering I did not change out pistons, rotors, brake lines, etc., this pad change-out offers significant performance gains per dollars spent. Time will write the final chapter on noise, dust, and longevity.

RX330inFL

Thought you might like those EBC Yellow.

Dolphin

Yes, price / performance for YELLOW EBC is impressive. As you mentioned previously, after pad change-out, braking upgrades can become quite extreme both in cost, and in physical modification. Since there is no after market kits available for 3rd Gen, specially for FWD version (the least popular of the RX), it was Yellow Pads, or nothing. I now consider my RX braking acceptable.

My guess is, on future F RX models, we will see brake upgrades. Since 13 was the first year of the F RX, it's no surprise brakes remained unchanged.....first, see how the car sells before refining the F RX features and options.

Your previous point is well taken, RX is a Crossover, not designed for extreme use in any category. Fully agreed, I haven't lost sight of that. Hence why this slight upgrade is prob. all one can realistically squeeze out of the brakes. Had I went for the GREEN EBC, I prob. would have not been satisfied with the mod.

This 1/2 car, 1/2 SUV concept takes some getting used to, when u are coming down from the higher end SUV's :-). The LX is an EXTREMELY impressive rig, even though its dated, and very costly, oh, and gets terrible fuel economy. The RX really is a very well executed compromise. Based on how many competitive crossovers are being made now, it appears the concept is really gaining market momentum. The taller all the vehicles on the road become, the more annoying a "low to the ground" car becomes as it gets harder "to see" when driving. I started noticing this 12 years ago, and now I am starting to hear a lot of other people state the same. Remarkably, the RX is only 11" shorter (in height) than the LX. My guess is, seat height is prob. only 9" lower than LX....yet side by side, the LX looks huge.