DIY: IS350 front brakes (w/o removing caliper)
 

Ok, so I need new front brakes. I know there's a DIY thread already here, but since I'm doing it without removing the caliper (which is what the FSM calls for), I figured I'd snap some pics and do a quick write-up for all those interested - so here goes:

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This was BY FAR the easiest brake job I've ever done - much easier than past vehicles I've had. The job took me two hours, since I was stopping a lot to take pictures. Without the pictures, it would have taken me about an hour, not including the 30 minutes I spend afterward bedding my brakes. Final tally:

Brake pads: $53 shipped
Anti-squeal lube: $1.07
2 cans for brake cleaner: $6.23
Pumice hand cleaner: $1.99

So I spent two hours, and saved about $200 - hooray for me! This is something ANYBODY can do and avoid getting raped by the dealership.

Javier

is there any reason in particular you didnt do the free tsib? thanks this will come in handy for the future.

Because 1) I have 19,000 miles on my brakes and wouldn't feel right taking my car in for them to "fix" a problem I don't have, and, 2) I don't care about the brake dust - I like the OEM pads.

Javier

There was still a lot of life left in those pads. Minimum spec is 1mm. Looks like you still had 2mm to go before minimum spec, so you had another 4k miles or so had you chosen to wait.

Did you measure your disc thickness?

Yeah, I noticed I still had some life left, but they were squealing a good bit lately, so I decided to go ahead and change them out. By the way, the 19,000 miles I got out of my OEM brake pads includes several trips to the drag strip and mountain/canyon runs, and I still had some life left, as you can see - so I'm happy with the performance of the pads. AFA measuring the disc thickness, I'll be getting new rotors in a few months, so I didn't bother to measure them.

Javier

That does look simple. Great write up.

thanks for the right up javy.. this'll come in handy.

ooo, where do you go? Angeles Crest?

Great write up :thumbup:

So resurfacing of the rotors aren't required?

No. Not unless they are damaged or deeply scored. Resurfacing is just a quick way to get new rotors on the car.

great diy write up javy! now someone needs to do this for the 250 hahah. btw, what camera did you use?

Thanks for taking the time to share this with us!

Great write up Javy. I have 16k miles on my car now. Most of them where highway miles so my brakes are still doing great. I'll have to remember this DIY when i get mine changed. Thanks

That was a great wright up. Thank you. I noticed you used the original OEM pads instead of the new OEM less dusty pad. Any reason for that decision?