2012 IS350 rear brakes?
 

Yes, I just registered and I am stuck. I am helping a friend with her 2012 IS 350AWD by swapping out her brakes. I ordered the IS350 OE replacement kit from Power Stop. I have done the pin style brakes before on my 300 with no issue. In fact I did the front pads and rotors in about 25 minutes. I am STRUGGLING with the rears terrible. I have popped the rotors off, put the new rotors on, the float on the lugs just fine. However after compressing the piston and putting the new pads in I can't get the loaded caliper to fit of the rotor. There is ZERO clearance and the it is just too snug. I can force the caliper over the rotor but when attach the caliper back on rotor become cock-eyed. You can see the pad doesn't sit flush against the side of the caliper once you slide it over the rotor. This happens on BOTH sides. Not sure what I am doing wrong here. On a side note, I am not able to fully remove the pins. I can get them about 30% out but then the just freeze. I have tried putting a used pad over the pins and using a c-clamp to retract them but no dice there either. I'd prefer to not cut them since I don't have replacements.

You shouldn't need to remove the caliper to replace the pads. But that of course assumes the pins will come all the way out. Grease the pins and try again. I'd want that solved first, if it were me.
Will the calipers slide side to side, since they are floating? I'm wondering if your slide pin is frozen. Though when you removed the old pads, one pad would likely have been much thinner than the other.
If the pin is frozen, that needs to be addressed. If not, then I'd start by moving the retaining pins out as far as you can and removing the inside pad. Then put on and tighten up (but not torque) and see if you can get the other pad in there. That way you will at least have the caliper on in the correct location and see where it is binding, if it still is.
I hope that makes sense.

Also from the pics it looks like you missed that springy clip that goes through the holes in the retaining pins and keeps them from sliding out over time.

I have new pins and the springy thing coming in today. I pulled the caliper to replace the rotors at the same time. As for the calipers moving, nope they don't move at all. If you are referring to the rubber bushing areas. I was able to loosen of of the bolts but the rubber boot twists. Thanks for the reply!

If you are saying the thing circled should be loose, it is not!

You can see where the slide pins are by the red arrows. They are inside that part of the caliper. The blue arrow shows the bolt that also slides. The bolt is usually not a problem. In this pic, one caliper is fully retracted and the other is fully extended, so you can see the difference that you are looking for. If you remove the bolt, be careful not to break the boot. It may not turn with the bolt. You may be lucky and able to loosen by moving that arm up and down. Mine would absolutely not move. If you have to break them free, a friend of mine did that by hitting the caliper on the side with a hammer where the brown arrow points. After removing the bolt of course. The boot on the slide pin might put up a fight as well. Then you'll have to use some emery cloth to clean up the slide pin. You have to clean up the female part where the slide pin inserts to as well. I did that with some emery cloth around a drill bit. Something smoother than a drill bit is better if you have one available. Then I used some rust converter in the housing to clean up since you can't really see in there. Then use some fairly high temp grease. The boots on can be a bit of a pain to reseat, so check how it is done before removing. The only alternative is to buy some new calipers. That is what most do. I couldn't find any at napa when I did mine, so we resorted to the cleaning.

BTW these are off a 2006 IS350
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.clu...7f63a346ab.jpg

Mine for SURE look like the left side! When I turn the bolt, the boot twists so I already know not to tear that boot. I am guessing I should be able to pop the boot off the bolt so i can remove it? Then beat the other end with no bolt to pop them apart? I ordered new remanu's from Rock already to have for when I say F it. That picture is worth a million, thanks!

You should be able to pop it off. It was a couple of years ago, so I don't remember. If not, try moving the bolt a bit then twisting the boot back the other way??

This is such a common problem and Lexus has had 10 years to fix it. You might try asking the dealership to replace it free since it should probably be a recall anyway.

Poor lady, she is a friend and asked me to detail it for her, since I do it on a lift she asked about brakes. Sucker me said sure after researching and seeing they were like the brembo's on my SRT. Car has 70k on it and is out of the warranty. Besides, not sure how I would get it to the dealer with no back tires! I'm going to attempt to get the bolt out, I am guessing I can beat the bottom side out then using a punch of some sort? I REALLY don't want to replace the calipers!

no punch. if you hit until they rotate a bit then you should just be able to pull them apart.
It would be your friend to deal with the dealership. At that point I'd just be putting the old pads back in and send her to talk to the dealer. If they say no, they say no.

Thank you very much for your help! I ended up taking it apart, I was able to remove the one bolt that was a slider just fine. I mounted the caliper and whacked the caliper until it separated. Cleaned it up, but it back together and just finished bedding them!

good to hear.