mcyc

After switching to the low dust brake pads for about 2 months, I can definitely say I don't like them. Sure there are less brake dusts but I feel the braking performance has degraded noticablly. When braking lightly, there really isn't as much difference but under moderate to heavier braking, I don't feel the bite as the original brake pads. It seems that I have to depress the brake pedal more to get the same braking power as before. When I asked the dealer if I can switch back to the orignal pads, I was told that they didn't make them anymore and they've all switched to the low dust pads. So my questions to you all are

1) Do you feel a deterioration in brake performance if you've switched?
2) Is it true that Lexus no longer makes the original pads?
3) Are there some adjustments that can be made to the brakes?
4) Will the IS350 pads work on the GS430?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i don't feel any difference, the brakes work just like before. i wonder if the rotors were surfaced when new pads applied

i also doubt pads are discontinued. if anything you get the pads for 08 and it will fit fine imho

Mesca

iTrader: (28)

I too noticed a CONSIDERABLE decrease in braking performance. I swapped for the low dust pads on my 07 and I believe the severity of my accident could have been decreased maybe a considerable margin if I kept the original pads. I stomped on the brakes but it never had that bite, it felt like the pads were slipping. Some people say they don't notice a difference but I'm sure there's a performance switch-off for having little to no brake dust. This time around I'm NOT going to have it done again. Just gonna suck it up and wash my wheels more often

mcyc

Mesca : I think you hit it on the head. The brakes does feel like it's slipping not like before when it felt like the pads where sandpaper.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

I feel the same way.
I've had the brake pad swap done twice.Recently in the GS with 400 miles and no machining of the rotors and with 21K miles on an IS with a machining of the rotors.
Knowing how safety minded Toyota is with the NAV operation,remote start operation etc,I doubt very much there's any significant difference in braking between the regular pads and low dust pads.

MadDawg350

One thing that we need to remember that braking "performance" is relatively subjective from person to person, and car to car. I had my pads replaced to the low dust pads due to the original pads being worn out, just a little bit over a month ago. With the pad replacement, the rotors were also resurfaced. Based on my experience with my specific GS, I believe there is a slight decrease in braking performance, more noticable when the brakes are cold. Once the brakes are sufficiently warmed up, the braking performance improves almost to the level of the original pads.

In the end, it boils down to whether or not you like to have clean wheels or have good braking performance. Me personally, I will take performance over cleanliness any day. The reason why I chose the low dust pads for replacement instead of going with the original pads, was that I could get them for free under the TSB.