Fis4Forty

Well it is time for new front rotors and pads on my 2016 GS350 F-sport. Curious if any GS owners have replaced OEM with the Tom's Performer pads and had any feedback? These are popular amongst some GSF owners for the reduction in brake dust and squeal so wondering if these have similar benefits on the GS350. (I don't have any squeal but would be nice to eliminate some of that brake dust). Thanks all!

jgscott

iTrader: (1)

I've looked at the Toms pads before. The prices I have seen were about $180 for the front pads. Tom's name stuff is over expensive & and highly overrated, imo. Looks like they are just Ceramic compound instead of Asbestos.

I use these two pads. - https://www.buybrakes.com/akebono-ac...et-2-wheel-set

https://www.tirerack.com/brakes/brak...utoModClar=RWD

No need for Shims. They already have the backing shim built in, and they are completely quite, very high quality brake pads.

InveredMP

The TOMS Performer pads are a significantly higher performance pad than the ACT. In fact the ACT isn't even a performance pad, the Akebono ASP would be a more comparable pad, but even then the TOMS pads have a higher heat range of 0-500 degrees.

The TOMS pads are good. Cold initial bite is a bit softer but 3 normal applications seem to wake the pads up just fine and bite feels comparable to F Sport pads. The stopping force on a hard application is fantastic and the fade is significantly less than stock pads. They need a good bedding and some break in but they are a great pad that I would put very comparable to the Project Mu PS pads.

If you want something comparable to F Sport pads that dust less, no noise, good cold stopping and a bit more of a performance step, get the Akebono ASP. If you want a pad that is a performance step up from that, the Project Mu PS and TOMS are great options.

The Akebono ACT is a comparable replacement pad to the non F Sport pad, it isn't a performance pad.

GrandSedanFan

iTrader: (1)

Have you used the Project Mu pads? I was looking at PS and B Spec, leaning more towards B Spec as I care more about cold performance, initial bite, and rotor deposits far more than brake dust, but I have found very few reviews on them.

InveredMP

I have ran PS before and I like those as I like a more performance oriented pad. Very comparable to TOMs. If you want something a bit closer to stock with maybe slightly better performance but no noise and little dust, go with Project Mu NS-C. Although I will say my TOMS make zero noise and dust significantly less than stock F Sport.

GrandSedanFan

iTrader: (1)

Thank you.

The last time I did brakes on my car I installed all factory stuff - the rears started to judder after one hard brake from 80mph down to 30 mph, within 1000 miles of installing them. I've just been living with it for the last 15k miles but I'd like to avoid repeating that experience. I tried rebedding to no avail, and I'm now due for pads and rotors again, so I'm shopping around.

Meraki Autoworks

iTrader: (8)

Toms are great products. We sell their pads with positive feedback. Another cheaper alternative is stoptech/centric.

-Josh

Fis4Forty

All great feedback from everyone, many thanks.

You had issues with the OEM rotors and pads? I am going to need new front rotors as well so curious to hear what you have been shopping. I was quoted around $400 (per rotor) for OEM fronts for my '16 F-Sport. I thought I saw a Lexus part # that was around $120 but maybe that was the non F-Sport. $400 per rotor seems a bit nuts for OEM especially considering the OEM GSF rotors I think are cheaper than that. Maybe I am looking at the wrong Part #?

Fis4Forty

Josh, in your experience what's the best aftermarket front rotors for a '16 F-Sport that you have been selling based on the feedback?

jgscott

iTrader: (1)

I'm fully aware that the ASP is better. Much better performance wise. I posted about in this forum many times in the F Sport brake threads. I have run both the ACT and ASP on my GS. The ASP has little fade and bites, very, very well at both low and high speed. If you read the op's 1st post? He said - "for the reduction in brake dust and squeal so wondering if these have similar benefits on the GS350. (I don't have any squeal but would be nice to eliminate some of that brake dust). Thanks all!. lol!So I never said the ACT was better. It was related to his concern about dust and squeal. NOT performance!

The ASP also will not escalate heavy Rotor wear. Be caution that some of the higher performance street pad compounds will escalate Rotor wear a lot faster due to the compound pad used to aid in the increase performance. The op never mentioned Performance in the 1st post I replied to, and neither did I. So I have no idea why you are saying someone said performance at all???

Meraki Autoworks

iTrader: (8)

Brembo OE or Centric.

-Josh

Asav

iTrader: (2)

R1 concepts ceramics. cheap, low dust, good bite... thank me later

jgscott

iTrader: (1)

R1 concepts are not so great. There are tons of complaints from Japanese and German cars owners about them. They have a consistent review of making noise. The E-Line is really cheap crap.

InveredMP

All of R1 Concept's stuff is cheap rebranded crap...

Asav

iTrader: (2)

I'm not really arguing that point because I have never used their rotors, but to my surprise their pads have been great for me. I bought them in pinch back during covid out of sheer desperation when supplies were thin, and they have been great. We are healthcare workers in our home so we were always on the road commuting all through covid and needed likely more maintenance than most people that weren't driving much during that time period. I ended up grabbing some more and putting them on 3 different vehicles = the GS, 335 Bimmer and a Honda accord, all headache free. Maybe I got lucky. I typically run akebono pads and be done as I only need low dust and my driving habit doesnt really require anything beyond avg stopping power.