Hi everyone!

What do you guys recommend for pads?

I can buy for $110 front and rear pads plus about $20 for hardware and then the shims are as much as $70? (From Sewell)

or

I can also get Acebono ceramic pads for about the same price with backing shims attached and then get the hardware from sewell minus the shimms.

Has anyone left these overpriced shimms out of brake change?

(I purchased the truck from a non-lexus dealer 2 weeks ago, they replaced the brake pads with crap and they squeek bad)

Would love to know how to go about an effective and silent brake job!

Thanks in advance!

 

In my own experience, I got EBC Green brake pads + Ebay rotors = work like a charm. I didn't even replace the shims at all, no squeak, no weird noises while I hit the brake. And it's been about more than 5K miles so far.

everybody will suggest you to replace brake pads + rotors at the same time and I agree with that. In term of the shims itself...I wouldn't even bother to buy it unless you really experience a squeaky noise after you install the brake.

Some said "do it right, do it once at first time". Some said "don't fix until it breaks". So which one are you ?

 

I don't recommend replacing rotors with the pads unless your rotors have run-out, uneven wear or thickness that is below spec. Otherwise leave them alone.

Secondly when I replaced my pads last I left out the shims and my brakes squeaked like a ****. Then I got the shims installed.

As for the pads, I recommend sticking with oem since they are the right compound for your trucks breaking system. Changing pads to a different compound may lead to premature rotor run-out and or compromised braking performance.

Try checking prices at your local Toyota dealer. The pads and shim kit are the same kit found on the Toyota 4 runner v8. Your truck's brake system is probably the single most important system on your truck, so short of replacing the entire brake system with a bbk and corresponding pad, this is why I stick with the what the engineers at Toyota spec'd for my truck - for better or worse.

 

There are 2 different front brake pad kits available from Toyota:

04465-35290 that contains only brake pads

04465-AZ001-TM that contains the shim kit and grease in addition to the brake pads.

Brake pads are the same in both kits.

 

I just did the brakes on my wifes 2004 gx and i ordered the pads, shims and rotors all from sewell. Yes a little higher in price then what i wanted to spend but you know what the truck stops GREAT with no noise. Just what i wanted. I also feel its safe for my wife and kids.