brake job --- expansion bolt???
09-09-09, 10:04 AM
#16
And that right there is reason enough for anyone who is really interested in having their car serviced properly to stay 500 feet away from your shop. 
Just out of curiosity, what is the proper procedure -- without looking at the service manual -- for installing cams in a LS V8?
Uhhh..... That's more than likely about selling the customer a rotor job which is about 90% profit -- it's not about what's needed or not needed.
Just out of curiosity, what is the proper procedure -- without looking at the service manual -- for installing cams in a LS V8?
considering that in my 5 years working for Lexus I have yet to see anyone at my dealer (including my shop foreman) do a brake service without cutting the rotors 
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09-09-09, 04:15 PM
#17
I am in 100% agreement with I6turbo.
I leave the rotors alone unless they warped. Then replace if needed. It seemed that every time I had rotors turned, they quickly warped afterward. I've had much better luck just changing pads the first time, then changing the rotors to new the next time.
It isn't about the money. I do all of my own auto maintenance/repair and my motto is, "when in doubt, change it out" Frankly, most parts are cheap when compared to paying a stealership to do a half-assed job.
I leave the rotors alone unless they warped. Then replace if needed. It seemed that every time I had rotors turned, they quickly warped afterward. I've had much better luck just changing pads the first time, then changing the rotors to new the next time.
It isn't about the money. I do all of my own auto maintenance/repair and my motto is, "when in doubt, change it out" Frankly, most parts are cheap when compared to paying a stealership to do a half-assed job.
09-21-09, 01:58 PM
#18
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ok, you can laugh at me for awhile but please...
well, I tried to do the brakes myself but there were rings on the rotors, I could not get the caliper off then it broke loose but I could not keep the piston open then liquid leaked.
I was gonna put the tire back on and smack a tree but I called AAA had the car taken to toyota and they charged me $519 for a brakejob and said I needed the bolts. It's fine so far.
I feel like an idiot but will never try to do any work on my car again.
my camry, I was able to do brakes, belts,hoses, wires,plugs,fluid changes, tps, bulbs, etc
this car scares the S^%#@$ out of me.
well, I tried to do the brakes myself but there were rings on the rotors, I could not get the caliper off then it broke loose but I could not keep the piston open then liquid leaked.
I was gonna put the tire back on and smack a tree but I called AAA had the car taken to toyota and they charged me $519 for a brakejob and said I needed the bolts. It's fine so far.
I feel like an idiot but will never try to do any work on my car again.
my camry, I was able to do brakes, belts,hoses, wires,plugs,fluid changes, tps, bulbs, etc
this car scares the S^%#@$ out of me.
09-21-09, 06:14 PM
#19
brakes are extremely easy to change on the LS. I do it myself. I get parts from either Sewell or IronToad. Spark plugs are easy to do as well if you have tools. Timing is way early to do at 78k...no?
another thing...you do not take the calipers off when you change brake pads. there's a retaining clip that holds the pin/rod that prevents the brake pads from popping back out of the calipers. all you need to do is use a screwdrive to lift the retaining clip, then push the rod out and brake pds come out just using your bare fingers. calipers stay in place.
you push the pistons in with either a screwedriver against the rotor pushing on the brake pad towards the piston, or use a big blade screwdriver to do that without the pads in place. but you have to remove the cap from the brake fluid reservoir so you can compress the pistons.
another thing...you do not take the calipers off when you change brake pads. there's a retaining clip that holds the pin/rod that prevents the brake pads from popping back out of the calipers. all you need to do is use a screwdrive to lift the retaining clip, then push the rod out and brake pds come out just using your bare fingers. calipers stay in place.
you push the pistons in with either a screwedriver against the rotor pushing on the brake pad towards the piston, or use a big blade screwdriver to do that without the pads in place. but you have to remove the cap from the brake fluid reservoir so you can compress the pistons.
Last edited by audphile1; 09-21-09 at 06:18 PM.
09-22-09, 10:33 AM
#20
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1 I'd say that turning the rotors is like washing out your old oil filter and reusing it. 
2 As I said, turned rotors often result in poorer performance than if you leave them alone since they are usually perfectly well within spec. But if you're all about not cutting corners, why don't you buy new rotors instead?
2 As I said, turned rotors often result in poorer performance than if you leave them alone since they are usually perfectly well within spec. But if you're all about not cutting corners, why don't you buy new rotors instead?
2 Not going to argue with you there. If only........less headaches for me...but that wont happen.
Oh and that dealer is a rip off cause the brake service here is like 350-400 for an ls430 w/ caliper bolts.
09-22-09, 10:40 AM
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Ohhh i just did the front brakes on my car. Changed the bolts, pads, lubed the caliper, cut(or turn) the rotors and everything. My 4k pound boat stops on a dime and gives me change. wouldnt do it any other way. 
wouldnt do it any other way.
09-23-09, 02:45 PM
#23
You absolutely need to change the front bolts everytime you do a front brake service. I have yet to see a real brake service consist of just slapping new pads on there. Doing front brakes without cutting the rotors is like doing an oil change without the filter. There is no possible way of getting the rotor off the car to be resurfaced without removing the caliper, and therefor needing new bolts....I am probably the youngest/poorest person on here and it still amazes me how people will try anything to save a few bucks on their 30, 40, 50K+ car. 
. Doing front brakes without cutting the rotors is like doing an oil change without the filter. There is no possible way of getting the rotor off the car to be resurfaced without removing the caliper, and therefor needing new bolts....I am probably the youngest/poorest person on here and it still amazes me how people will try anything to save a few bucks on their 30, 40, 50K+ car. I can comfortably say that most owners are not concerned with the costs associated with changing the bolts as we drive luxury cars in excess of at least $15,000. I dont think its fair to insinuate or associate those taking part in this thread or similar ones as "cheap" or "trying to cut corners". Most of us have families and wouldn't think of trying to cut corners when servicing the breaking system.
Having said that, it is also unnecessary to take off the caliper and resurface the rotors when they are perfectly round. This is not necessary attributed to costs savings, but many do not own torque wrenches for example, and prefer to keep the original bolt torqued, etc. Some of us have even had issues arise after resurfacing otherwise perfectly round rotors merely due to a routine recommendation by a service writer or mechanic who will later blame it on a host of other items if you incur any problems.
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