seanl

My front pads are close to needing replacement and I want to do this myself....does anyone have a favorite Mail Order Lexus parts house that sells the factory LS400 pad at wholesale prices?

thanks

Sooner

call steve ganz or check your dealer there only like $75

whitels

I also buy it from www.irontoad.com

wwest

When it comes to replacing brake pads I never look for better pricing nor longivity. Assuming 15K miles (I actually get 20 to 25) and $100 that's $0.006/mile.

Go buy the very BEST (~$80-$100 typical) brake pads you can find, and if they offer a long or lifetime warranty walk straight away.

seanl

I agree, it's not worth cutting corners when it comes to brake components, but I'm looking for the BEST PRICE on the factory LS400 pads, not an el cheapo Autozone replacement.

Is there a better front brake pad for the LS400? I am familiar with Porterfield, Brembo, etc.

wwest

There's ALWAYS a better aftermarket product than "factory" or dealer.

vuvu

Try this link for OEM pads. It should be around $48.00

http://www.parts.com/index.cfm?actio...Front&sfid=401

seanl

That depends on the applicaton. For a street driven car (not open tracked/road raced) I want quiet, dust-free, and long life and in that order. I believe the factory Lexus pads fit that description fairly well, but I am alwayswilling to learn about something better.

Can you elaborate on who in the aftermarket makes a better (front) brake pad for the LS400?

Thanks,

wwest

Quiet: okay

Dust free: doesn't exist to my knowledge.

Long life: you have a choice, you can buy a brake pad that wears down over time (and sheds brake dust in the process) or you can buy a brake pad that wears down the rotor over time.

Back to quiet:

Either Lexus or NAPA can sell you a set of stainless steel and paper backing shims to help quiet the pads and a bottle of goop, red/orange liquid that cures to a rubbery consistency that is applied to the steel backing or shims to help dampen the vibratory noise you often get during braking. You can chamfer the leading and trailing edges of the pads by about 30 degrees which also helps.

I have installed two separate brands of reasonably expensive high end brake pads on my 78 911 (Boxster front brake calipers/cross drilled rotors) and basically never able to fully "quiet" them.

I have seen ads for brake pads claiming to be dust free but my simple logic simply rejects the possibility. Brake pads MUST wear, so where do the worn off particles go?

Long life: Hmmm...

I usually get about 20 to 25k miles on a front set, even on the Porsche. I fully expect to have to turn the rotors about every other time I replace the brake pads. If I found that I didn't need to turn the rotors I would become suspecious that the brake pads were not fully up to snuff.

I guess the way I buy brake pads is that I avoid any purchase that promises a specific pad life. I feel that if my pads aren't worn out at 25K then they aren't doing a good enough job.

seanl

OK, you got me there, i meant relatively dust free....I have used pad compounds that squeal like a stuck pig and shed tons of dust, and on the other end of the spectrum used the Porterfield R4-S that is quite and 'relatively' dust free.

But you still haven't recommended an aftermarket brake pad that performs better than the factory Lexus pads. We're not talking track driven Porsches or Vipers here where we have to worry about fading and boiling fluid. I just want to replace the pads with something at least as good as stock. Since I've yet to replace the brakes on my LS, I do not have the firsthand knowledge of what's available....

So, please tell me what are the best brake pads for the LS400?

Thanks,

wwest

I most commonly go to NAPA and look over what's available, listen to the dialogue and make a decision.

kreativ

An independent Toyota mechanic I talked to said that aftermarket parts are okay in many instances, but for brake pads, Toyota OEM are the best.

I'm not too thrilled with how they squeal though...even after a new set of rotors, new shim kit, and anti-squeal compound applied.

wwest

no Toyota mechanic would be prejudiced against aftermarket, competing, products.

DevilDog

Here is a GREAT website that talks all about brakes, and all the technical issues related to brakes. The section regarding "warped rotors" is very interesting.

DD


http://www.stoptech.com/technical/