dimsumboy

hey guys, my pop's 02 rx300 which now with 65k and brakes are going, after like 2 days of reading I have a decent idea with parts, just need some reassurance. Besides spending 1500 on rotora kit, how about following combos, which would you guys go for? since my parent drives it most of the time, it is important to me that the SUV will stop as quick as possible, I hope these perform like OEM if not better. I was planning to go Midas, they quoted me around 500ish for front/rear premium pads + resurfacing the rotors. But I thing these parts will be better than what they can offer me. So any help will be great.

Ford heavy duty brake fluid?

rotora drilled+slotted w/ hawk hps?

+


bremo + akenbono ProAct?


+

Rollin'ES3

I'd go with Oem fluid. Not sure on Ford Heavy Duty....

And Id pick the brembo and akenbano. But if I could switch the pads out Id pick Oem pads and brembo rotors. Just my opinion. I don't like how aftermarket are.

dimsumboy

isnt akebono pro act are the OEM pads?

Lexmex

Akebono does make the stock pads, though they are of a different material as I noticed the AK badge on some old stock RX300 pads I had, but I use the Akebono Pro Acts and I like them.

I have used Hawk and EBC before. EBC kicks up a ton of dust. Hawk isn't too bad at all but I like the feeling of the Akebonos and on the track in bracket racing competitions, the Akebono Pro Acts give the smoother response I need rather than a jagged harsh stop that can lose me a race.

For brake fluid, ATE SuperBlue. Ford Heavy Duty I would use down here because for a time I could not get anything else and it had excellent dry boiling points for the price (and in my case the availability).

I would prefer just slotted rotors as drilled incidentally reduces the surface area of the pad.

salimshah

We have had long discussions about stopping distances and brakes.

If you do not suffer from brake fading due to excessive braking and heat build up, the difference you will feel with better brakes will be the effort needed by your foot. With ABS the only significant factor in braking will be due to contact patch and the type of tire/road surface. [As long as your brake system can lock up the wheel, it will be released by abs].

Fading is the only significant advantage with better brake system. Other than that the differences are, weight, rotational mass, looks, wear, sound and sight. I mentioned effort to push down and hold will be different [aka leverage advantage].


Primarily it will be lack of fading, then there are ARE secondary advantages of better braking systems BUT

Investing in better tires will typically give you better return on the money.


If you do intend to change the brakes, do us a favor by objectively testing the stopping distances by standing on the pedal, before and after.

Salim

thomas1

Brembo and akebono, from Tire Rack. Good combo and reasonably priced. Pick up a Haynes Highlander/RX300 manual and do it yourself. Save a lot of money and learn why the prices they charge are way overboard.

carguy07

Agreed, this is a no brainer for price and performance. It is a pretty easy DIY job. Nothing too intimidating in there.

carguy07

Is the ATE Blue good for a car that does not get flushed regularly? I'm leery of putting performance fluid in the brake system since some take on water quicker than stock. I love the idea of the blue tint.

Lexmex

Well there's a gold version of it, too.

I don't flush mine regularly at all, though I really should and last time I did, I had some air in the lines.

The Ford stuff is good when new but after a while it can get contaminated rather easily, while the ATE seems to hold its own rather well and Motul's fluid is about on part with ATE according to some.

dimsumboy

thats why I love this forum so much over the other lexus forums, you guys rocks, very honest opions. i guess I'd go rotora slotted + akebono proact, and the last question is how often do you guys recommend flush/change brake fluid.
If I can get my hands on any brake fluid, what would you guys recommend best application for street use, during winter I'd I take it up to the snow pretty often <lake tahoe> from SF Ca.

Lexmex

At least once every 2 years for the change out.

dimsumboy

how much brake fluid do I need?

Lexmex

About 1 liter, see https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=185967

AlexusAnja

Take it for what it's worth, but drilled and slotted just seems like overkill for an RX. If must, I would say get just slotted. Besides what Lexmex said with reducing area, depending on how drilled, the rotors have a tendency to crack from the last hole along the edge, to the edge. I got a pair of drilled/slotted rotors for my Accord recently and I don't even notice any difference, but then again I haven't gone to a track to do before vs. after numbers.
If you're parents drive like parents should drive, then I think OEM parts are more than enough.

TunedRX300

Gold is the same except the color of the dye, reason? You can have the brake fluid with the same chemical composition but can tell when to stop bleeding brake by detecting the color change. Very neat...

Carguy07,
I don't know why would anyone not to put performance brake fluid that are DOT complying. Higher wet boiling point means safety. If one says $5 more per liter is expensive, what is the value of stopping shorter to avoid an accident?