Mkot9

So, I need to put on front brakes, easy peasy. I'm not sure of the best ones though. Understand that I live 8,000 ft up in SoCal and have limited options for retailers unless I drive 60 miles one way. Are these good or are there better. I have NAPA and Advanced Auto up here. This particular pair seems to have all the shims, etc., that I need. If there's something that's a better buy please tell me. I can always wait until I go down the hill and have all the other auto parts stores, it's just a pain. Thank you guys, you rock!!!
PS- if you had your "druthers" would you get jack stands or a couple ton floor jack already assuming you had blocks for underneath??? (my late husband who was a certified "junkyard dog" had both but they've ben stolen a few years ago and I'm tight on the bucks!) Thanks

Lexuswiz

iTrader: (1)

I actually like OEM Lexus pads and rotors. Scour ebay for toyota/lexus parts dealers, most likely to find one cheaper than your local lexus dealer and shipped to your door. I think front set for my old RX330 was about $250 for rotors, pads, and shims shipped to my door from Bell Lexus of Scottsdale.

Otherwise cannot go wrong with Akebono or Bosch which Advance does carry but usually has to be ordered.

All you really need is a single floor jack but I always highly recommend jack stands.

iMSQ

Felix

Being you have to deal w/ hills as well as the oem brakes aren't the greatest. Really best to upgrade to a gen3 brakes which is a direct bolt on. Two piston calipers vs a single piston, bigger pad surface as well as bigger rotors. One look at the two pads tell ya. Cost wise is you'll need to get a pr of reman calipers, the pads & rotors are similar priced as the oem replacement ones. Your gains are better braking, longer lasting vs the oem size as well as less pedal travel. Yeah its a little more work, but great to flush the old fluid w/ new dot3, oh & yea the oem brake hoses bolt on. I went w/ SS hoses from Tirerack.

spinellib

Follow the advice of the previous posts above.
But certainly stay away from "ebay specials" selling no-name china junk rotors and pads for cheap.

And, yes, get the floor jack. If you have sufficient blocks of wood, they'll do fine to support the car instead of jack stands.

Lexuswiz

iTrader: (1)

Didn't even think of this, good call Felix. Actually been looking into trying to swap in ISF/GSF 6 pot calipers on my NX, your post is the motivating me even more. The NX two pots are too whimpy for my driving style and now I'm having flash backs of my whimpier RX330 brakes lol.

Mkot9

Thanks for all the good advice, I'll look into all of it. I was going to just replace the brake pads but now I'm considering making them better. I drove off the mountain yesterday and realized, after a few rocks here and there, that landslide season is nearly upon us! A six hour traffic jam was the result a few weeks ago when this boulder fell on a car; sitting in it wasn't as bad as being under that rock!

Your informed advice on improving my brakes may just save lives!
Thank you very much!

Felix

Basically you'd be out the cost of reman calipers as the rotors/pads would be about a wash cost wise......gen2 vs gen3 rotors/pads......There are 2 different calipers for the gen3's/Highlander's same as the gen2 rotors depending on where it was built, Japan or Canada. It really doesn't matter which you go with. I like the looks of the ones for the Canada built ones, but when they're installed you really won't see them. I used C1324 pads, #980636rgs rotors w/ 19B6274/75 calipers & I also used SS brake hoses from Tirerack as well as flushed out the old fluid w/ new dot3. The Calipers for the N/American built vehicles are #19B3352/53. The only difference that I find is the 6274/75 calipers use 44mm pistons vs 45mm pistons in the 3352/53. Either way, you'll find a firmer pedal w/ less pedal travel as I find. This is a great cost effective brake upgrade vs BBK's from Stoptech, ect....I was caught off guard to find the calipers are steel vs a alloy, but the gen2 & 3 front bearings are the same, so the added static weight vs the oem brake performance is with it. Yea you could upgrade the rear brakes as well, but after researching what you need to do & what Toyota could of made it easier, I'll pass after all its not a performance vehicle such as a SRT g/c that I was originally looking at, as my wife had a couple of her g/f's come over w/ their rx's.....

matts6887

Bell lexus is a GREAT!!! dealer to do business with!. The parts guy there saved my hind end and gave me a smoking deal on a new eternity key shell Excellent people!