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Looking to purchase to replace my pads and rotors. Narrowed down to few options. I usually buy my items seperately and never bought as a kit. Options 2 and 3 are kits and are cheaper. Any advice on if the kits are ACTUALLY good or usually a combination of OK parts. I have used the AKEBONO on my cars and had no issues.
I didn't know there's a Centric package now. I essentially pieced together the identical package last year for our 2002 RX. I can't complain, the brakes feel good and the posi-quiet ceramic pads are low dust and have a good bite for daily driving similar to OEM.
I have the Akebono pad/Centric rotor setup on my ML320. No experience with the Powerstop setup. My 2010 RX is due for brakes probably in a month or so and may go with the full Centric package.
Those coated Power Stop rotors look great for reducing or eliminating the rust which is a problem with the OEM rotors. I only changed mine because they were falling apart due to rust.
Any of those pads are fine as are the Power Stop pads. I have the Raybestos Element 3 pads on my RX and think they stop a bit better than pure ceramic pads as they are a hybrid semi-metallic and ceramic. No noise, low dust, great stopping, life appears to be about the same as ceramic pads.
I bought a PowerStop kit that is the "stock replacement" for my front brakes. The coated kit you linked is just one step above mine, same pads but coated rotors. I don't like them. I understand that your kit will have different rotors but mine are junk. I live in the Mojave Desert and we've gotten maybe 3 days of rain since I installed them. The rotor hats and edges are covered in rust. I cannot imagine what they will look like in the salt belt. Various reviews on the net showed similar issues with rusty rotors. The rotors I pulled off had zero rust at 110k miles. Again, your rotors will be coated but do you trust them?
Not thrilled with the pads either. Bedded them according to instructions. I feel that they produce more brake dust, and they don't have very good initial bite. I theorize that more dust means shorter life span. That sucks because the pads weren't notably thicker than the ones I removed, which had a minimum of 25k miles on them. One of the pads in the picture is my used pad, and the other is the brand new unused PowerStop pad. Maybe you won't care, maybe the average Joe in a Lexus wouldn't care about bite or dust, but given the research you've put in so far, I bet you'd notice.
All in, my experience with PowerStop isn't great. They are probably safe enough, and I'd put them on for someone who is not a car person, who just uses their car as an appliance and doesn't care about it at all. But I barely drive the RX and I'm fed up enough after 3k miles, that I'm considering re-doing it with all OEM parts. Or, let me know if you use one of your other options and end up loving it.
Actually, an uncoated rotor will not look much worse in the rust belt compared to the desert. They are cast iron and it rusts immediately. All rotors will do this if they are not coated. Once they get wet the first time the coat of rust is the protective layer. The salt may corrode the rotor but it will not rust faster. I have been using Centric premium coated rotors for years on many different cars and have never had one rust. The pads should have been ceramic and ceramic pads do not produce much dust if any. they may have sold you semi metallic or maybe even organic. The people at PowerStop are very cooperative and they may be willing to work with you on a solution.
Actually, an uncoated rotor will not look much worse in the rust belt compared to the desert. They are cast iron and it rusts immediately. All rotors will do this if they are not coated. Once they get wet the first time the coat of rust is the protective layer. The salt may corrode the rotor but it will not rust faster. I have been using Centric premium coated rotors for years on many different cars and have never had one rust. The pads should have been ceramic and ceramic pads do not produce much dust if any. they may have sold you semi metallic or maybe even organic. The people at PowerStop are very cooperative and they may be willing to work with you on a solution.
Yes you're right, all uncoated rotors will do this. But I don't think rust stops at the surface layer...if it did, body panels would never rust through and we know that's false. And, the pictures of rust I saw on AutoSpecialty rotors ..the vanes were practically gone. I guarantee it was a lot more than surface rust.
I bought my kit from Amazon from a seller named PowerStop. Either it is pretty much manufacturer direct, or they really got a problem on their hands. I got whatever they send with the KOE4713 kit which should be Z16 ceramic pads. They produce more dust than what I took off the vehicle. They do not produce Euro-make levels of dust, but more is more. I don't think it's fair to say that ceramic pads produce very little dust. The OEM pads on my uncle's 1997 540i are ceramic, and they generate massive amounts of dust.
As far as PowerStop cooperating with me, I'm not sure why they would. From their perspective I got what I ordered. The rotors aren't warped and the pads haven't melted, nor are they noisy. From my perspective, when you gamble on cheap you win some you lose some. I feel that this one was not a complete loss but also not a win. Big picture, its not that bad given that it's my wife's daily and she has no issues with it. It still irks me enough that I want to redo it now, but I'll probably just wait til they warp and buy a higher level brake kit. OP asked for 2 cents and I wanted to help. Guess all I did was open a can of worms
I put on the Powerstop Z23 kit for the fronts a few years ago. Love them. THey have far less rust then the OEM rears (rotor wise). I too live in the high desert and the rainy winter did create a nice coating of rust on the rears, but hardly anything up front where the Powerstops are. If you're not use to drill and slotted rotors, the buzz they make when stomping hard may take some getting use to, but they stop very well, better than OEM, and are wearing very well and no dust. Overall, very satisfied.
I have no experience with the "stock" replacement that N4TECguy has, but with any brand, there are variations in quality. From his experience I would not be getting the KOE4713 kit, but would reorder the Z23's no problem.
It may be the Amazon seller is marketing fake PowerStop brake parts. I would contact PowerStop directly via their web page and find out about the Amazon seller. There are a lot of fakes for sale on Amazon. https://www.powerstop.com/
Put powerstop in my frontier before we unexpectedly sold it. Performed well, but rust and brake dust was a big issue. Can't speak to them being genuine or not. Purchased on ebay but i believe through a large reputable auto parts company, just not sure which one at the moment.
Lots of people use Power stop parts. There in a general good part definitely not the "best" but a OEM comparison for sure. Ive used them on several cars Ive had with no complaints. Also really like EBC brakes. Im not sure what they make for the RX but Ive used them on my Camaro and passed GM trucks.
I have been using Wagner ThermoQuiet brake pads on all of our vehicles for the past decade or so. Quick bite, very little dust, silent as a tomb, long-lasting, and very affordable.
Actually, an uncoated rotor will not look much worse in the rust belt compared to the desert. They are cast iron and it rusts immediately. All rotors will do this if they are not coated. Once they get wet the first time the coat of rust is the protective layer. The salt may corrode the rotor but it will not rust faster. I have been using Centric premium coated rotors for years on many different cars and have never had one rust. The pads should have been ceramic and ceramic pads do not produce much dust if any. they may have sold you semi metallic or maybe even organic. The people at PowerStop are very cooperative and they may be willing to work with you on a solution.
Correct. If there is a significant price difference between a rotor that is uncoated vs coated....I will go out of the way to paint the rotor hats with high temp bbq paint for rust prevention.
04-09-19, 11:10 AM
Help choosing Brake & Rotors for RX350
