AusTexLex

What's the lowdown on brake pads? Will aftermarket pads make a difference, or do I need to do the whole thing - calipers, rotors and pads? What about ceramic brake pads?

Thanks for your wisdom.

Lust4Lexus

I think it all depends on what you are trying to achieve. If you are trying to get better performance, and are going to track the car, a BBK might be best, but simply switching the pads from OEM might be WORSE down the line. Be prepared for possible dusting issues, and or squeaks from high performance pads. Some pads don't really grab until they get nice and hot, and unless you really drive the car aggressively, you may not extract ALL the performance of the pad. Me personally, I would stick with OEM unless I had a carefully thought out upgrade path,

OBP

Running ceramic pads ( Posi Quiet ) at all 4 corners (stock rotors) after my stock pads wore down. Slightly more noise than the stock pads but nothing concerning at all. And these Posi Quiets really bite good and hard compared with the stocks. Have been running them for about 7000 miles now and I am quite happy. Would buy Posi Quiet ceramics for my other cars too - the RL needs new front pads and rotors.

Have had no issue with brake dust at all and no squeaking problems except in the first couple of months. They're well settled and broken in now and I like the way they perform.

talwang

iTrader: (4)

stainless steel brake lines and synthetic brake fluid will help to firm up the brake feel quite a bit if you have stock calipers and rotors.

Lust4Lexus

Very true. I did do that in my Maxima. It did FEEL better, but it did not stop better, as one would expect. But my Maxima's brakes are POS by comparison to my LS's, even with the "mods".

iolmaster

iTrader: (1)

Please explain how a different brake fluid would firm up the feel of a brake system.

SChema

iTrader: (2)

It's good to have fresh fluid. Brake fluid will break down over time due to age, elements and heat cycles. Fresh fluid in a properly bled system will ensure good pedal pressure.

iolmaster

iTrader: (1)

You are joking right?. Certainly a properly bleed system is a must, but liquids, ie fluids can not be compressed. I don't care how broken down the fluid is, it cannot be compressed and has no bearing on pedal pressure. Brake fluid is not a lubricant. It is nothing more than a spacer between the master cylinder and the caliper.

talwang

iTrader: (4)

I said nothing about the shorter braking distance.
I was talking about less brake fading and more brake feel that I had actually experienced (new ss lines + synthetic brake fluid + old oem brake pads).

so we can reuse the old broken down brake fluid since it is nothing but some spacer between the master cylinder and the caliper? lol

I am sure bleeding with fresh new oem brake fluid will do the job fine and you should be able to find explaination of why synthetic brake fluid products make your brake pedal feel firmer and less spongy on the manufacturers' websites.
Maybe they conglomerate to lie?

iolmaster

iTrader: (1)

You need to go back to physics class. There may be a reason to change the fluid , but it will not make the pedal feel firmer. Neither will any type of synthetic. Fluid is fluid, it is not compressible. I don't care how dirty it gets. And manufacturers will say anything to sell a product. Why would I go to their website for an explanation.

By fluids I mean liquid fluids like brake fluid, not fluids like gaseous fluids.

talwang

iTrader: (4)

Why should I need to go back to physics class?
I have two master degrees in science already. lol

Manufacturers say it makes the brake pedal feel firmer/less spongy.
You asked someone to explain to you how a different brake fluid would firm up the feel of a brake system, they are the right guys to ask.

Edit:
I am not saying your point is not valid tho.
It could be all I needed was a bleeding. I simply stated my experience after ss lines and synthectic brake fluid.

SChema

iTrader: (2)

Where in my post did I say fluid would compress?
You do know that every time the reservoir cap is opened it's exposed to moisture?
And yes brake fluid absorbs moisture, DOT5 (Synthetic) to a lesser degree.
What happens to moisture when it vaporizes?
It turns into air, guess what? air compresses.

If this was not the case, there would not be a DOT standard with different levels of boiling points for appropriate heat situations.

You should rely on common sense before instructing individuals to go back to physics class.

iolmaster

iTrader: (1)

You missed the entire point.

Jabberwock

All brake fluids are designed to maintain very stable viscosity over a wide range of operating temperatures from boiling hot to well below freezing. The synthetic and more advanced formulations do not absorb water as easily which is the prime breakdown component of brake fluid. Synthetic brake fluid is supposed to be a more stable advanced formulation that provides a higher boiling point (185°C/365°F+) which enables use for longer interval without drain. Also its supposed to be better for ABS systems because its viscosity is lower and more stable than non synthetics allowing better cold fluid circulation in micro-valves of the ABS. Also supposed to be more chemically neutral on the internal seals in the brake system. Also has better anti-foam and anti-corrosion characteristics. That is the theory. I don't think there would be any specific difference in compressibility between fluid types given that no (normal) fluids are compressible.

Dot 5 is the most modern and advanced type of brake fluid but I am not sure it can be used in LS/SC430s. Most probably already know this but mixing DOT types of fluid can be catastrophic. Never mix DOT5 with DOT 4 for example - mixing it can result in total brake system failure.

Prasha

How many miles the pads (stock) lasts - for the average/normal/regular driving?