Finally did the IS350 Caliper and Rotor upgrade on my car. Was getting tired of seeing those baby brakes behind the 20".


Cost me about $430 for the front setup.
IS350 Calipers $180 (Junk Yard) - eBay has refurbs for $300 (no core) https://www.ebay.com/itm/Cardone-2-PCS-Front-Left-Right-Disc-Brake-Calipers-For-2006-2007-Lexus-GS430/202827757375

IS350 Rotors $130(Centric Brand from RockAuto with 5% discount) or eBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Centric-Front-Right-High-Carbon-Brake-Rotor-For-2011-Lexus-IS350/294071358328
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Centric-Front-Left-High-Carbon-Brake-Rotor-For-2011-Lexus-IS350/303925277425

or if you want OEM from Bell Lexus $150 https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEXUS-OEM-FACTORY-FRONT-BRAKE-ROTOR-SET-2006-2008-IS350/331943036692

Low Dust Pads $50 (Bell Lexus via eBay) -
ttps://www.ebay.com/itm/LEXUS-OEM-FACTORY-FRONT-BRAKE-PAD-SET-06-13-IS350-low-dust/252979360229
Fit Kit Hardware $15 (Dealer)
Shim Kit $24 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-OEM-Lexus-04945-30350-Front-Brake-Pad-Shim-Kit-IS350-IS200t-GS350-GS450h/233337644418

I added these later, IS350 front dust shields ($80). (left) https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lexus-TOYOTA-OEM-IS350-Front-Brake-Backing-Splash-Dust-Shield-Plate-4778222200/312987942098 and (right) https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lexus-TOYOTA-OEM-IS350-Front-Brake-Backing-Splash-Dust-Shield-Plate-4778222200

This should have been cheaper but I got shafted by the junk yard. They only sent me the calipers and retention pin, no hardware, shims, or pads.

The rear set-up I got for free from a friend with a 06 GS300. This car has the same rotor as the IS350/GS350 but the caliper has a different design. The GS300 caliper is the same design as the IS250 but only bigger to accommodate the larger vented rear rotor.

Everything was straight forward and bolt-on install. Did it myself in about 4 hours, much of which was painting the rear calipers and cleaning stuff.

Hardest part was bending the rear dust shields so they didn't rub the rotor and bending and cutting a small piece on the front shield to fit.

The calipers...Painted them with basecoat and PPG clearcoat with lots of metalic. Also added silver Lexus Decals. Iphone Pix suck.


Centric Rotors from Rock Auto.


Only thing I didn't like was that the had two different coatings but once installed and burned off...they are the same.



Hardware for the Front calipers.


Low Dust Pad made by NDK have a green back.



the set up


Installation pix later.

 

Removing the rear rotors. Used a 12mm head bolt laying around to push the rotor out.


Rear rotor comparison.
The upgrade rotor is vented and about 0.5" larger.




The new rotor with the dust shield modified.


I reused my rear pads and hardware since they had plenty of meat and are the same exact ones as the 350.

 

Front Rotor Comparison


The small piece of the dust shield I had to cut so the caliper fits.


Front Installed




I took this opportunity to bleed all the old fluid and filled with synthetic DOT4. The bleeding was easy...did it by myself. All you need is a clear hose that fits over the bleeder valve and a bottle. Make sure the hose is all the way to the bottom of the bottle and open the valve a turn and pump the pedal a few times and go check to see if there are bubbles. Keep pumping until the there are no bubbles in the line. Close the valve once you see no bubbles in the line.

 

Nicely done. Im loving the painted and cleared calipers!

 

nice this is a future mod for me too..feel any difference??

 

really good price on the calipers! i need to call up the junk yards.. dunno where to search. help me out! pm me lol

 

that's hot dude.

i have a set of IS 350 brakes waiting to go on my car once the BC Racing coilovers come out.

All gonna be done at the same time

 

dude i have some drilled and slotted rotors for a is350 they would look sick on ur ride.

 

Very nicely done! It's great to see the step-by-step process, and the final result looks impressive!

 

Thanks...The pedal feels alot more firm with the 4Pot calipers. Big difference compared to the 250 brakes.

I just search online for the calipers...most junk yards wanted about $100 per caliper and $100 per rotor plus shipping. Front Calipers are really light about 8lbs each. I just opted to buy new rotors since its a wear item.

And I hate drilled rotors...does nothing for the life of the rotors plus the IS350 rotors have really close fins so the drilling has to be perfect or else you compromise the structural integrity of the rotor. I would have gone slotted but for twice the cost...i'll pass.

 

so to use the is350 front calipers u also need they is350 rotors?

 

^^ not specifically the is350 rotors. but a rotor thats the same sizing of is350 rotors

 

so our car uses a DOT3 or DOT4 fluid?

 

^^^^^^ i think street cars normally come with dot 3.

 

minimum Dot3 but you can use anything above that which is probably overkill. I only used the DOT4 because I had a new bottle laying around.