Rear Brakes

[Gliderpilot]

Hi all

Just replaced the discs and pads on the rear of the RX, this car has a full service history and passed its MOT in January. I found three of the four sliding pins were siezed so how were they working! One was so bad I had to call on the assistance of my local garage who managet ot free it off. It's all back together now but they will need replacing VERY soon. How come now one tells you that there is an adjuster foe the hand brake, I tried all sorts of things to look through the small hole to find it but not being a keyhole surgeon fail on the first side so it took a long time to remove the drum/disc. The second one was a breeze. Someone on here mentioned a star adjuster but failed to point out that you need to set the hole just past the 6 o'clock position to the rear of the car to be in line.

We'll se what happens when I change the fronts tomorrow!!!!

Cheers every one.

[ColinBarber]

The fronts should be nice and easy. Normally the pins won't be seized on the front, some will probably be stiff and need cleaning/lubricating though.

[ChrisKaye]

Lexus Brum do reasonably priced new rear sliding pins, you can find them on eBay - £11 a set delivered.

Rubber dust boots for front discs are exorbitant at Lexus - £55+vat!

Again can be sourced on eBay as a mini-refurb kit (1 kit does 1 wheel).

If you can, try to use the red/pink high temp lithium grease and not copper or multipurpose stuff, it'll save you time in the end!

I've not fitted rear drum shoes yet (but have some ready and waiting).

Agree that they are a pain to adjust, just remember to count the spins so you can set each side to the same amount to keep the parking brake equalised - also just for more merriment, if the drivers side requires upward spins to tighten the shoe, then it is a downward spin on the passenger side!

If lost, just slacken both sides off and then adjust whilst counting the spins - can take between 20-40 individual cog/star movements when prodding through the hole with a flat blade screwdriver and seems to take forever!!

Chris.

[Gliderpilot]

Hi all

Thanks for the tips they came in usefull. Yes the fronts were a breeze, took an hour and a half to do both. The sliding pins are a different design to the rear and were free with the dust boots intact so left weel alone. I don't know how they'll last, I got the from my local euro parts depot all Pagid make, so we'll see what the future holds.

Pete

[gregwhiddon]

Had the same problem with my 09 rx400h only one pin ceased undid it with a two foot bar. might be a good idea to grease pins every couple of years. can any one advise how to change the brake fluid without taking to the main agents.

[ChrisKaye]

Hi Greg,

Totally 100% agree to clean the brake bits every year or so.

Literally takes minutes per corner once you have put in the hard hours initially cleaning them up and getting them back up to spec.

I've bought some silicone lubricant for the rubber boots, which will slow down the rate they perish.

Good question about break fluid flush, I want to do this as well (and have everything I need).

I'll be putting in Toyota DOT 5.1 (non-silicone/silicate, whatever!) as I have about 5L lying around to do my MR2, Celica and Lex!

Ta,

Chris

[ColinBarber]

Not advisable to replace the fluid without the correct diagnostic equipment to activate each corner in turn otherwise you could end up with spongy brakes and a warning light that will need to be reset.

[ChrisKaye]

Hi Colin,

Thanks for the answer, I saw the option in the Techstream software under Utilities for the ABS/VSC/TRC computer module, I think it was named "Brake Actuator" or some such thing, the brief description said to use it to bleed air from the ABS module.

When I get round to using it, I dig up the relevant workshop manual procedure from the 'net.

Ta,

Chris