Changing Rear Brake Pads

[steve haley]

Annoyingly these have started squealing and grinding while I am in the alps 700 miles from home and the local garage wants £250 to change them (180 labour). I doubt they will last another two weeks on the local mountain roads and the 700ml trip home before they start to damage the disc. Given that the discs are only £55 from lexus switzerland I thought I might do it myself.

It looks like an easy job on the RX350 compared to some cars I have dealt with ie take the wheel off undo the lower bolt and swivel the callipers up. Has anyone actually done them? and if so any tips?

I shall be having words with my lexus dealer as to why these were not changed out last service (5 mths ago). 35k out of a set of rear pads is a bit disappointing but in line with the fact it is on its 3rd set of front pads. Suspect it may be due to the annual swiss trip and the towing of a heavy trailer to germany once a year that does it.

rgds

Stephen

PS for anyone who wants to know what the RX is like on snow (with winter tyres) see pics below. Have only heard the traction buzzer once when I had the ECT engaged. This turned out to be a bad idea as it appears to lock or at least tighten the rear diff which makes it bad news going around swiss 180 degree tight bends on full lock. I thought it simply softened the gearbox change like most. Never bothered with it before and certainly wont again. Still havent needed snow chains! The road up is 1:10 for 10k with 5 full hairpins. The one in the pic is the gentle one! the others are full lock jobs.

This has been the general state of the road for the last 2 wks.

Driveway:-

The road up after it has been salted - is far more interesting before it has been cleared/salted especially going down hill !!

[Mark A]

Pads are straightforward to change on the 350, no special tricks required. As you say, unbolt, push piston back and install new ones. If you have done brakes on other cars, you won't find them difficult. Did them on mine 2 weeks ago, no more than 45 mins per side. Haven't needed to do discs on it yet.

Mark

[steve haley]

Pads are straightforward to change on the 350, no special tricks required. As you say, unbolt, push piston back and install new ones. If you have done brakes on other cars, you won't find them difficult. Did them on mine 2 weeks ago, no more than 45 mins per side. Haven't needed to do discs on it yet.

Mark

thanks

[steve2006]

Just a small point,when you are pushing the pistons back loosen the caliper bleed nipple to allow the fluid to flow out from there rather than forcing it back up the whole braking system which can damage seals.