Is-F Discs And Pads

[giorgoXXI]

I have been advised my front brake pads and discs will need replacing soon. Lexus wanted over £850 to replace them! I said no way! So I need advice on buying the parts myself.

Would this combination be sufficient for the IS-F:

Discs - Front Axle

http://www.nextdaybrakes.com/brembo-vented-front-brake-discs-pn-09a30011-fits-lexus-isf-pair_p22283837.htm

Pads - Front Axle

http://www.ebcbrakesdirect.com/car/parts_pad.asp?part=pad&make=LEXUS&model=IS-F&year=5.0+%282007-%29#

Around £200 for parts, how much you guys reckon would an independent garage charge to change them? (Not a DIY person)

Also, if you have a better suggestion then please let me know. Heard some of you have ceramic discs, can they be bought in the UK?

[steve2006]

The Bembo discs look OK but from personal experience I would not buy EBC brake pads.

I recently replaced my rear brakes on my LS400 with EBC Ultimate pads and I have never seen so much dust in my life, the brakes also shudder a low creeping speed, for example when I have to edge up to the back wall of the garage ( car only just fits in).

I have heard that the yellow stuff pads are more suited to performance models but having not experienced them cannot really comment.

I don't know how much genuine Lexus (Toyota) pads are but it may be worth enquiring.

Are there wear lips on the outer edge of your present discs or are Lexus saying they are approaching minimum thickness?

Any decent independent garage will be able to replace the discs and pads and the whole job should be 2-3 hours maximum, make sure you get a quote upfront to avoid confusion later.

[Tango]

The brembo discs are a good price, thanks for the link. I have Hawk Performance Ceramic pads on the front of my IS-F, Hawk part number HB616Z.607 (I bought them in the USA) . There are Hawk distributors in the UK e.g. Cambridge Motorsport, who may be able to obtain the pads for the IS-F but they may not have been certified for European use, even though they have a superior performance than the OEM. The main reason I fit the ceramics is to reduce the brake dust that is the problem with the OEM pads.

Other than that the Yellow stuff from EBC should also provide better performance than the OEM at a more reasonable cost. The original Yellow pads apparently produced as much dust as the OEM, but the current Yellow Stuff is a later development from EBC with supposedly same grip with less dust.

[TonyB]

It's an ISF!!!!

[giorgoXXI]

Thanks for the advice. Will definately go for the discs. Regarding the pads, I found some APEC brake pads for less than half the price:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-IS-F-5-0-Feb-2008-Front-Brake-Pads-1666-/290654296113?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item43ac589831

Apparently APEC do good products and usually match OEM standards (read this on PistonHeads). Any views on these?

Will probably end up ordering the EBC ones (due to its alleged superior performance), but wanted to know anyways if anyone has had any experience with APEC?

Regarding the current discs, I just had an advisory note on the MOT (done by Lexus) saying they are wearing too thin. Servicing department told me the pads are 90% worn, and the discs 80%, and that there was no point replacing just the pads, that I should replace both.

On a completely unrelated note, I've been told the O/S/R tyre has a nail that has gone in sideways. Tyre has lots of thread left, can it be repaired? Lexus claims it cannot be repaired, but wouldn't trust them on this, they wanted £400 to replace the 1 tyre, when the price of the tyre is around £220 (Bridgestone Potenza)!

[Tango]

On a completely unrelated note, I've been told the O/S/R tyre has a nail that has gone in sideways. Tyre has lots of thread left, can it be repaired? Lexus claims it cannot be repaired, but wouldn't trust them on this, they wanted £400 to replace the 1 tyre, when the price of the tyre is around £220 (Bridgestone Potenza)!

If the nail has punctured the sidewall it cannot be repaired, but you could get it plugged if it's through the main tread area.(and you are prepared to take the risk).

Personally I wouldn't have Bridgestone Potenzas on my IS-F, as I found that even on my IS250 they generated too much noise and had poor grip in comparison to alternatives like the Toyo TR-1. Currently I'm running Mitchelin Super Sports, which I find an improvement over the Mitchelin PS2's that were the original OEM fitting.

[giorgoXXI]

Just a quick update. I ordered the discs from NextDayBrakes. It turns out the price was for 1 disc only (£90 per disc), but they decided to honour the price in my case and sent me another one free. I had the suspicion anyways as the price seemed too cheap. Great customer service nevertheless from them, highly recommended and it does arrive next day by FedEx. Now need to find someone to put them on!

[Tango]

Just a quick update. I ordered the discs from NextDayBrakes. It turns out the price was for 1 disc only (£90 per disc), but they decided to honour the price in my case and sent me another one free. I had the suspicion anyways as the price seemed too cheap. Great customer service nevertheless from them, highly recommended and it does arrive next day by FedEx. Now need to find someone to put them on!

Their website definitely still says £90.xx inc. VAT for A PAIR:-

Brembo Vented Rear Brake Discs (P/N 09.A301.11) fits Lexus IS-F (Pair)

[giorgoXXI]

Just a quick update. I ordered the discs from NextDayBrakes. It turns out the price was for 1 disc only (£90 per disc), but they decided to honour the price in my case and sent me another one free. I had the suspicion anyways as the price seemed too cheap. Great customer service nevertheless from them, highly recommended and it does arrive next day by FedEx. Now need to find someone to put them on!

Their website definitely still says £90.xx inc. VAT for A PAIR:-

Brembo Vented Rear Brake Discs (P/N 09.A301.11) fits Lexus IS-F (Pair)

Yes, for the rear ones, they haven't realized yet. The front ones are gone (my first link). If you order the rear ones and it gets despatched, they would have to honour the contract and send you another one for free.

Regarding the discs, I think they use a different ventilation system than the OEM. I believe the OEM discs are directional, and the right and left discs cannot be swapped around. These ones have no right or left, and they use something called Pillar venting technology (whatever that is).

More info here for whoever is interested:

http://bremboaftermarket.com/En/Car_Disc_Catalogue/Catalogue_Detail.aspx?ApplicationIDMaster=12560

[Tango]

Regarding the discs, I think they use a different ventilation system than the OEM. I believe the OEM discs are directional, and the right and left discs cannot be swapped around. These ones have no right or left, and they use something called Pillar venting technology (whatever that is).

More info here for whoever is interested:

http://bremboafterma...nIDMaster=12560

So do we assume the IS-F has Toyota discs with brembo Calipers then? Sounds plausible.

I think I'll be ordering the brembo discs when mine are due for replacement.

[giorgoXXI]

So do we assume the IS-F has Toyota discs with Brembo Calipers then? Sounds plausible.

I think I'll be ordering the Brembo discs when mine are due for replacement.

I think maybe brembo manufactures the OEM ones as well as aftermarket ones for the IS-F, and they might not be the same (seems strange). These are the OEM brembo ones:

http://is.sewellpart...F-2009-364.html

The OEM ones are quite expensive, even in the US. The ones supplied by NextDayBrakes look exactly the same as the OEM ones from the outside, but can't tell the ventilation system the OEM is using from the link above.

I might be wrong though, I am basing this on the fact that I read on the US Maintenance manual the following:

The IS F is equipped with directional rotors. When servicing these rotors, reinstall at same location.

While the ones supplied are non-directional. Maybe the specs for the discs in Europe is different to the US.

[Tango]

Guess the easiest way to find out is to go in my garage and take a look

[Williboy]

Just brought a pair of hawks ceramics pads HB616Z.607 and had them fitted. Still bedding them in after a week. Do you know if they're the same size as the brembos as I'm noticing the pads are gripping only 3/4 of the discs as there a rust rings on the outer edges (top and bottom). As the pads bed in will it eventually fill out to cover the whole disc?

[Tango]

I have the same pads on the front of mine and they cover the whole disc except for the inner and outer edges which both measure just over 1mm.

[Williboy]

Went to Lexus who had a look and they confirmed the pads were exactly the same dimension as the OEM. They said that my current discs were concave (so difficult to see!) and hence only the centre part of the pads were making contact. With a few hundred miles of bedding in the new pads should mould to the discs and problem solved! :) Btw, great pads, definitely less dust and good grip, even with 3/4 contact! :D

[PaulD.]

Off Topic: I've been visiting this forum from time to time, since i'm looking into buying a Lexus IS-F...

I have owned 2 Subaru STI's and an EVO IX...and i am currently driving a Vauxhall Insignia VXR...nice family sedan: does everything in the driving departement reasonably well (it's too heavy!), but rubbish reliability and very expensive maintenance kinda trouble the experience...so, it's back to japanese reliability and customer service for me!!!

On topic:

Count yourself Lucky...official Lexus price: only 850£...

The vauxhall Insignia VXR...cost for front brake disks and pads (roughly the same size brembo's as the is-f)...(hold your breath!) a slightly whopping 1850£!!!

So consider the IS-F to be cheap!

[Damo n]

I replaced my pads all round with EBC yellows, there very good around town and ive done a few track days on them also and found them very good on the track.

There's no more dust from them than I'd expect, roughly on a par with the brembos that came on the car. LEXUS Ireland wanted €950 for the pads alone!! God bless these forums.

[Mcauley]

i replaced my discs and pads myself with brembo discs and pads for £220 front only.

[steve2006]

That's a very good price but were they for an ISF or a IS220F Sport?

[Slurms]

IS-F in at Lexus Southampton today.... Needs pads all round... So thats a bill of just less than £900 for me then..

[stevet]

IS-F in at Lexus Southampton today.... Needs pads all round... So thats a bill of just less than £900 for me then..

That must be for pads and disks?

If its just pads your being ripped off!

[Slurms]

Nope they are just crazy expensive... But I want to maintain the warranty so none of the after market options are possible.

[giorgoXXI]

Nope they are just crazy expensive... But I want to maintain the warranty so none of the after market options are possible.

If you buy OE brake pads they should not void the warranty.

£900 is absolutely ridiculous for pads.

[MrW]

When they are needed i'll be picking up a set of EBC yellow stuff for under £250, and getting my local trusted garage to do the job. Sinces brakes are consumable, so not covered by the warranty anyway would they make it void ??

[giorgoXXI]

When they are needed i'll be picking up a set of EBC yellow stuff for under £250, and getting my local trusted garage to do the job. Sinces brakes are consumable, so not covered by the warranty anyway would they make it void ??

It can invalidate the warranty on your entire braking system. I reckon EBC brake pads may be an issue with warranty, but pads that are designed to OE should not be an issue.