I wanted to add that it is worth cleaning out the slide pin "holes" with a cotton bud stick (raid the missus' beauty products!) and WD40.
As the OP states, it's worth removing the caliper bracket to see what you are doing.
Make sure you have spare bushes & boots, anti-squeal shims and sliding pins - I've just changed my Pads and both bottom sliding pins had seized (one bad, the other not so bad) - there's nothing worse than getting everything off the car to find you can't complete the job and may not be able to temporarily put things back together! All parts will need to be ordered so will take a day or two to arrive!
2 points for Gen II RX owners (2003-2006) - my sliding pin dust boots were all rubber (no metal collar) - when I ordered the parts from Toyota/Lexus, they the shipped boots in this guide and they don't fit...
Also, the bolts that hold the sliding pins to the caliper are shaped so they will not turn as you undo them, so you don't need the ring spanner!
Other than the above everything is the same. Good luck with your pad changing!
Caliper Slide Pin Overhaul - Plus All Models (i Think?)
in Lexus RX300 (1998–2003)
Posted
Thanks to the OP for a great, clear guide!
I wanted to add that it is worth cleaning out the slide pin "holes" with a cotton bud stick (raid the missus' beauty products!) and WD40.
As the OP states, it's worth removing the caliper bracket to see what you are doing.
Make sure you have spare bushes & boots, anti-squeal shims and sliding pins - I've just changed my Pads and both bottom sliding pins had seized (one bad, the other not so bad) - there's nothing worse than getting everything off the car to find you can't complete the job and may not be able to temporarily put things back together! All parts will need to be ordered so will take a day or two to arrive!
2 points for Gen II RX owners (2003-2006) - my sliding pin dust boots were all rubber (no metal collar) - when I ordered the parts from Toyota/Lexus, they the shipped boots in this guide and they don't fit...
Also, the bolts that hold the sliding pins to the caliper are shaped so they will not turn as you undo them, so you don't need the ring spanner!
Other than the above everything is the same. Good luck with your pad changing!
Chris