Rotors and Pads, Trans service and AHC

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7schulz

7schulz

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
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Zionsville, IN
What are the best brake and rotors. I’ve heard the OEM ones aren’t great. I’ve got squealing going on and the fronts have been turned once. 09 LX570 Costa Azul over Tan 90k miles. I might also have a sticky caliper, OEM calipers? Also having Lexus do a trans service and AHC anything to watch out for. I would do it myself but I have a large service credit from Lexus to use and I want those 2 things on my maintenance records.
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Google frozen rotors they have multiple options, I.e standard, slotted, and drilled. I just had them installed last week. Night and day difference vs. OEM and I am running 35s. anyway just my opinion, good luck man :beer:
 
Please describe a night & day difference between frozen and stock rotors. Stopping power? Oscillation? Made you win the lottery?


To the OP, OE rotors are very high quality and work very well when treated correctly. Some people prefer different pad compounds for different qualities like initial bite or heat resistance during heavy towing and don't mind rotor wear or lots of dust, or the total opposite. Depends on what you want.

I've posted this elsewhere but many people haven't heard it: most rotor "warping" is actually uneven pad deposits, and is often caused or contributed to by stops from high speed then sitting with your foot on the brake, leaving the pad stationary over a very hot rotor. This causes uneven rotor cooling and pad material transfer.

Lots of good info, though in the context of track driving: -Warped- Brake Disc and Other Myths

Ways to help mitigate this on a street driven vehicle are leaving enough distance between you and the stopped vehicle in front to slowly roll forward as the rotors cool, or come to a stop and if possible put the transmission in neutral which reduces how hard you need to keep the brake applied to stay still, and will reduce pad material transfer. I did all of this on my ~400hp LS-swapped 80 with OEM brakes and 35's. Zero problems with oem brakes. And I drove it quite hard. Similar story for my 200 only the tires aren't as big.
 
Since I owned my truck my only complaint has been "soft stopping" on the stock 31s, when I moved to 33 KO2s, and same with 33 Pro Comp MT2s. The frozen/LTS pad are 100% better IMO then OEM from stopping power perspective and I am now running 35s. This said I also upgraded my OEM rubber lines with Crowne Performance stainless 4"+ stock (this maybe contributing to the much better braking)
 
Member Igop has a few more sets of the PFC 2 piece brake rotors. I bought 2 from him, and they are excellent. They've got an aluminum hat, with iron rotors with directional vane and high quality alloy construction. I'm running them with EBC Yellow stuff, and they are very good. Stopping from 100mph, and I don't have a second thought. The rotors were developed and built by PFC for the NATO Non-Standard Commercial Vehicle program where the LC200 was used as a troop vehicle in combat zones.

With good brakes and suspensions, the 200 has gone to a very fast stopping and nimble truck, especially considering the considerable weight.
 
bloc said:
Please describe a night & day difference between frozen and stock rotors. Stopping power? Oscillation? Made you win the lottery?

Lots of good info, though in the context of track driving: -Warped- Brake Disc and Other Myths

Ways to help mitigate this on a street driven vehicle are leaving enough distance between you and the stopped vehicle in front to slowly roll forward as the rotors cool, or come to a stop and if possible put the transmission in neutral which reduces how hard you need to keep the brake applied to stay still, and will reduce pad material transfer. I did all of this on my ~400hp LS-swapped 80 with OEM brakes and 35's. Zero problems with oem brakes. And I drove it quite hard. Similar story for my 200 only the tires aren't as big.
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Absolutely outstanding article. I was taught years ago to stop as described in the article and it is now a decades old habit - even when pulling a trailer - and I can think of only once in that time that I have had to replace or grind rotors on my cars and trucks before reaching min thickness.

My experience with race bikes, too, is as described: proper bedding techniques and proper pads for the job have never resulted in "warped" rotors and that's after tens of thousands of track miles.

Thanks for posting!
 
I know it’s probably overkill, but the one thing my wife hated on the 570 was the brakes. Upgraded to the Stoptech BBK and it’s absolutely worth it. Brakes are crisp, pedal feel is natural, and it stops faster than it has any right to. Install takes a half day, with beer.

I only suggest because pads and rotors and replacement OEM calipers get up there in price for limited improvement

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Hammeredsole said:
Member Igop has a few more sets of the PFC 2 piece brake rotors. I bought 2 from him, and they are excellent. They've got an aluminum hat, with iron rotors with directional vane and high quality alloy construction. I'm running them with EBC Yellow stuff, and they are very good. Stopping from 100mph, and I don't have a second thought. The rotors were developed and built by PFC for the NATO Non-Standard Commercial Vehicle program where the LC200 was used as a troop vehicle in combat zones.

With good brakes and suspensions, the 200 has gone to a very fast stopping and nimble truck, especially considering the considerable weight.
Click to expand...

Will finding parts for these two-piece rotors ten years from now be an issue?
 
nwfl4runner said:
I know it’s probably overkill, but the one thing my wife hated on the 570 was the brakes. Upgraded to the Stoptech BBK and it’s absolutely worth it. Brakes are crisp, pedal feel is natural, and it stops faster than it has any right to. Install takes a half day, with beer.

I only suggest because pads and rotors and replacement OEM calipers get up there in price for limited improvement

View attachment 1894990
Click to expand...
If there’s a BBK that fits with Rock Warriors I’d be interested...
 
bloc said:
Will finding parts for these two-piece rotors ten years from now be an issue?
Click to expand...
Probably, but at that point, just use something else. PFC has stopped production, and the old stock is gone. I bought 2 sets and have a spare set in the garage. Money well spent in my opinion. I did a trip through the mountains a few weeks ago; and coming down from 8,000 feet to sea level at 80+ mph and they performed flawlessly, I was not afraid to drive fast.
 
Gonna chime in here to mention that the inexpensive OEM rotors combined with QUALITY PADS...are **surprisingly strong.**

I recently replaced my front rotors...with stock front rotors someone gave me when they yanked them on some big build.

Man, I’m on 35’s (far more work for my brakes) pre-rotor-size-update 2008)...run HEAVY...maybe second only to Cole Dudley and maybe another truck with 50 gallon sub.

-These OEM rotors & pads are amazing good stoppers for what they are asked to stop in my huge truck. I can easily engage anti-lock if I just push...and stopping power is huge. That’s with my original rear rotors too (115k miles on them, believe it or not).

Basically concluded I don’t need to spend big bucks on special rotors even though they might be vented etc.

Just be sure to remember engine braking in places like Ouray and steep, long descents, and overheating is a non-issue in my experience.

Even doing high-speed cactus-dodging with frequent (momentary) heavy braking in Baja...

It’s the long stretch of two-footed braking riding that will get ya.
 
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I’m at 10% on my rear pads. Can anyone link to “quality pads” I can order to replace? Thought of complete rotor replacement but this thread is confirming that as an unnecessary extra cost
 
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