Brake pad change, how to do it.

[parkman]

Hi, can someone give me a run-down on how to change the brake pads, front and rear, on a 2013 IS 300h, please ?

I read a blow by blow account somewhere, but I didn't bookmark the website and now I can't find the article. I have had a look at various other websites but they are all American and refer to IS 200's, ES 200's, and IS F Sports, but I can't find anything to do with UK IS 300h.

I think that it is pretty straight forward but do I need to remove the caliper to get the pads out ? Also where does the anti-squeal item, included in the box with EBC Red pads, go ?

Parkman.

[darrude]

Hi,  I stripped mine down when they seized, all pretty standard and very easy and just like any other car so I'm sure the tutorials for the other cars will help you.

[McRattlehead]

Try you tube for how to videos, as mentioned above all calipers are pretty similar if your exact model  is not there.You will find the same parts are fitted to Toyota models like the Avensis/Auris.

[parkman]

Thanks for the replies. I pulled off the front drivers side wheel and it was the same as one of the American Youtube videos. I wasn't sure whether the brake pads were removed through the back of the caliper, as is the case with the Isuzu Trooper.

I am surprised that all the bolts and the rear caliper are all aluminium. It was very easy, as it turned out, to undo everything, and I finished all four wheels in two hours or less. The hardest part was actually getting the wheels off, they were a bit stuck on the lip of the hub and it took a bit of persuasion to get them off.

However, job done and as easy as any other newer car that I have changed the brake pads on.

Parkman.

[darrude]

I learned the hard way with my last car how alloys can stick on.  Got a puncture while the car was in a field, about 1/2 mile from a main road.  I was very gingerly having to kick the wheel as hard as I could while jacked up on uneven soft ground, panicking the car would fall off the jack, potentially onto me!  They don't take them off for a service at main dealers and they corrode on.

[ColinBarber]

Put some non-conductive grease on the rear of the wheel to stop it corroding to the hub.

https://textar-professional.com/textar-training-center/the-use-of-copper-grease-on-modern-brakes/

 

[parkman]

Ref. wheels stuck on - that is exactly what happened !!! It seemed to be the two front wheels, if I remember. I had to put a truck tyre lever in behind the spokes of the wheels [very carefully] and gently lever the wheel off. As pointed out, the wheel rim was a bit corroded onto the brake hub and just needed a small bit of persuasion to break that bond.

The exact same thing happened on my Merc E-class that I had before the Lexus. On that occasion I had to knock on some-ones door and ask if I could borrow a hammer, to use with a piece of wood, and whack the wheel rim from behind to release the wheel, as the tyre had picked up a nail on the road. It took a fair smack before releasing, but the Lexus was nowhere near as difficult.

Changing the brake pads turned out to be straightforward, and each wheel took about 15 minutes to do. Easy-peasy.

I must take the wheels back off, sometime during the summer and put some Copperslip, anti-seize compound, on the back of the wheel rim.

Parkman.

[darrude]

I used Delphi brake grease, apparently copperslip is considered old tech... Hopefully mine won't stick again.

 

[parkman]

I have quite a lot of old car stuff in my garage due to having had a couple of Ford Escort rally car back in the late sixties and early seventies. Copperslip was a vital component for any self-respecting rally car owner back then !!! You couldn't go to the pub and be taken seriously unless you had some under your finger nails !!

Parkman.

[darrude]

I have just literally had massive clear out, as had so much stuff, I can't believe how much I acquired over the years.  While nothing as exciting as a rally car, as a poor student and only affording an old hand me down rover metro and the the massive upgrade to an old rover 200!, I had to do a hell of a lot of jobs myself. 

It's only when the brake disc stuck a second time I though it time to look to see if there is a new best practice and was really shocked to read that copperslip isn't really used anymore, just shims and grease for anti corrosion reasons.  Obviously from my experience bring back the old days, I have never had a brake pad seize into the caliper before (i assume it's due to my car only really been used for motorway slogs, so the rear brakes maybe aren't regularly used).

EBC Red pads on mine now, i'm hoping they will stop the alloys turning black, time will tell, at £70 a set I hope I'll notice the difference.

[parkman]

16 minutes ago, darrude said:

I have just literally had massive clear out, as had so much stuff, I can't believe how much I acquired over the years.  While nothing as exciting as a rally car, as a poor student and only affording an old hand me down rover metro and the the massive upgrade to an old rover 200!, I had to do a hell of a lot of jobs myself. 

It's only when the brake disc stuck a second time I though it time to look to see if there is a new best practice and was really shocked to read that copperslip isn't really used anymore, just shims and grease for anti corrosion reasons.  Obviously from my experience bring back the old days, I have never had a brake pad seize into the caliper before (i assume it's due to my car only really been used for motorway slogs, so the rear brakes maybe aren't regularly used).

EBC Red pads on mine now, i'm hoping they will stop the alloys turning black, time will tell, at £70 a set I hope I'll notice the difference.

I have just fitted Red pads front and back as well. I haven't done more than about 50 miles so far, but the brakes feel OK. As you say, time will tell as to whether the alloys get very dirty with the new pads.

When discussing older cars one thing that we had to do on a couple of occasions was to pour Coke mixed with sugar into the clutch when it cooked and started slipping. It was an amazing quick fix which really worked.

Parkman.