2010 - 2015 Lexus RX350 How To Replace REAR Brake Pads & Rotors - DIY Tutorial with Torque Specs!, by Dan the Fix it Man on YouTube. 18 min.
- Video length
- 18 min
- Time to do it
- 90 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Park on level ground, chock the front wheels and loosen the rear wheel lug nuts slightly before lifting. Raise the rear of the car and set it on jack stands under the pinch welds or axle beam.
Remove the rear wheels and set them aside. Release the parking brake and make sure the rear rotors spin freely before you start taking anything apart.
Unbolt the caliper guide pins with a 14 mm socket or wrench and lift the caliper off the bracket. Hang it from the suspension spring with a bungee or wire so the brake hose is not stretched.
Pull the old brake pads out of the bracket and set the pad clips aside. Check the clips for rust and replace them if the kit includes new ones.
Remove the two bolts holding the caliper bracket to the knuckle, then slide the bracket off. Clean the mounting surface on the knuckle with a wire brush.
Take the rotor off the hub. If it is stuck, tap the face with a small sledgehammer or thread two bolts into the removal holes to push it off.
Clean the new rotor with brake cleaner and slide it onto the hub. Reinstall the caliper bracket and torque the bolts to spec, then grease the slide pins and fit the new pads with their clips.
Compress the caliper piston with a compression tool or pry bar until it sits flush. Grease the piston face and pad ears lightly with caliper grease, then slide the caliper over the new pads.
Reinstall the caliper guide pins and torque them to spec. Put the wheels back on, lower the car and torque the lug nuts in a star pattern.
Pump the brake pedal several times until it feels firm, then set the parking brake and check the rear wheels lock. Take a slow test drive and recheck the lug nut torque after 50 miles.
Tips and common mistakes
Never let the caliper hang by the brake hose, as the weight can crack the hose and cause a leak.
Clean the hub face with a wire brush so the new rotor sits flat, or you will get a wobble and pedal pulsation.
Use blue threadlocker on the caliper bracket bolts and copper anti-seize on the hub lip to make the next job easier.
Pump the brake pedal before driving, or the first press will go to the floor because the piston is pushed back.
Questions
Do I need to release the parking brake to remove the rear rotor?
Yes. The RX350 rear rotor has a drum style parking brake inside it, so the rotor will not come off until the parking brake is fully released.
Can I reuse the old caliper bracket bolts?
Yes, if they are in good shape. Clean the threads, apply medium strength threadlocker and torque them to the factory spec.
How do I know the rear brakes need replacing?
Look for squealing, a soft pedal, deep grooves in the rotor or less than 3 mm of pad material left. Measure the rotor thickness against the minimum stamped on the hat.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
