How to Change the Brakes & Rotors on a 1994 Lexus ES 300

The brakes are the most important automotive component on your 1994 Lexus ES 300. The ES 300 uses a four-wheel disc brake setup that delivers added braking performance and a greater level of safety. Over time, the brakes and rotors will gradually wear, requiring replacement when the rotors become discolored, thin or deformed, and when the brake pads emit grinding or screeching sounds during stops. Replacing the brakes and rotors is a straightforward job that may take two hours or more to complete in ideal conditions.

Instructions

Open the hood of the ES 300 and disconnect the negative terminal cable from the battery. Locate the brake fluid reservoir on the driver's side of the vehicle near the firewall and remove one-third of the brake fluid with a turkey baster. Close the cap on the reservoir and dispose of the used brake fluid in an environmentally sound manner.

Use a lug wrench to loosen the lug nuts on the wheels. Afterwards, raise the vehicle with a floor jack and secure the vehicle with jack stands. Finish removing the lug nuts with the lug wrench and dismount the wheel from the hub assembly to reveal the brake components.

Use a ratchet and socket to remove the two bolts holding the caliper to the caliper bracket. Lift the caliper off of the brake rotor and suspend the caliper in mid-air with mechanic's wire. Remove the brake pads from the caliper bracket and remove the two bolts holding the caliper bracket to the hub assembly with the ratchet and socket.

Remove the caliper bracket from the hub assembly. Grasp the brake rotor with both hands and carefully pull the rotor off of the hub. If the brake rotor does not budge, apply a liberal amount of penetrative fluid around the meeting surface between the hub and the rotor and allow it to set for a few minutes. Afterwards, use a rubber mallet to gently pound the rotor off of the hub.

Apply a liberal amount of anti-seize lubricant to the hub to prevent the new rotors from rusting onto the hub. Slide the new rotor onto the hub. Reinstall the caliper bracket onto the hub assembly and tighten the two retaining bolts with the ratchet and socket.

Place one of the old brake pads over the caliper piston and use a C-clamp to push the piston back into the caliper. This will provide clearance for the new brake pads. Insert the new brake pads onto their mounting surfaces on the caliper bracket. Slide the caliper over the rotor and pads. Insert the two retaining bolts and tighten them with the ratchet and socket.

Repeat the procedure on the other wheels. When finished, mount the wheels onto the ES 300 and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Remove the jack stand and lower the vehicle to the ground. Finish tightening the nuts with a lug wrench.

Open the brake fluid reservoir and add fresh DOT 3 brake fluid until it reaches the top fill mark. When finished, close the cap on the reservoir. Reconnect the negative terminal cable to the battery. Before driving, pump the brakes a few times so that the pads are properly set.