Hard Brakes on 2GS

Hi guys,

sorry for the boring old non-modification / performance related topic here but i cant ask on my local/Aus forums cause i dont think there is anyone with another 2GS on them!

i just collected my 98 GS300 last night. When i test drove it i commented that the brakes were 'heavy' and rather 'wooden' feeling. i was told by the salesman that that's how they are on Lexus', and that the car had been fully serviced and checked out with a 'rigorous 60 point check'.

i drove it to work today in traffic with a bit of freeway etc, good cross-section of driving really, and i still feel the brakes seem too hard. To stop a bit, you apply a tiny bit of pressure which is good, and i had to really stop hard which it also did (and felt some shudder which could just be the ABS/VSC) but on sortof normal braking from 60-70 down to zero it is really hard and you really have to push hard on the pedal.

it seems to me there is something wrong with the hydraulics or the booster or something. I am just asking other people to see what the brakes on their 2GS are like for comparison. i have a 3 month warranty on it so if anything is wrong i will take it back ASAP for repairs.

cheers
Anthony

when i first bought my GS, i thought that the brakes were too sensitive. i barely tap on it and it'll stop like no tomorrow. after i switched my rotors out to R1s premium and hawk pads it felt different but nonetheless stops on a dime.

This is a really good question, I am having the same problem. My brakes are really weak, I m not sure if the pads are worn, I guess I can get it checkd out but I brought my GS about a month ago and I do notice how weak my brakes are, I was thinking, I know its a heavy car and all but these brakes kinda suck. Is it a typical GS problem or do I need a brake change? don't mean to thread jack.

The problem you all are experiencing actually isn't a problem at all.  The brakes on the GS are actually very good.  The pedal pressure is the issue.  Get some distance between you and the car behind you on an open road and then slam on the brakes.  I promise you will come to screeching halt faster then would think.
 
The brake pedal is not senstive really at all, so if your coming from a car that has a sensitive pedal you can either upgrade to a BBK and run better lines and brake fluid, or you can acclimate.  I chose the latter.
 
Ben

Jedidiah - you are right there, it does stop very hard when i do that (have tested it). but the pedal seems to change in feel all the time. i.e. it takes very little pressure one time, and then a lot of serious hard braking pressure the next. as if there may be a leak or something in the system. I have read up a bit myself too, and it could also be that the system is low on nitrogen and could do with a new accumulator. i think i will get it checked out again by the Lexus Mech's anyway seeing as it is under warranty. if they confirm that is how it is, then i will try and get used to it!

for some reason i think the accumulator is only for abs? i had the same problem on my Toyota Celsior and my brake master cylinder was on the way out. infact it just gave up on a long country drive. where abouts in Aus are you? i'm from Aus Also.

from what i gather the accumulator is used for brake boost hence it primes when you turn the car on and every few times you brake.
 
but i agree my problem seems a little more like master cylinder related. the garage is collecting the car next Thursday and have about a 20min drive on busy roads back to the dealership, so hopefully they can pinpoint something. I'll update the top for other pples information next Friday once i hear from them..
 
im from Perth WA

Anthony,
 
Please report back your findings.  I will be curious to see what the results are (i'm also in a 98 GS (400) pushing around 153K).
 
Ben

yes let us know what you find, I want to have tighter brakes, maybe upgrading to hawk pads and buying new ss lines?

well they checked my brakes out and the discs were warped on the front so they skimmed them and it brakes quite a lot more consistently now.
 
still not as well as i would have expected though, so i might look to upgrade too in the future

hmmm, does anyone know if getting like some hawk pads and braided ss lines would help in this case?