DBA Brakes for the Lexus LX570: Which Parts Fit

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

DBA makes three brake parts we carry for the Lexus LX570: a plain-face 4000 Series HD front rotor, a drilled and slotted Street Series X-Gold front rotor, and SP Street Performance rear pads. Which front rotor fits depends on the rotor diameter your truck actually has, because DBA lists the two front rotors at different diameters. Measure before you order, then match the pad compound to how you drive.

How the LX570 brake system is laid out

The LX570 uses ventilated disc brakes at both axles. The front rotors do most of the work in a stop, which is why they are thick, internally vented castings. The rear axle uses its own vented rotors and pads, and the rear pads are a separate part from the fronts. On a truck this heavy, heat is the enemy: repeated stops from highway speed, towing, or long mountain descents are what warp, glaze and wear out LX570 brakes, not ordinary around-town driving.

That is the lens to use when choosing DBA parts. Every DBA part below is aimed at handling heat better than a basic replacement, but they do it in different ways.

The DBA parts we carry for the LX570

Both DBA front rotors share the same 5-bolt, 150 mm pitch circle, 112 mm centering diameter and 83.5 mm height, per DBA's own spec pages. The difference that matters is diameter: 340 mm versus 354 mm. A rotor of the wrong diameter will not sit correctly inside the caliper bracket, so this is the single most important check before buying.

How to confirm your size: pull a front wheel and measure straight across the rotor, edge to edge. Roughly 340 mm (about 13.4 in) or roughly 354 mm (about 13.9 in) tells you which one you need. Measure the full outside edge of the casting, not just the shiny swept face.

DBA 4000 Series HD (plain)

DBA describes the 4000 Series HD as a smooth OE-style rotor finish for drivers who want the 4000 Series construction without an aggressive look. It is cast from high-carbon alloyed iron and put through DBA's Thermal Stability Profiling heat treatment, which the company says lets the metal handle the extra stress and heat of hard braking. The vane is DBA's Kangaroo Paw design, which uses 144 diamond and teardrop shaped pillars instead of straight vanes. The friction face is CBN machine-turned, and the non-friction areas are painted against rust. It is a bi-directional design, so there is no left or right rotor to mix up.

This is the pick for an LX570 owner who wants quiet, long-lived brakes and an original look behind the wheels.

DBA Street Series X-Gold (drilled and slotted)

The X-Gold is the larger 354 mm rotor, cross drilled and slotted, with Kangaroo Paw vents, a CBN machine-turned finish that DBA says minimizes disc thickness variation, and a gold finish on the hub. The drilling and slotting give dust and gas a path out from between the pad and rotor. It is also bi-directional.

Choose it if your LX570 has the 354 mm front rotor and you tow, drive in the hills, or simply want the look. Drilled and slotted faces can make a little more pad noise and wear pads somewhat faster than a plain face, so it is a trade you make on purpose.

DBA SP Street Performance rear pads

DBA's Street Performance pads use a semi-metallic compound that is copper-free and certified by NSF International. They come with application-specific NVH shims, slots and chamfers to cut vibration and noise. DBA pitches SP as an OE upgrade for performance cars, SUVs and 4WDs, with an effective friction response to the pedal, low wear and low dust.

A useful detail for installers: DBA scorches SP pads at the factory, which removes excess resin so the pads bed in quickly without a long break-in procedure.

Symptoms that tell you it is time

• Steering-wheel shake or pedal pulse when stopping from speed. Almost always front rotor thickness variation from heat. On a heavy SUV this shows up first after towing or long descents.
• Squeal that stops when you press the pedal. A wear indicator touching the rotor. Inspect pad thickness right away.
• Grinding. Pad backing plate on rotor. Stop driving on it; the rotors are now damaged and need replacing, not machining.
• Longer stops or a soft pedal after a hard run. Fade from overheated pads or old fluid. Pads that are glazed (shiny, hard face) will not recover fully.
• Deep grooves or a raised lip at the rotor edge. Measure thickness. If it is at or near the minimum, replace the rotor.

Replace or resurface: use the minimum thickness

Both DBA front rotors for the LX570 start at 32 mm and have a 29 mm minimum thickness. DBA's own guidance is to replace a rotor only when it reaches minimum thickness, with one practical exception: if the surface is scored so deeply that machining it would take it close to the minimum, replacing it is the better value. A rotor that measures 29 mm or less anywhere on the face must be replaced.

DBA also recommends fitting new pads with new rotors where possible. Their pads work on any brand of rotor, but DBA notes performance, wear and dust can vary when paired with other brands. DBA specifically recommends pairing Street Performance pads with its slotted rotor lines.

What to replace at the same time

• Pads with rotors, per axle. Always do both sides of an axle together. For front pads, browse our brake pads and filter to your LX570.
• Hardware. Abutment clips and anti-rattle springs lose tension with heat. A fresh brake hardware kit helps new pads sit quietly and wear evenly.
• Brake fluid. Fluid absorbs moisture over time, which lowers its boiling point, the last thing a heavy SUV needs on a long descent. Use the fluid type printed on your reservoir cap and in your owner's manual, and flush it at the interval the manual gives.
• Rear rotors. If you are doing rear pads and the rear rotors are near minimum, replace them too. We also carry a Hawk Talon drilled and slotted rear rotor set listed for the 2008 LX570. Hawk makes Talon rotors from G3000 high-carbon iron with a Magni corrosion coating, and salt-spray tests them past the 240-hour ISO 9227 requirement.

How hard is the job?

Front and rear pad and rotor work on the LX570 is a standard bolt-off, bolt-on job for someone with a floor jack rated for a heavy SUV, proper jack stands, a torque wrench and a caliper piston tool. The parts are heavy; a front rotor of this size is awkward to handle, so plan for that. Clean the hub face completely before fitting a new rotor, since rust or scale under the rotor causes runout and pulsation within a few hundred miles. Torque the caliper bracket bolts and lug nuts to the values in the factory service manual, in a star pattern.

After installation, pump the pedal until it is firm before moving the vehicle, then bed the pads with a series of moderate stops from medium speed, avoiding a full stop while holding the pedal on hot rotors. Because DBA SP pads are pre-scorched, this goes quickly.

A note on recalls: when we checked NHTSA's recall database for the 2008 LX570, the listed campaigns covered airbags and a floor-mat accelerator issue, not the brake system. Run your own VIN at NHTSA, since recalls are added over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which DBA front rotor fits my Lexus LX570?

It depends on your front rotor diameter. DBA lists the 4000 Series HD (DBA42722) at 340 mm and the Street Series X-Gold (DBA2724X) at 354 mm. Measure your current rotor edge to edge and order the matching size.

Is the drilled and slotted rotor better for towing?

The drilling and slots give gas and dust an escape path, which helps pad bite when the brakes are working hard. The plain 4000 Series HD relies on its Kangaroo Paw vanes and heat-treated iron for heat control and is usually quieter. Both are built for harder use than a basic replacement.

What is the minimum thickness for DBA LX570 front rotors?

DBA lists 29 mm as the minimum for both the DBA42722 and DBA2724X, with a new thickness of 32 mm.

Do DBA SP pads need a special break-in?

No long procedure is needed. DBA scorches Street Performance pads at the factory to remove excess resin, so they bed in quickly with a normal series of moderate stops.

Can I use DBA pads on non-DBA rotors?

Yes. DBA says its pads work with any rotor brand, but it recommends DBA rotors for the best results and notes wear and dust can vary with other brands.

Are DBA rotors directional?

No. Both LX570 front rotors are bi-directional, so either rotor can go on either side.

Sources

1. DBA - Front 4000 Series HD Brake Rotor DBA42722 - 340 mm diameter, 32/29 mm thickness, 5-bolt 150 mm PCD, Kangaroo Paw vanes, heat treatment
2. DBA - Front Street Series XGold Brake Rotor DBA2724X - 354 mm diameter, 32/29 mm thickness, cross drilled and slotted, gold hub finish
3. DBA - Street Performance Brake Pads - semi-metallic, copper-free NSF certified, NVH shims, recommended rotor pairing
4. DBA - Frequently Asked Questions: Pads - factory scorching, pad and rotor pairing, replace rotors at minimum thickness
5. Hawk Performance - Talon Rotors - G3000 iron, Magni coating, ISO 9227 salt-spray testing
6. NHTSA - Recalls for the 2008 Lexus LX570 - listed campaigns cover airbags and floor mats, not brakes