CMAX are worth it in most cases. They are the best pads we have. I wish you could just buy them separate without all the hardware stuff. But yeah thats what i would go with and ive just stuck new pads on old rotors 100 times before and nothing bad ever happened...so idk what everyone is complaining about.

Why would you want pads w/o hardware? You think that significantly raises the cost?

And it's not really about something bad happening, it's about getting the most out of you brakes. You can't feel adding 10 feet to your stopping from 70, but it happens. As my Dad used to say "there's a right way, a wrong way and my way".

i guess i have no clue what i'm talking about, i just deal with it on a daily basis. must be the salty air round here :shrug:

I run Hawk pads on stock rotors.

I pad slapped the Caprice. Apparently Autozone doesnt make Golds or Cmax's in the 614a spec...laaaame.

:shudders: you pad slaps too? :facepalm:

What is this pad slap you speak of?

not replacing the rotors when you replace the pads. it was cool back in the day when america made the rotors out of good ole american metals and they were so thick you could machine them down. nowadays, no thanks. but hey, if it works it works i guess

So I should have replaced my rotors?

Damn.

eh if you don't notice anything you are probably ok. usually you run into lateral runout and the rotor's thickness will change. you won't really notice it at low speeds unless its really bad. usually 50mph+ into some moderate braking you will think the abs is kicking in :lol:

Ahahaha, yeah I know, but overall the car stops very well. I measured run out and thickness of the rotor. IMO, the hub/rotor designs tend to be a bit more robust then the floating rotors on more modern cars. Not to mention running into problems with the mating surface of teh rotor to the hub, also could cause vibration and run out in the rotor.
Its a caprice...I wouldnt feel a thing even if the lateral run otu was an inch. ahahahahahah

hahahaah so true

Run up to advanced or autozone and grab a set of pads, they'll do the job. Mine work like a charm.

i ended up contacting J Reed and got some Duralast Golds (front/rear), my rotors look a little etched in so i'm gonna have them cut for $10 before the brake swap.

Good call on the duralasts, good luck w/ them.

The right way to do brakes is generally outlined here, along with backyard novice ways that are reported by some to work, and the OP question is answered. Justin already cleaned up all the uselss posts so to stop anymore :dancinglock: