Duralast Gold Cmax vs Gold vs Wagner Ceramic

[good_jolly]

Hi everyone!

I will be changing brake pads on a 2008 Rx350, possibly front and rear. I am looking at Duralast Gold CMax, Duralast Gold, and Wagner Ceramic Thermoquiet.

Wagner Ceramic - I have used these for most cars and very satisfied with them.

Duralast Gold - I have only used these once and they seem to be on par with Wagner Ceramic, but are the Gold ceramic?

Duralast Gold Cmax - I have used two sets of Gold Cmax and from limited experience they provide smooth stop. Base on reviews, nearly everyone used them say they are very good for the money.

The Gold Cmax cost about 50 percent more than the Gold, and the Gold is about the same as Wagner. I would like to hear your input which one you would use.

By the way, the Cmax came with grease and I don't recall the need for using them as they come with rubber shim. To me, the grease is only good for the caliper pins.

 

[The Critic]

The OE Toyota pads are usually pretty good. If you decide to go aftermarket, save the shims on the pads because if you ever decide to go back to OE pads, you will need them and the shim kits are very expensive.

A lot of shops around here use the new Wagner ThermoQuiet with EDGE technology pad. If you get a set with a part number that begins with QC, it is the new ceramic compound. With that said, the Thermoquiets are a mass-market average performing pad that is adequate for most people. The Wagner pads also have a $15 mail-in rebate on them until the 31st.

I have a set of Duralast Gold ceramics on my Saturn and they feel like plywood. No joke.

I am not familiar with the Cmax, but they are supposed to be quieter than the Golds and include new hardware. The grease is not necessary in Toyota applications and I don't think you're supposed to use moly grease on the slide pins.

 

[Johnny248]

I've always had good results with the Wagner Theromquites. Never been a fan of the Autozone stuff. Seem pretty dirty. I am currently using Napa Adaptive One and I really like them a lot. They do cost a little extra but they have been great for me.

 

[good_jolly]

Hmmm. I just went to the garage to take a look at the boxes of Wagner I saved. Out of 7 or 8 boxes, only one starts with "QC" and the rest is with "PD".

As for the RX, Wagner has QC for the front and PD for the rear.

 

[bmwtechguy]

My experience has been consistantly better with the Advance Auto Wearever Golds than anything from Autozone, which might be fine one time and then be terrible on the next application I try them on.

 

[good_jolly]

I will check into the Wearever Gold.

I always thought the Wagner Thermoquiet starts with "PD" were ceramic. How come they are stated organic whereas the QC is listed as ceramic. Am I missing something?

 

[JHZR2]

I have liked the engineering info that wagner has quickly provided, and dont think that their parts have ever disapointed.

That said, are there bendix CT-3 available for this app?

 

[tomcat27]

I originally supported Wagner and know that many shops use them - but I refuse after I had problems with two sets of thermos and Wagner ignored both of my calls and letters to their tech help dept. if they dont have time for customer support - they can rot. in fact, I hope they do.

 

[tomcat27]

I have switched to Akebonos and am very happy.

 

[disturban]

The Duralast gold and Duralast Cmax golds are both ceramic pads and the same pad material, the only difference is the Cmax pad have a rubber backing to keep them from squeaking.

I have the Duralsat golds on the front of my wifes Bravada and used semi metalics on the back, I am very impressed with the stopping power of the pads, I can actually activate the antilocks on dry pavement (Did it once in an emergency stop) and they will put your face in the windshield. I am not impressed with how long the lasted though, she got about 20,000 miles out of them in one year. I replaced them and the rotors with the same thing because everything was under warranty (lifetime pads) (2yr rotors) but the next time I do brakes the best of the best I have found are Adaptive One - Ceramic pads from NAPA...I have these on my truck and on my moms van and they are not even 1/4 the way gone after 3 years. Our whole family is very hard on brakes and these seem to be the only pads that last.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: good_jolly
I will check into the Wearever Gold.

I always thought the Wagner Thermoquiet starts with "PD" were ceramic. How come they are stated organic whereas the QC is listed as ceramic. Am I missing something?


The PD prefix use to be for organic or ceramic material. Recently, they introduced the QC part numbers and any part number that begins with QC uses a ceramic type compound. The PD part numbers are slowly being replaced with the QC part numbers.

Originally Posted By: tomcat27
I originally supported Wagner and know that many shops use them - but I refuse after I had problems with two sets of thermos and Wagner ignored both of my calls and letters to their tech help dept. if they dont have time for customer support - they can rot. in fact, I hope they do.

I have never had a problem with Wagner's Tech Line. Just call the toll-free number.



Originally Posted By: disturban
The Duralast gold and Duralast Cmax golds are both ceramic pads and the same pad material, the only difference is the Cmax pad have a rubber backing to keep them from squeaking.

I have the Duralsat golds on the front of my wifes Bravada and used semi metalics on the back, I am very impressed with the stopping power of the pads, I can actually activate the antilocks on dry pavement (Did it once in an emergency stop) and they will put your face in the windshield. I am not impressed with how long the lasted though, she got about 20,000 miles out of them in one year. I replaced them and the rotors with the same thing because everything was under warranty (lifetime pads) (2yr rotors) but the next time I do brakes the best of the best I have found are Adaptive One - Ceramic pads from NAPA...I have these on my truck and on my moms van and they are not even 1/4 the way gone after 3 years. Our whole family is very hard on brakes and these seem to be the only pads that last.


I have Duralast Gold ceramics on the front of my Saturn. They have 54k on them and still have around 1/2 left despite mostly city driving.

When the front Duralast Gold pads were installed, the mechanic also installed a matching set of Duralast Gold pads on the rear. For some reason, the rears were a semi-metallic compound. Not long after they were installed, they began squeaking. They also only lasted 28,000 miles before reaching the wear indicator. The factory pads lasted 88k and still had a bit left. I replaced those noisy Duralast pads with a set of NAPA Adaptive Ones and they are nowhere near worn out after almost 30k.

 

[good_jolly]

Thank you everyone. I am going with the Gold Cmax since I really like their rubber shim technology and from experience they brake smoothly.

 

[mechtech2]

For street cars, the Autozone duralast gold pads are a fine choice.
Reasonable in price, lifetime warranty,and very good stopping.
Also low on dust compared to most.

 

[sciphi]

The Cmax pads can haul my 3500 lb Buick to a stop really, really quickly. Although they may be going out, as I have an occasional birdy in one of the wheels.

 

[buck91]

Vampire thread. Any new discussion?

 

[Tempest]

I've use CMAX on my Ranger twice now and am very happy. Just put them on a Jeep Liberty and again, very happy.

 

[CharBaby]

On our '01 RX-300 after the OE pad change(wore out fast), I went to Satisfied Brand Ceramic(Nice) than, Akebono(Loved'em), then to Centric Posi-Quiet Ceramic(So,So-wore out fast & dirty), now with WearEver GOLD Ceramic(Nice).

Akebono were the absolute cleanest/smoothest/quietest brakes I have ever used on this car, while still having good brake bite!

 

[Bgallagher]

Originally Posted By: Tempest
I've use CMAX on my Ranger twice now and am very happy. Just put them on a Jeep Liberty and again, very happy.


Installed c max gold with the new duralast gold rotors about 3 weeks ago in the Equinox. Stopping power is good. Confident and smooth stops with little dusting. Just make sure they are bedded correctly and you should do fine with most above average rotors/pads.

 

[sciphi]

I have Cmax Gold pads on the Fit with Brazilian-made rotors. They haul the car down from speed nicely. I've had them on my old Buick LeSabre before. They worked quite well in that application also. I may use them for the Cruze if it ever wears out its front brakes.