brake/ suspension thread

[Valley olds]

Hey everyone. My pads are worn, so I am using this as an excuse to work on my brakes lol I already ordered front d/s rotors from summit, and Apex brake pads. I want to go a little further though. Also my job is kind of unstable, so budget is kind of limited.

Some things I was considering are the polyurethane bushings and endlinks for the swaybars (I'd prefer polygraphite though). Does anyone have any links to some for the alero? Also, would they really make a difference in handling?

Something else I was considering is upgrading my rear brakes. Tough part though, is my rear brakes consist of drums grrrrrrr. Anyways is there anything that can be done there besides the drum to disc swap? Maybe drilled and slotted brake drums jk lol I was actually thinking more along the lines of good performing brake shoes. So does anyone know of any? Something else I was considering for the brakes is the SS hose. Any opinions on those?

[mfuller]

I don't know anything about Apex brake pads, but stock size drilled/slotted rotors are a bad move (everyone who disagrees with me, argue all you want; I don't care). I used to run Powerstop 9-1-1 pads with Powerslot rotors before I went to Baer brakes. Hawk HPS pads aren't bad either.
For the rear brakes, don't bother with the drums....find a salvage yard and se if you can nab a rear disk setup from an Alero or Grand Am from 1999-2005 (they're the same).
Braided stainless steel lines help toimprove pedal feel and help you to modulate the brakes, but don't expect anything earth-shattering.

Try to find someone selling a set of Speedbuilt anti-roll bars (but they are tough to come by) - just bushings is not worth the trouble.
Above all, wait to do any upgrades until your job is stable and you have $ in the bank.

[Valley olds]

Awesome! Thanks for the quick response. You pretty much answered everything I had asked. Looks like my best bet is going to be to wait to get more stable $ for the rear disc swap, and get the hoses now. Also concerning your drilled rotors comments, I won't really argue because I have heard many people mention valid points when it comes to staying away from drilled rotors.