Bedding in New Brakes (Rotors and Pads)

[WhiteGTB]

I have heard different ways of bedding in new brakes and not sure which is most effective.

If your just replacing pads then all is good, take off wheel, undo caliper, replace the pad and stomp on the brakes until they bed in.

If your replacing both rotors and pads, should this be done at the same time? So running both new rotor and new pad?

Or should you keep atleast one old pad/rotor on the car and drive for maybe a week or so?

Is there a proper way for bedding in brand new rotors and pads?

[suff]

A) You should never put new rotors on with old pads.. as the pads never wear evenly, if you introduce uneven pads to new rotors, you will have uneven rotors before you can say bugger!

B) Having done way way way too many rotor/pad upgrades .. I would suggest the following procedure

- Clean the rotors and pads with brake cleaner
- Clean them again, this time, do it properly!
- Drive the car about 5 metres, apply the brakes lightly, make sure the brakes engage properly, but DO NOT STOP
- Find a nice quite street, accellerate up to 50km/h hour, and GENTLY slow down to 10km/h repeat 2-3 times
- Accelerate up to 60-70km/h and jump on the brakes, do this 8-9 times at least.. but never ever stop and hold the brakes on

Expect a bucket load of smoke as the lubricating oil they use to cut the rims will still be on the inside of the rotor, never yet have I manage to completely clean it!

Once the brakes have cooled down, clean them again with brake cleaner, after that, your good to go.. just remember most pad/rotors will take 300-400km to really bed in, so dont flog them too hard!

Oh, and dont be suprised if they are noisey for a while.. it will go away with time!

[tangcla]

Also, with brake cleaner, remember that it is VERY corrosive to the painted hats on the rotor. I made that mistake and now I have patches of rust between the gunmetal finish of the DBA rotors.

[overl0ad]

check that you are using "disc brake cleaner"

[Spec B Wgn]

acclerate to 60 kmph and slowly push pedal to the floor but as advised before dont stop

do this 3 -4 times

[WhiteGTB]

okie dokie, thanks for the tips guys

[overl0ad]

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/bbk_manuals.shtml

pick ANY of them, read the last section.

alternatively, just drive it like a little old lady for a week or 2.

[suff]

actually to bed pads in you need a lot of heat, so driving like a granny will just glaze them (not so much if the pads have a bed in paste applied)

[overl0ad]

alternative method:

http://forum.liberty.asn.au/viewtopic.php?t=2071