Bedding brakes, help me out guys.

[cashtown]

I just got some new drilled slotted rotors for my L, with pads.

I used to change the brkes on all my vehicles but to be honest I was never the best at bleeding them (some kind of black-art). Anyway, they were never high-perfomance vehicles and I wasn't too concerned with top-of-the-line brake perfomance.

I'm getting my new stuff proffesionally installed.

My question is, what's the procedure for correctly bedding/breaking in new discs and pads?

What do y'all do?

 

[mysticsvt]

good luck with that

 

[cashtown]

Even with a fluid change? man, i suck, i always bled them.

 

[mysticsvt]

nvm

 

[svtjerrod]

I have been doin brakes a long time, the latest thing they say to do is a process called burnishing... if the guy installing the stuff does a good job then he will do it. however its not hard.. the key thing is they are most likely to over heat at first and warp rotors, make noise, etc. so... you drive normally, get up to about forty then slow to about ten, back to forty then back to ten like 10 times, then just increase your speed. dont get on the hard until you have at least 30 - 40 good long light stops..

now ask me if i do this with every car i put brakes on..... i do break them in just no as long as i described just dont stand on them until you are comfy that they are broken in

jerrod

 

[Nvr_Spds]

Heres the directions that came with my Hawk pads:

After installing new pads make 6 to 10 stops from approximately 35 mph with moderate pressure. Make an additional two to three hard stops from approximately 40 to 45 mph. Do not allow the vehicle to come to a complete stop.When completed with this process, park the vehicle and allow the brakes to cool completely before driving on them again. Do not engage the parking brake until after this cooling process is compete.

 

[cashtown]

good stuff. mine came w/ posiquiet pads, company said their hawk distributor was no more. oh well.

 

[OH-MAN]

Yes these are the correct ways to break in the new brakes.
Keep in mind the heat built up needs to be dissapated after each hard stop.
When you finish a long hard stop drive around for at least a few minutes to let them cool.

If you have to stop say at a red light inch forward a bit every 10 to 20 seconds to move the rotor.
When it is very hot and part is trapped between the pucks in the caliper it keeps it hotter and possibly warping it.
You should smell the brake pads while doing the hard stops.

After all this fun I suggest changing the brake fluid by bleeding it to remove all the old stuff.
Brake fluid absorbs water and is one of the things we tend to neglect doing.
Water boils when it is heated and introduces vapor into the line which will cause mushyness or in worse cases the pedal going all the way to the floor and not stopping too well.

 

[HYBRED]

Friend of mine cracked his drilled rotors while bedding them...I wouldn't recommend it. Then again, I wouldn't recommend drilled rotors at all if braking performance, rather than looks, was of importance.