How do you properly bed new brake pads?

[Option2]

I'm about to install a set of Project Mu B-force brake pads. How do you properly bed newly installed brake pads?

[byt]

Check this link out:

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

8)

[Option2]

Thanks! Damn...this process might get me in trouble with the "Man" :lol:

[Matz]

Thanks for posting that! Umm... but I'm also not sure it'll ever be possible to properly bed in brake pads. That is a crazy set of requirements. Anyone got a good location with a straight section w/ a 55 / 60mph speed limit, without any stop lights or stop signs, and a place to U-turn? aaaghhhh

[vtluu]

Just find an usused commercial or industrial road at night or on the weekend where you can do the bedding in safely without too much risk of attracting attention.

[bdking57]

i prefer to light them up on a lon down hill mountain pass.. much less wear and tear on the car from accelerating like that.

[vtluu]

i prefer to light them up on a lon down hill mountain pass.. much less wear and tear on the car from accelerating like that.
Fair enough, if one is conveniently close by. I prefer a flat industrial road for brake bedding and other testing because you can stop and pull over to check temperatures, make adjustments, etc.

Also, before bedding-in, brake pads don't work very well--not an ideal situation when you're on that initial uphill run up that mountain pass. Unless you swapped in the new pads at the top--now that would be hardcore. :lol:

[Matz]

Fair enough, if one is conveniently close by. I prefer a flat industrial road for brake bedding and other testing because you can stop and pull over to check temperatures, make adjustments, etc.

Ok, I've lived in SJ my whole life, and am clueless. Where's a good industrial road in San Jose? I'd use the road by my office, as it's long and straight and I don't think there are cops... but there are people living nearby in a few trailer parks, and I don't know if they'd appreciate my racing by constantly.

[bdking57]

i prefer to light them up on a lon down hill mountain pass.. much less wear and tear on the car from accelerating like that.
Fair enough, if one is conveniently close by. I prefer a flat industrial road for brake bedding and other testing because you can stop and pull over to check temperatures, make adjustments, etc.

Also, before bedding-in, brake pads don't work very well--not an ideal situation when you're on that initial uphill run up that mountain pass. Unless you swapped in the new pads at the top--now that would be hardcore. :lol:

I found this out the hard way.. lets just say I was taking it relatively easy on laurelis grade in carmel..but the brakes completely faded very quickly.. I couldnt believe they had like nothing left!.. luckily because of the curves your are pretty much able to coast down hill with just tapping the brakes every now and again.. I tried quite unsuccesfully to bed in my pads before.. the quick mountain pass does and awesome job.. but i guess it depends if your near and area like this

[Matz]

I am bringing yet another thread back from the dead...

Today was the first time I've ever bedded brakes in on any car. I guess I should say that today was the first time I *attempted* to bed in brakes. Although I've lived in SJ practically my entire life, I don't know of any good places to do lots of 60-slow runs... so I decided to take it to the freeway. My mistake was not going out at 4:30 like I had hoped, but I just finished the job at almost midnight. Anyhow, there were a lot of cars on 85N. As I was driving, I saw much fewer cars going on 85S, so I decided to check out 280N first, then circle back. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side, because southbound wasn't all that great, either.

To make a long story short, I only got in two periods where I could attempt to do the bed in process. Once on 85N for about 5 brakings, and once on 85S for about 6. On the 2nd round, my brakes started to feel a little bit different and make some noise.

Ok, my real question is, how does one know visually if the brake bedding procedure went well, or reasonably well? The rotors are visually darker now (especially the rears), but not solid dark -- more like dark lines really close together. Yeah, not a good description. Does anyone have a picture of what new rotors look like after being properly bedded in?

I guess this will just have to do. I don't want to touch my car for the rest of the weekend, er, except for when I have to drive tomorrow at the autox. :)

[MarkSAE]

IMO, the bedding-in process is a bit overrated. Everytime I switch back to street pads (hawk hps front, hawk hp+ rear) from race pads, I barely bed them in at all. I just do a 3-4 hard 40mph to 10mph stops, which seems to be enough to get the pads to bite.

You don't necessarily have to follow that procedure exactly. The idea is just to get the pads hot enough to put a nice even transfer layer on the rotor. So instead of doing a bunch of 55-0mph stops, you can do more 40-10mph stops.

Just make sure your car can stop well on that first hard braking situation during your auto-x! Your brakes will be cold then.

I don't even bother bedding in race pads on the street. It's just not possible to do safely. That's what the first track sessions are for. ;)

[joshesh]

IMO, the bedding-in process is a bit overrated. Everytime I switch back to street pads (hawk hps front, hawk hp+ rear) from race pads, I barely bed them in at all. I just do a 3-4 hard 40mph to 10mph stops, which seems to be enough to get the pads to bite.

I couldn't really tell the difference going from stock pads to race pads, but when i switched back to street pads, oh man could i tell the difference. Break in on the race pads is a bit more involved, ~20 60mph-15mph stops is what i did on the first track day.

[Matz]

Ok, thanks guys. I was doing 65ish - 20ish stops today. Well, we'll see how it goes tomorrow! I won't be fast anyway, so as long as the car stops so I can get my time slip, that's good enough. hehe

[joshesh]

Hey Matt, what pads did you decide on? Are they crossover pads or just race pads? I got PF97s front and Ferodo 3500 in the back for racing and stockies still for street - man what a difference at trackdays these pads make.

[Matz]

Hey Matt, what pads did you decide on? Are they crossover pads or just race pads? I got PF97s front and Ferodo 3500 in the back for racing and stockies still for street - man what a difference at trackdays these pads make.


psss... my name is Dave. :lol:

I'm running DS2500s all the way around. I am using them as crossover pads, since I really don't know the difference between all of the compositions and stuff. People have recommended them for street use and light track use, so they should be good enough for me. I still don't know when I'll see a track again, if ever.

[chrisw]

Due to traffic problems living in congested areas, one way I have found to bed pad is to drag the brakes.

what I do is maintain ~40mph, 3rd gear, and apply the brakes hard enough to where you will need about 1/2 max boost to maintain 40mph. Do this until you smell the brakes, then let off and let the brakes cool down for a couple of minutes. Try not to stop while cooling the brakes, and it will work pretty well.

Do this 4-5 times while maintaining 40mph and your pads will bed pretty well.
It's not perfect, but it's better than panic stops in traffic 8)

[joshesh]

Sorry, why is your SN Matz then, oh well its just confusing.

DS2500 are great crossover pads, i am probably going to go with these when my stockies run out in a few thousand miles or I might try project mu, not sure yet.

You dont really need track pads unless your running r-comps at the track - crossover pads on street tires will work fine.

[Matz]

Sorry, why is your SN Matz then, oh well its just confusing.

DS2500 are great crossover pads, i am probably going to go with these when my stockies run out in a few thousand miles or I might try project mu, not sure yet.

You dont really need track pads unless your running r-comps at the track - crossover pads on street tires will work fine.


A screen name is just a screen name. Who said it has to do anything with one's real name (even though mine actually does). :)

http://www.norcalevo.net/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=2&topic=20029.msg302391#msg302391

I'm glad that you have also had a good experience with these pads. We'll see how they work out.

[joshesh]

Cool, i understand your SN now.