The break-in process for new brake pads and rotors is called “bedding” and it consists of heating up and cooling down the brakes through a controlled, repetitive stopping process.
The bedding process transfers an even layer of brake pad material to the new brake rotors, improving overall braking performance and extending rotor life. As an added bonus, the bedding process can also release any gas trapped in the pad material to help prevent future brake fade.
Many brake pad manufacturers have a “break-in coating” or a specific bedding procedure. If that’s the case with your new brake pads and rotors, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. That said, the brake bedding instructions below provide a general break-in technique if no bedding procedure is specified.
How to Properly Bed-In Your Brakes in 5 Easy Steps
- Find a safe place, such as a track or a back road stretch, to perform the procedure. Be sure you can safely speed up and slow down multiple times away from other vehicles.
- From 35 mph, use moderate brake pressure to slow down to 5 mph. Avoid dragging the brakes and do not come to a complete stop. Repeat 2 to 3 times.
- From 55 mph, use strong brake pressure to slow down to 5 mph. Do not brake so hard that the ABS
activates or the wheels lock up. Repeat 4 to 5 times. - After the bedding process, drive for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the brakes to cool down slowly. Use
light brake pressure when needed, and again, try to avoid coming to a complete stop. Squeezing
the pads against the hot rotors when stopped can cause uneven material transfer, resulting in squeaking, pulsating, and reduced performance. - Park the vehicle and let the brakes cool for an hour.
When You Replace Brake Pads, Should You Replace the Rotor Too?
The question often comes up regarding changing just the pads, without a rotor swap too. A while back, we spoke with Tom Reid, president and CEO of the high performance brake company SSBC-USA, and here’s what he had to say on the topic.
“We absolutely recommend that you never replace pads without replacing the rotor too. Even if you’ve still got some life left in your rotor.
“That old pad and rotor have been bedded, they have been mated. Their flaws are now matched and interlocked.
“Even if you’ve got an upgraded pad, if you go and put that on an old rotor that’s been bedded to another pad, it’s not going to have the same surface area, it’s not going to have the same characteristics.
“And it’s not going to break-in properly—that’s the big thing. It all has to be done as a set, a system, and it all has to work together. And they often have to be broken-in at the same time.”
Tom Reid, president and CEO of SSBC-USA
You can catch more of Tom’s insight in this episode of the OnAllCylinders Podcast. Give it a listen below.
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