How Do I Bed-In New Brake Pads And Rotors?

To maximize braking performance, all brake pads and rotors must be "bedded-in." Bedding in, breaking in, or burnishing - are all terms for conditioning new disc brake pads and rotors disc brake pads and rotors. Although the procedure varies by manufacturer, bedding-in typically involves a series of manual brake applications over a set distance, which gradually builds up heat in the rotors and pad compound. This process transfers a thin, uniform layer of film from the pads onto the rotors. Once that is accomplished, the layer of material will increase in adhesion as the brakes warm up. It acts as a buffer to both the pad and rotor contact surfaces, protecting both, and providing smooth, even, friction for stopping.

Failure to bed-in your brakes can lead to uneven buildup of film on the rotors resulting in "brake judder" - a vibration, sometimes severe, that will be felt through the steering wheel and suspension. This is caused by the pads losing and regaining friction contact with the discs as they rotate, due to the uneven spots of compound layer buildup.

Note: Bedding-in new pads and rotors should be done carefully and slowly. Rapid heat buildup in the brake system can lead to uneven transfer film deposits. Most brake pad compounds will take up to 300-400 miles to fully develop an even film transfer onto the rotors.

New pads should always be installed with new rotors. If reusing your old rotors, they will need to be resurfaced to smooth out the surface and remove any remaining old compound. . If a rotor has excessive run-out of over .004" (.10mm) it should be replaced. Do not install and drive using the rotor. Rotor manufacturers will not warranty a used rotor for excessive run-out.

Also, before installing new rotors, the hub mounting surface must be cleaned of any rust, scale, or debris and the rotors should be checked for excessive run-out before the caliper and pads are installed.

The following are recommended bed-in procedures per manufacturer:

Akebono pads are pre-burnished and do not require a specific bed in procedure. Moderate driving and braking is still advisable for the first 400 to 500 miles of use. Heavy braking should be avoided during this period.

400 to 500 miles of moderate driving is recommended. Heavy braking should be avoided during this period.

Drive vehicle to a remote area and perform at least 30 brake applications of 3 second duration. Use light/medium deceleration with varying starting speeds. Leave at least ½ mile between each brake application.

The purpose of this procedure is to gradually increase the temperature in the components without thermal shock, and to mate the brake pad and disc friction surfaces.

After the repeated stops, drive the vehicle for several miles with little or no braking in order to adequately cool the components.

Extremely sharp or violent braking can cause overheating of the friction material of the pads and disc, eventually compromising the integrity and the performance of brakes.

In a safe area, perform at least 20 brake applications using medium deceleration (approximately 60% of maximum) starting from 60mph and slowing to 20mph. Do not come to a stop. Accelerate back to the starting speed allowing 20-30 seconds before beginning the next brake application. After completion, drive the vehicle for at least 5 minutes with little or no braking in order to adequately cool the components.

For a typical performance brake system using street-performance pads, a series of ten partial braking events, from 60mph down to 10mph, will typically raise the temperature of the brake components sufficiently to be considered one bed-in set. Each of the ten partial braking events should achieve moderate-to-high deceleration (about 80 to 90% of the deceleration required to lock up the brakes and/or to engage the ABS), and they should be made one after the other, without allowing the brakes to cool in between.

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. Note: Hawk racing pads (Blue, Black, HT, DTC, and ER) may require a different bed-in procedure. Contact your sales specialists at the Tire Rack for racing application information.

For a typical performance brake system using street-performance pads, a series of ten partial braking events, from 60mph down to 10mph, will typically raise the temperature of the brake components sufficiently to be considered one bed-in set. Each of the ten partial braking events should achieve moderate-to-high deceleration (about 80 to 90% of the deceleration required to lock up the brakes and/or to engage the ABS), and they should be made one after the other, without allowing the brakes to cool in between.