Spork MarketingIf you’ve just installed a new set of drilled and slotted rotors along with upgraded performance brake pads, you probably think you’re ready to hit the street.
Hold on.
As tempting as it is to just go for a drive, you still need to bed-in the brake pads. It is an important step of the break-in process and is key to unlocking the performance you just paid for.
What Is Bedding-In And Why Is It Important?
When you’re bedding in the pads, the goal isn’t to be gentle. The goal is to get the pads hot – so hot that they start to break down a little. This process – called burnishing – does two critical things:
- It Creates a Transfer Layer. This is the magic. You are literally melting a microscopic, even layer of your new brake pad’s friction material onto the fresh-swept surface of the rotor. Brakes are designed to work best when the pad is gripping ‘like‘ material, not the bare iron. This is what gives you that massive, aggressive bite you’re looking for.
- It Prevents Brake Judder. This is the problem you’re avoiding. That pulsing feeling you get in the pedal (that many incorrectly call warped rotors) isn’t a bent rotor. It’s an uneven deposit of pad material. Bedding-in properly lays down a smooth, uniform layer, so your brakes are powerful and smooth.
Skipping this process is the #1 way to get glazed pads, terrible bite, and a bad case of brake judder. So let’s do it right.
Step-By-Step Guide To Bedding-In Performance Brakes
Beware – this procedure is aggressive. It is designed for performance pads, which you should be using with drilled and slotted rotors. Do this in a safe, open area where you won’t be a hazard – don’t do this in traffic! If you’re looking for a guide on breaking in traditional pads and rotors, check out this article.
Step 1: Warm-Up – Start by just driving normally for a few minutes. Then, perform 4-5 gentle stops from about 40 mph down to 10 mph. Just nice, easy stops. The goal is to slowly get a little bit of heat into the new pads and rotors.
Step 2: Burnishing – This step gets a bit more aggressive:
- Accelerate to around 60 mph.
- Apply the brakes aggressively and slow down to 10 mph. (Don’t engage the ABS, but brake hard).
- CRITICAL: Do NOT come to a complete stop.
- As soon as you hit 10 mph, immediately accelerate back to 60 mph and repeat the process.
Do this 6-8 times. Again, we recommend a location with a long, open drag to allow for safe acceleration and deceleration without the need for turns.
Step 3: Smell Test – About halfway through this, you will start to smell your brakes. This is 100% normal. You’re smelling the special resins in the pad material burning off. You might even see a little wisp of smoke. This is how you know it’s working. Keep going!
Step 4: Cool-Down (THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP) – After your 6th-8th aggressive stop, it’s time to cool everything down.
- Drive for 10-15 minutes at a steady speed (50-60 mph is great) without touching the brake pedal if you can help it.
- The goal is to let the brakes air-cool while they are spinning.
Step 5: Final Rest – After your 10-15 minute cool-down drive, head home. Park the car and let the brakes cool down completely to ambient temperature. Letting them sit for an hour or two is ideal.
The Golden Rule of bedding-in brakes is DO. NOT. STOP. The brakes will be sizzling hot from this process. During this time, do NOT come to a complete stop. If you stop at a red light with your foot on the brake, you can imprint a chunk of pad material onto that one spot of the hot, sticky rotor. You will have just created the exact brake judder problem you were trying to avoid.
Performance Pads And Drilled And Slotted Rotors From BuyBrakes.com
That’s it! The process is done. Your pads have now deposited a perfect, even transfer layer onto your new drilled and slotted rotors.
For the next 100-200 miles of normal driving, your brake bite will continue to get better and better as the pads and rotors fully mate.
It may seem like a hassle, but you just spent 20 minutes guaranteeing that your new performance brake setup will actually perform as intended. You’ve prevented glazing, eliminated the risk of judder, and ensured you have the best possible stopping power for the life of your pads.
Ready to find the perfect brake setup for your ride? We stock a wide range of brake pads, brake rotors, big brake kits and more for every type of driving situation – all from top brands such as Brembo, PowerStop, DFC, EBC, and APP.
We bring decades of hands-on automotive experience to the table. If you’re unsure which brake upgrade options are right for you, contact our brake experts – we’re happy to help. We offer the best brake parts at the best prices. Guaranteed.
Rick Carlton
