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 CODE4 | Dec-22-04 12:07 PM |
Member since Nov 23rd 2003
2552 posts,
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#25989, "RE: Proper way to break in brakes"
In response to Reply # 1
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Originally posted by MCubed45
you should be able to smell the pads when you're done.
No. If you can smell it, you are cooking it. You are not allowing sufficient time for the rotors and pads to cool.
The following is a good procedure I have followed for the passed few years when breaking in brake systems on customer vehicles. It is cut and pasted from this article.
http://www.kitcarbooks.com/brakepads.html
The Bedding Procedure
For street applications (which represents all, if not most of your shop's work), the best advice is to use the brakes "normally" by using moderate pedal pressure for the first batch of stops. Of course, if a panic stop is required due to road conditions, the driver isn't expected to compromise a safety situation by babying the brakes. Once the pads have been initially seated (where the transfer film has occurred between pad and rotor), a sensible break-in period should ideally be performed. "Normal" break-in simply means you should do your best not to overheat the pads too soon during the first hundred miles or so. Use a degree of common sense.
Treat the new pads just as you would a fresh engine. Allow the brakes to settle into a comfortable routine before heavy-duty use, if at all possible. Reality however, dictates that you'll use the brakes as conditions require, but a reasonably gentle period in the beginning is preferred. Quality post-cured pads are really designed for full use from the outset, but a proper initial seating of pad-to-rotor and a sensible adjustment period is the ideal in order to lay the groundwork for optimum performance and pad life.
For break-in of semi-metallic pads (immediately following installation), apply moderate pedal pressure at vehicle speed of about 40 mph. Bring the vehicle to a complete or near-complete stop. Remove your foot from the brake pedal, and again accelerate to 40 mph. Apply moderate brake pressure again, bringing the vehicle to a complete or near-complete stop. Repeat process,ideally, 12-30 times. Drive about 1/4-mile between each braking. If possible,do not sit at idle with the brake pedal depressed immediately following one of these deceleration runs, to avoid creating localized hot spots on the rotor.
When dealing with carbon-metallic pads, bear in mind that not all are created equal. Performance Friction pads, for instance, are burnished using a laser process. For this type of pad, Performance Friction recommends a bedding procedure of moderate braking that brings rotor temperature up to 600 degrees F, repeated in a series of 12 stops. Bringing the rotors to this degree (600 deg. F), notes Performance Friction Darrick Dong, you're trying to cast-off any low-density volatile that might be trapped in the friction surface, or any other contaminants or solvents in the brake rotor.
We fully realize that the ideal street application bedding procedures that we've outlined here may be difficult to accomplish depending on available time and local road and traffic conditions, but do your best to follow the guideline where conditions permit.
The most generic statement that we can make is that with a high-quality pad that has already been post-cured, a handful of moderate stops should be all that's required to place the pads and rotors into full service.Whenever possible, a controlled series of moderate 40 mph-to-zero stops is best.
Once the pads have been bedded a sensible initial routine of brake use is preferred, especially in the case of a towing application, where the vehicle is intended to tow a trailer (car trailer, boat trailer,horse trailer, camper, etc.). In this case, it's best to first drive the vehicle for 100 - 200 miles before the trailer is connected. This will allow the pads and rotors ample time to mate and condition, before high heat and extreme pressures are applied during downhill braking of the vehicle and trailer.
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2012 2500HD LML
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