Breaking in Brakes?
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Breaking in Brakes?
How important is it really to "break in" new brakes?
Last time it was raining one of my rear brake cylinders busted and started leaking out all my brake fluid. I had the cylinders and brake shoes replaced. I know it's generally a good idea to not brake hard right after getting new brakes - but it was raining and the cars in front of me on the freeway came to a sudden stop and I had to push the brake pedal to the floor and hope for the best.
My question is, is there any damage actually done by braking hard after getting new brakes, or is this like changing your oil every 3,000 miles (unnecessary)?
Last time it was raining one of my rear brake cylinders busted and started leaking out all my brake fluid. I had the cylinders and brake shoes replaced. I know it's generally a good idea to not brake hard right after getting new brakes - but it was raining and the cars in front of me on the freeway came to a sudden stop and I had to push the brake pedal to the floor and hope for the best.
My question is, is there any damage actually done by braking hard after getting new brakes, or is this like changing your oil every 3,000 miles (unnecessary)?
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Re: Breaking in Brakes?
Re: Breaking in Brakes?
MEH - I just go easy on my brakes for the first few hundred kilometers and I don't have any issues with them... I think the bedding in process was lost years ago 
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Hm, well it looks like the worst damage I could have done was possibly cause some unwanted vibration in the future. I was worried it would be more like "Oh no! Now you only have half the life of your brakes and they brake 30% less efficiently" or something..
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i myself still prefer to do the bedding process - they don't feel too grippy in the start until i do the bedding 
- usually it takes round 1 week to really feel them better, but if i do bed, they are up in 3 days
- usually it takes round 1 week to really feel them better, but if i do bed, they are up in 3 days Thread Starter
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That's the thing that had me concerned. It feels like I don't have as much stopping power. I asked the mechanic if he bled my brakes after changing all the stuff and he said of course (but then he said "you don't want your pedal ALL the way up" and I'm not sure what that means but I kinda do like having my pedal start working as soon as I touch it, lol) . But I feel like it takes me longer to stop.. maybe I'm just crazy.
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air in the system will make your brakes "spongy", too much will impact bite. bleeding is to take this air out.
you can just apply the bedding process in the link i provided and see if that improves or not
you can just apply the bedding process in the link i provided and see if that improves or not
Re: Breaking in Brakes?
I just did my rotors and pads the other day and let me tell you. Right off the bat my braking power increased substantially. Not only that but my pedal travel is much better now too.... I don't see how much better they can get. I gota canadian tire ATE rotors though which are real nice. I recommend.
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That's the thing that had me concerned. It feels like I don't have as much stopping power. I asked the mechanic if he bled my brakes after changing all the stuff and he said of course (but then he said "you don't want your pedal ALL the way up" and I'm not sure what that means but I kinda do like having my pedal start working as soon as I touch it, lol) . But I feel like it takes me longer to stop.. maybe I'm just crazy.
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What he means is you want a certain amount of pedal travel so your brakes are not incredibly touchy, (or at least most people do.) If you accustomed to having little to no travel in your brakes you could bring your car back and have him readjust it for you. Also check your brake fluid level, and take a look at the rotors as well just to make sure there isn't any grease that may have accidentally got on them. Whats your pedal feel like when applied? example: Hard, Soft, spongy, pulsating, etc.
). 
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break-in is just giving the pads time to wear down so they match the rotor surface. when you first install new pads, they will not perfectly contact the rotor surface and this can make the brakes seem very poor at first. once you grind the pads down say around 500 miles of normal driving and braking, they will match the rotor surface and you will have better brakes. the pedal travel should not change. and ive noticed on the civics, they tend to have more of a resistant pedal that needs to be pushed harder than other cars to get decent performance. then you have the tires. better tires means better stopping.
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adjust the brake pedal engaging point
and no, your question does not relate to the original subject, so create a new thread or search around the site for related questions.
Last edited by sdaidoji; Apr 6, 2011 at 10:43 PM.
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break-in is just giving the pads time to wear down so they match the rotor surface. when you first install new pads, they will not perfectly contact the rotor surface and this can make the brakes seem very poor at first. once you grind the pads down say around 500 miles of normal driving and braking, they will match the rotor surface and you will have better brakes. the pedal travel should not change. and ive noticed on the civics, they tend to have more of a resistant pedal that needs to be pushed harder than other cars to get decent performance. then you have the tires. better tires means better stopping.
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I accelerate to 60 brake hard to 10 back to 60 brake hard to 10 I do that about 10 times don't let them cool...You will feel your brakes about 80% of your stopping power will be gone, park the car let them cool and when you take that baby out stops on a dime every time.
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I accelerate to 60 brake hard to 10 back to 60 brake hard to 10 I do that about 10 times don't let them cool...You will feel your brakes about 80% of your stopping power will be gone, park the car let them cool and when you take that baby out stops on a dime every time.
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while that may work on some cars, heating them up that much on a civic will give you warped rotors in no time. i have no idea how you would even accomplish that on the streets without either causing an accident or getting a speeding ticket.
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Mine are still stock rotors, 5 track days?I select back rodas with very little traffic for it (sloppy brakes until i get there, though...).
i might have been lucky with the brakes, though. And i don't brake in the corners - i step on the throttle - too many white/blue on the straights, so i get me fun on corners with good visibility 
i might have been lucky with the brakes, though. And i don't brake in the corners - i step on the throttle
- too many white/blue on the straights, so i get me fun on corners with good visibility Last edited by sdaidoji; Apr 10, 2011 at 10:16 AM.
Re: Breaking in Brakes?
I accelerate to 60 brake hard to 10 back to 60 brake hard to 10 I do that about 10 times don't let them cool...You will feel your brakes about 80% of your stopping power will be gone, park the car let them cool and when you take that baby out stops on a dime every time.
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Two each there own it's worked for me the last 2 times with no issues. I do it on back streets "live in fl' safe as can be... And if the rotors did get warped there garbage any way who don't want an excuse to upgrade there rotors. And chances are the stock rotors were no mint trophy any ways, we are in 7th gen some of our car parts are due for replacement Id probably put rotors on the list for most. You live you learn Just saying.....
Re: Breaking in Brakes?
Haha I hear ya... my OEM rotors werent too bad though. I got about 70k miles out of them and they probably could have been resurfaced too. Mind you, I'm not the best example because I do all highway and hardly EVER use my brakes Everyone develops their own things I just don't think I'd be heating my brand new brakes like that. It actually said right on the package of my brakes to avoid hard braking for 200 kms.
Everyone develops their own things I just don't think I'd be heating my brand new brakes like that. It actually said right on the package of my brakes to avoid hard braking for 200 kms. 
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goto the main forums https://www.civicforums.com/forums/ and click on the forum or subforum you want to post in. then at the bottom there is a "new thread" button. should be easy to figure out after that.
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Beside, warping is primary cause by excessive heating and cooling in short amounts of time. Also if you do a lot of hard braking and hold your brakes for a long period of time. For example lots of braking prior to stopping at a stop light and then sitting there holding the brakes for a couple minutes. The pressure of the pad on a heated rotor can cause slight warping over time.
Here's some good information as to WHY this process is important.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bedintheory.shtml
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Here's some good information as to WHY this process is important.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bedintheory.shtml
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bedintheory.shtml
Re: Breaking in Brakes?
It's overkill if you ask me. I just did my brakes and did no sort of bedding at all and they work great. Brakes generally last me 60k miles +. I'm a bit of a minimalist when it comes to this kind of stuff. I have a hard time finding a shop that can do a proper brake job let alone proper bedding technique... If they don't do it why should I? The shops you worked at must have been good reputable shops that don't exist around here. Oh yea, improper bedding can warp rotors...
Definitely not lost. I know some techs at shops still do this process(I used to work for a couple dealerships). It was even taught at the school I went to. If you look at brake pads, OE replacement or performance aftermarket, you will find the bedding instructions either written on the box or on instructions in the box.
Doing the bedding process will NOT over heat your brakes and cause warping. The bedding process is not all that hard on the rotors, nothing they can't handle. Many road racers use OE replacement blank rotors(they're cheap), if they can handle THAT kind of driving and heat, a simple bedding process is nothing...
Beside, warping is primary cause by excessive heating and cooling in short amounts of time. Also if you do a lot of hard braking and hold your brakes for a long period of time. For example lots of braking prior to stopping at a stop light and then sitting there holding the brakes for a couple minutes. The pressure of the pad on a heated rotor can cause slight warping over time.
The primary reason for doing this process is not to seat your pads in place. That should happen no more than the first couple times you apply your brakes.
Here's some good information as to WHY this process is important.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bedintheory.shtml
Doing the bedding process will NOT over heat your brakes and cause warping. The bedding process is not all that hard on the rotors, nothing they can't handle. Many road racers use OE replacement blank rotors(they're cheap), if they can handle THAT kind of driving and heat, a simple bedding process is nothing...
Beside, warping is primary cause by excessive heating and cooling in short amounts of time. Also if you do a lot of hard braking and hold your brakes for a long period of time. For example lots of braking prior to stopping at a stop light and then sitting there holding the brakes for a couple minutes. The pressure of the pad on a heated rotor can cause slight warping over time.
The primary reason for doing this process is not to seat your pads in place. That should happen no more than the first couple times you apply your brakes.
Here's some good information as to WHY this process is important.
http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_bedintheory.shtml
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It's overkill if you ask me. I just did my brakes and did no sort of bedding at all and they work great. Brakes generally last me 60k miles +. I'm a bit of a minimalist when it comes to this kind of stuff. I have a hard time finding a shop that can do a proper brake job let alone proper bedding technique... If they don't do it why should I? The shops you worked at must have been good reputable shops that don't exist around here. Oh yea, improper bedding can warp rotors...
http://www.hawkperformance.com/performance/burnish.php
http://www.hawkperformance.com/performance/faq.php
Why should I follow a break-in procedure on new brake pads?
Correct brake pad break-in (bedding) is important to assure quality braking performance over the life of the pad. This procedure allows the rubbing surface of the brake pad to be brought to temperatures, creating a transfer-film layer of friction material to be applied to the rotor surface. This allows the brake pad material to rub against itself rather than the bare rotor. This increases the stopping performance of the brake pad and can reduce pad and rotor wear.
Correct brake pad break-in (bedding) is important to assure quality braking performance over the life of the pad. This procedure allows the rubbing surface of the brake pad to be brought to temperatures, creating a transfer-film layer of friction material to be applied to the rotor surface. This allows the brake pad material to rub against itself rather than the bare rotor. This increases the stopping performance of the brake pad and can reduce pad and rotor wear.
http://www.ebcbrakes.com/assets/typicalq&a.html
9. Bedding in EBC pads
In Street use situations …
Bedding in when the red EBC surface coating (marked on the pads as Brake In) is applied.
Best procedure is to drive gently avoiding harsh braking unless in an emergency for first 100 miles. In the second 100 miles (up to 200) you can use gently increasing brake pressures when using the brakes.
Only after 200 miles urban driving (not 200 miles on a freeway where brakes are almost unused) should you attempt to apply heavy load and heat to the brakes. To do this final bedding on a QUIET ROAD in safe traffic apply the brakes and slow from 60 to 10 MPH five times in a row. Then drive slowly for a few minutes if safe to do so to allow the brakes to cool. Try to avoid coming to a rest whilst the brakes are heated.
A smell may be noticed from the warm brakes, this is normal. Repeat this procedure a second time after the brakes have TOTALLY cooled down. EBC pads get better with miles. Even after this bed in procedure it can take up to 1500 miles before the pads are at their best. In the meantime the pads will be good and safe but true potential not realised. EBC makes performance pads that last, they do not bed in within 5 minutes driving. Noises will be more likely during the first 1000-1500 miles use whilst this chemical bedding takes place.
NEVER attempt to sand or scotchbrite brake pads to assist it bedding in or noise reduction,this will only make things worse by taking the pads "Off-Flat" and require hundreds of miles driving to seat them again during which time the brakes will feel very dull. The only way to seat pads is against the rotor they will be used on and by following our bedding recommendation.
Bedding in for trackday or race use …
We remind you there is NO WARRANTY on any EBC product for race use due to the very varying conditions that can be seen. However, care bedding pads in and monitoring wear will get the best from our products.
Most EBC pads including Yellow range pads now have the brake in coating. If possible and using a street based car, fit the pads before the race use and bed in as above for street use. Try to get 200-300 miles urban driving on the pads before racing them. If this is NOT possible and you fit at the track bed like this.
Drive two laps steadily applying the brakes every few seconds and then coast for a full lap without any unnecessary braking to allow pads and rotors to cool down. Drive a third lap applying the brakes slightly harder each time and again drive a cooldown lap. Do NOT pull up and park the car with the brakes red hot, try to let them cool as much as possible before coming to a rest. It is also important to understand that the pads must be geometrically matched to the rotor (flat and parallel) before they will bed in chemically. If you do the above bed in and get violent fade first use you MUST repeat the bedding procedure. We get lots of new customers calling in saying my brakes have faded and when they send a digital the pad is only touching on 70-80% of its surface area. Fade early in a pads life is almost a good thing. It is called GREEN fade and will disappear so if you suffer Green fade (you will notice this by smell), you are on the right path and this is not a negative. If you are getting fade after 20 laps and the pads are part worn, then something else needs looking into such as material choice, bleeding of the system, driving style etc …
In Street use situations …
Bedding in when the red EBC surface coating (marked on the pads as Brake In) is applied.
Best procedure is to drive gently avoiding harsh braking unless in an emergency for first 100 miles. In the second 100 miles (up to 200) you can use gently increasing brake pressures when using the brakes.
Only after 200 miles urban driving (not 200 miles on a freeway where brakes are almost unused) should you attempt to apply heavy load and heat to the brakes. To do this final bedding on a QUIET ROAD in safe traffic apply the brakes and slow from 60 to 10 MPH five times in a row. Then drive slowly for a few minutes if safe to do so to allow the brakes to cool. Try to avoid coming to a rest whilst the brakes are heated.
A smell may be noticed from the warm brakes, this is normal. Repeat this procedure a second time after the brakes have TOTALLY cooled down. EBC pads get better with miles. Even after this bed in procedure it can take up to 1500 miles before the pads are at their best. In the meantime the pads will be good and safe but true potential not realised. EBC makes performance pads that last, they do not bed in within 5 minutes driving. Noises will be more likely during the first 1000-1500 miles use whilst this chemical bedding takes place.
NEVER attempt to sand or scotchbrite brake pads to assist it bedding in or noise reduction,this will only make things worse by taking the pads "Off-Flat" and require hundreds of miles driving to seat them again during which time the brakes will feel very dull. The only way to seat pads is against the rotor they will be used on and by following our bedding recommendation.
Bedding in for trackday or race use …
We remind you there is NO WARRANTY on any EBC product for race use due to the very varying conditions that can be seen. However, care bedding pads in and monitoring wear will get the best from our products.
Most EBC pads including Yellow range pads now have the brake in coating. If possible and using a street based car, fit the pads before the race use and bed in as above for street use. Try to get 200-300 miles urban driving on the pads before racing them. If this is NOT possible and you fit at the track bed like this.
Drive two laps steadily applying the brakes every few seconds and then coast for a full lap without any unnecessary braking to allow pads and rotors to cool down. Drive a third lap applying the brakes slightly harder each time and again drive a cooldown lap. Do NOT pull up and park the car with the brakes red hot, try to let them cool as much as possible before coming to a rest. It is also important to understand that the pads must be geometrically matched to the rotor (flat and parallel) before they will bed in chemically. If you do the above bed in and get violent fade first use you MUST repeat the bedding procedure. We get lots of new customers calling in saying my brakes have faded and when they send a digital the pad is only touching on 70-80% of its surface area. Fade early in a pads life is almost a good thing. It is called GREEN fade and will disappear so if you suffer Green fade (you will notice this by smell), you are on the right path and this is not a negative. If you are getting fade after 20 laps and the pads are part worn, then something else needs looking into such as material choice, bleeding of the system, driving style etc …
Should new discs and pads be bedded in and if so, how?
The answer is yes, for optimum performance, any time different friction materials or discs are introduced, a bedding procedure should be carried out.
•While the vehicle is stationary, pump brakes to ensure a firm pedal.
•Drive the vehicle cautiously to test fit and function.
•The brakes should be smooth, with no vibrations, judder, etc.
•Drive the 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 inducing 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.
•After the above process is completed, the system is ready for normal use.
•When the system achieves elevated brake temperatures for the first time, a slight increase in pedal travel and pedal effort may occur. After this first "fade" and proper cooling, the system will maintain its optimum performance at all temperatures.
The answer is yes, for optimum performance, any time different friction materials or discs are introduced, a bedding procedure should be carried out.
•While the vehicle is stationary, pump brakes to ensure a firm pedal.
•Drive the vehicle cautiously to test fit and function.
•The brakes should be smooth, with no vibrations, judder, etc.
•Drive the 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 inducing 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.
•After the above process is completed, the system is ready for normal use.
•When the system achieves elevated brake temperatures for the first time, a slight increase in pedal travel and pedal effort may occur. After this first "fade" and proper cooling, the system will maintain its optimum performance at all temperatures.
^Shows info and bedding process for multiple companies
Kinda hard to ignore when just about every big company out there selling brakes says you should lol. It's not like they're making money off of you doing this, they are suggesting this for your benefit.
Last edited by civicexracer; Apr 11, 2011 at 01:38 PM.
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I wonder if driving through Turnbull Canyon would do the trick... I used to drive through there all the time (a few miles of windy road and a LOT of up and down hills). Sounds like this would be perfect because I have to ride the brakes 50% of the time and there isn't any reason to come to a complete stop until I've driven through the whole thing. This would heat up my pads quite a bit .
I am leaning toward the best way being braking from 60 to 10 five times in a row and then just letting them cool off. But the above was just a thought - er, thinking out loud.
.I am leaning toward the best way being braking from 60 to 10 five times in a row and then just letting them cool off. But the above was just a thought - er, thinking out loud.
