Breaking in new Brakes....how??
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,714
Likes: 32
From: Shreveport LA
LA Events Coordinator
Breaking in new Brakes....how??
Just had 2 NEW front calipers installed along with new brake pads. I remember reading somewhere there's a right way and a wrong way to break in new brakes.....am I right or was I dreaming???
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 65
From: Seattle WA
St. Jude Donor '14
Pro
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 672
Likes: 31
From: Rapid City South Dakota
A common procedure is the 30/30/30 rule, go from 30 mph to dead stop 30 times allowing 30 seconds between braking. Start out with light pedal pressure and end with moderate pedal pressure.
Technically speaking you should be running the same pads so that the same resin deposits on the rotor if they weren't turned. There are two types of braking, adhesion and abrasion. Laying down a new resin on the rotor should be similar to the old resin, this affects the adhesion. If the rotors were turned they should have been washed in soap and water.
Of course it is always good to check with the manufacturer, but the above break in should be fine for street use.
BTW, don't leave your foot on the brake pedal after hard use, it leaves excessive resin that is proud to the rotor face, which results in variable disc thickness, pedal pulsation and will eventually change the metallurgy to cementite which wears slower and even if the rotor is turned, the pulsation will return due to it being harder than the surrounding rotor metal.
I've done a modest amount of studying brake technology, there is likely someone here that knows a lot more than I do.
Technically speaking you should be running the same pads so that the same resin deposits on the rotor if they weren't turned. There are two types of braking, adhesion and abrasion. Laying down a new resin on the rotor should be similar to the old resin, this affects the adhesion. If the rotors were turned they should have been washed in soap and water.
Of course it is always good to check with the manufacturer, but the above break in should be fine for street use.
BTW, don't leave your foot on the brake pedal after hard use, it leaves excessive resin that is proud to the rotor face, which results in variable disc thickness, pedal pulsation and will eventually change the metallurgy to cementite which wears slower and even if the rotor is turned, the pulsation will return due to it being harder than the surrounding rotor metal.
I've done a modest amount of studying brake technology, there is likely someone here that knows a lot more than I do.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 523
Likes: 4
From: Calgary Alberta
The good manufacturers such as Wilwood include the information with the pads.
My pads came with the information in the instruction sheet.
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Joined: Nov 2013
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Regular pads don't need a break in last I knew. If they're ceramic like power stop or hawk or the sort then just Google the break in. For my stang it was like 30-5 with med pedal 5 times then 50-0 hard 5 times and let them cool between each stop