Bedding in new brake pads

[Richard]

I suspect for everyone this will be a well known item but thought I'd share what I've been told over the years to see if others have varying techniques or opinions.

After fitting new brake pads to help bed in repeat 3 - 5 times before any hard braking.

Find a clear/ safe and legal stretch of road to accelerate to just under 70mph, then brake firmly down to 30mph and lift off, repeat this 3-5 times.

This generates the heat needed in the best possible way.

['The Gaffer']

To be honest, Im not sure I've ever done anything other drive slower for the first few miles till the brakes feel better.

[Mark G]

I just take it steady for the first few miles,  I wouldn't like to do any heavy braking on new pads for at least 100 miles.

I remember getting brake fade due to new pads on my mini when I was driving down Nashe hill in clapton in gordano.  If any of you know that hill, its not a nice one to have no brakes.  good job I was in a mini or it would have been game over at the first corner.

[Bulldog Bri]

I was warned about anything other than gentle braking for the first 100 or so miles on new pads, as this can cause them to become britle and prone to cracking! I guess a bit like tempered steal heated then cooled.

Where as gentle braking allows for the heat to build up slower and for the pads to wear into the discs for maximum contact....

[Richard]

From many places I have heard that you need to do some firm braking without locking the wheels, say on track 110 to 50 or motorway 70-30 when safe to do so, allow brakes to cool before repeating, still be gentle for a good early mileage but the firm without locking braking is important. Now this maybe because of using more racing type pads than road pads, but I think this is a debate worth having and checking as I suspect few kit cars are running standard road car pads and bedding them in is important.

I could be wrong and am certainly in the minority so far 

[Quarrycars]

The instruction to use firm pedal pressure to bed in brakes is correct, light braking will tend to glaze the pads and disks which often results in annoying squeal.  Some manufacturers have very specific bedding in procedures but in general start with shorter, lower speed applications working up to higher speeds.  The important thing is not to come to a compleat stop with the brakes applied and to allow time for the brakes to cool bettwen applications.
While on the subject, anytime one has made a quick stop (light suddenly turned red etc) release the pressure on the pedal to allow the disks to cool evenly.
Cheerz, JT