New pads and rotors need to be bedded in before you use them hard. This guide is for drivers who have just had a big brake kit installed, or who have installed new pads and rotors. You'll learn what bedding-in does, why it matters, a general step-by-step procedure, how to tell it worked, and what changes for carbon ceramic rotors and track pads. The instructions that come with your kit and pads always come first. Use this guide to understand them, not to replace them.
What bedding-in does
Bedding-in, also called break-in or burnishing, is a short series of controlled stops. The heat from these stops lays an even layer of pad material on the rotor faces. It also helps the pad and rotor surfaces wear in to match each other. After that, the pad works against a surface that already carries its own material, which gives steady friction.
It matters for feel and noise:
- Feel. An even layer gives a consistent pedal and the same bite from stop to stop. Uneven patches of pad material can cause a pulsing pedal or a shaking steering wheel. That is often blamed on warped rotors, but uneven deposits can feel the same.
- Noise. Pads running on an even layer tend to be quieter. Pads that were never bedded in, or were overheated while new, are more likely to squeal.
How to bed in new pads and rotors
Before you start
- Read the instructions that come with your kit and pads. Where they differ from this guide, follow them.
- If you are not sure about any part of the install, have a qualified mechanic do it, or check it, before you drive.
- Check that the brake fluid is fresh and suited to how you use the car. The pedal should feel firm before you drive off. If it feels soft or sinks, do not drive the car until the brakes are checked.
- Do bedding-in only where it is legal and safe. You need a road where about 60 mph is legal and you can slow down several times in a row with no traffic close by. A closed course or a track day session, under the track's rules, is another option.
- New pads and rotors may not grip fully at first. Leave extra room and brake early on the way there.
Step by step
This is a general procedure. If your pad instructions give different speeds or a different number of stops, use theirs.
- Moderate stops from about 35–40 mph. Brake with steady, moderate pressure down to walking speed, then release and speed up again. Do not come to a full stop. Repeat a few times.
- Firmer stops from about 60 mph. Brake firmly down to walking speed, but not so hard that the ABS kicks in or the wheels lock. Release before the car stops and speed up again. Repeat a few times, leaving some distance between stops so air can cool the brakes a little.
- Cool-down drive. Drive for several minutes without using the brakes hard. Use them lightly and only as needed. This lets the pads and rotors cool evenly.
- Don't hold the brakes at a standstill while hot. A hot pad pressed on one spot of the rotor can leave a patch of pad material there, which can cause vibration later. Plan a route where you can keep rolling until the cool-down drive is over. If traffic makes you stop, use only the pedal pressure you need to hold the car safely.
If the brakes start to feel weaker, or the pedal travel changes, stop the hard stops and go straight to the cool-down drive. If the feel does not come back, have the brakes checked before you drive hard again.
Signs it worked
After the cool-down, look for these signs:
- The pedal feels the same from one stop to the next.
- The brakes bite smoothly, with no pulsing in the pedal and no shaking in the steering wheel.
- The brakes are quiet in normal driving. Cold track pads are an exception, as explained below.
- On high-carbon steel rotors, the part of the rotor the pads touch looks even in color, with no blotches, stripes or bare patches. Check only when the brakes have cooled, and don't touch them while hot.
If you notice uneven patches, a pulsing pedal or new noise, check your pad instructions about repeating the procedure. If the problem stays, have a qualified mechanic inspect the brakes, or contact us.
Carbon ceramic rotors and track pads
Carbon ceramic rotors
In our kits, carbon ceramic rotors use M-03 · CCB+ pads only. Follow the bedding instructions that come with the rotors and pads exactly. They can differ from the general steps above, so read them before you start. Do not swap in a different pad compound. Carbon ceramic rotors cost more to replace than high-carbon steel rotors, which is one more reason to follow the instructions closely.
Track pads: M-05 and M-05+
M-05 · TRACK is made for sprint racing, time attack and hard track days. M-05+ · RALLY is made for rally and endurance use, with long sessions and repeated heat cycles. In our kits, both pair with high-carbon steel rotors for track use or with racing high-carbon steel rotors.
Track compounds like M-05 work best warm. On a cool street drive they can feel weaker and make more noise until they heat up, so leave extra room. Follow the bedding steps that come with these pads. If they call for bedding at the track, do it there, under the track's rules.
Street and original-equipment pads
M-01 · STREET and M-02 · STREET+ pair with high-carbon steel rotors for street use. Kits built around genuine OEM calipers can also come with the original-equipment pads. Whatever pads you have, their instructions come first.
Next step
If you have questions about your kit's instructions, or the brakes don't feel right after bedding-in, visit our installation support page or contact us. Tell us your car, your kit and what you feel or hear.