Brake Bedding - Do You Do It?

"Jcarr" (jcarr)
04/08/2016 at 10:34 • Filed to: Brakes

Time for new brakes on the Envoy so I just ordered pads and rotors all the way around. Last time I did the brakes I went out afterward and found a lonely stretch of highway to bed them on. I’m pretty sure though, that if I were to take it to a shop, they wouldn’t go out and do that.

Do you guys do a bedding process?

Pictured: Last time I did this.

I love the way new rotors look.

DISCUSSION (20)

Party-vi > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 10:36

I hate bedding brakes. I haven’t done it on the Pilot or E46 at their last changes, and now my rotors have uneven pad material buildup. I should probably start doing it again.

crowmolly > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 10:40

Yes, every time.

A family member used to run the brake dyno at Raybestos. He says do it, so I do.

Jcarr > Party-vi
04/08/2016 at 10:40

Other than being somewhat inconvenient, I thought it was kind of fun provided you have a quiet stretch of road to do it on.

CalzoneGolem > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 10:42

I do it. I feel like it’s a good shakedown of the brakes also.

I just accelerate up to 30 and slowly bring it down to a stop then I do it again stopping quicker and quicker but not emergency stopping quick.

I usually do this until I am sick of doing it then I call it good.

Klaus Schmoll > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 10:44

“I’m pretty sure though, that if I were to take it to a shop, they wouldn’t go out and do that.”

My shop does it. I don’t know how thorough, but they do it.

DanZman > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 10:45

I think that the average consumer would accuse a shop of beating on their car.

Birddog > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 10:47

My personal vehicle? No. More often than not I’m just slapping new pads on and calling it good.

Other people’s? Absolutely. These are usually parts intensive though as I replace everything and change the fluid.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 10:48

Yep

and every time I help someone by doing their brakes, I tell them to make sure they give it some good hard braking to make sure they’re nice and set.

(read the title as bleeding the brakes at first. I was like why would you bleed the brakes over rotors/pads?! haha)

Jcarr > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
04/08/2016 at 10:50

Actually, I’m thinking about flushing the fluid too. Ever since my last brake job, they’ve felt a little squishy.

Meatcoma > CalzoneGolem
04/08/2016 at 10:50

Same. I normally do it 3 or 4 times each way and call it good.

Future next gen S2000 owner > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 10:51

Yep. I bed mine. Every time I put new ones on or if I have the shop put them on. Although, I haven’t had a shop do it in a long time.

E92M3 > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 10:55

Never do it. Just more catious the first 50 miles on new pads and pads/rotors. On my old M3 when I would change to track pads for an HPDE I could see deposits from the old pads after driving to the track as the new pad material collected on them. They’d be gone after the first session, and the rotors would be all shiny again.

Niko's Work Account > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 10:55

Yep! both of my uncles own an auto shop and they tell their customers to do it.

450X_FTW > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 10:56

I ain’t got time to bleed.....

PowderHound > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 10:57

I did the last time I did pads. Hadn't done it before and not entirely sure if I noticed a difference but I also went to stainless steel brake lines and bled the brakes all at the same time so take that how you will

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 11:00

nothing wrong with that. should be done after so many miles anyhow.

I was thinking you were saying bleeding it every time though haha.

BigBlock440 > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 11:19

I don’t, but it’s probably the reason my rotors are “warped” slightly.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 11:38

No, I don’t because I buy only Performance Friction® products which come bedded.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 13:38

Did the brakes on my dad’s Envoy last month and then immediately took a 6000lb trailer over a mountain. Figured that would do it.

TheJMan92 > Jcarr
04/08/2016 at 15:26

I did new pads and rotors on the Mazda and decided to bed them. I spent maybe 10-15 minutes doing some gentle braking and then less gentle braking. The brakes felt great afterwards but about a week of driving later they felt even better so I’m not sure how much of a difference it made.