Bedding In Pads And Disks

[wildejon 7]

Hi all,

 

This seems like an important subject but there isn't much on here about it so I thought I'd ask. I have some Mintex 1144's to fit and some new grp N disks. I was going to follow the Mintex recommended bedding in procedure but what do I do about bedding in the disks first? Should I just swap the disks to start with and get them bed in using the 50-20 mph type method and then swap the pads and follow the Mintex guidlines?

Or is that taking it a bit too far? I was initially just going to swap it all and brake gently for abour 200 miles...

 

Cheers

 

Jon

[Jonmurgie 2]

Swap the lot and take it easy for 200 miles...

[wildejon 7]

Now thats my kinda answer!!

Ta mate

[taylorspug 7]

Dont go easy on pads bedding them in, you will glaze them and then they wont work, pads should be bedded in with short, hard bursts of braking. As long as the pads are new i wouldnt worry too much about the disks, just put them through a few heat cycles (warm them up/ then let them rest and cool) and they will be fine.

 

This is the same method ive used for dozens of sets of pads/discs on many road/race applications, works fine every time.

[smckeown 1]

i've always used a more agressive methoid of putting through a few heat cycles. I got the information when I was bedding in my AP racing 6 pot calipers, discs and ds2500 pads. It involved progressively increasing the stopping distance/speed. So from 30-20, then 40-20, then 60-20, then 70-20 etc. All with a few minutes gap in between. So I always use the same procedure and it works well

[wildejon 7]

hmm.... Kinda conflicting answers, I guess the heat cycle approach (which I do really want to try) might be a good plan but is there risk of warping the disks?

 

Or is that why you start off only reducing 10mph (I assume for a dozen or so few repetitions before resting)?

 

Thanks for the advice

 

Jon

[taylorspug 7]

You would have to get them seriously seriously hot to warp them, ie the sort of temps you are only really going to see on track, so i wouldnt worry too much about that. If i were you id just go round the block a couple of times as i said above, rest and let the brakes cool for a bit, then do it again. Should be fine after that.

[Ahl 4]

is there risk of warping the disks?

No, warped discs are a common misconception and are very rare.

Crap pads (like greenstuffs) can give warped discs symptoms from leaving deposits on the disc.

 

I've used the heat cycle approach on my pads and it seems to be effective and quick. Seems better than taking it easy on the pads, though im no expert so thats just a 'feeling'.

[taylorspug 7]

^^^ That is also very true. And ive experienced it myself before....with a set of Greenstuffs!

[pdd144c 0]

3 lots of light breaking from 30mph to stop.

3 lots of medium breaking from 50mph to stop.

3 lots of hard breaking from 80mph to stop. (Will 'smoke' abit)

Stop the car and let everything cool down.

 

Whatever you do dont be light on them, or they will glaze up like someone mentioned earlier. Used the above on my 1.6 1166's and they brake better than my brembo 4 pots with glazed 1144's...

[wildejon 7]

Ok, cheers all. I'll go for the 'harder' braking route I think and see what happens. I was going to change them today but spent 3 hours showing my Mum how to use her new camera instead... I'll get it done next week and hopefully there should be a marked improvement over my standard pads! I'll let you know.

Off to sbc for a RR session tomorrow, first one so it should be interesting! (Thats a bit off topic on my own topic though...)

 

Thank you for all your comments!

 

Jon

[GLPoomobile 958]

I've just fitted new OE front disks and pads at the front and doing the rears tomorrow night. I've never had to bed in brakes before which is why I searched and came across this topic, but I's still a bit uncertain about what to do.

 

The problem is, the next time I'll be using the car will be to drive to Devon on friday night, and with me living in Central London I don't really have the ideal circumstances to be using some of the methods described.

 

Will I be alright just using the brakes lightly on the drive through London, and then use the heat cycle method once I get out on to the motorway or something?

[jackherer 543]

IMO that'll be fine, OE stuff is easier to bed in. Just think how most people drive after having their brakes done by a mechanics, most will just brake normally and OE stuff has to be able to cope.

[veloce200 3]

loads of good info with some bad.

 

ideally don't bed new discs and pads at the same time

yes don't pussy foot about ONCE the disc is heat cycled but until you have developed a leading and trailing edge doing aggressive braking early on is a recipe for hot spots (esp on sliding calipers)

At the end of the day though it's down to the pad disc combo. nothing wrong with greenstuff par se - in the right application - light road use - sprints in light car, redstuff - fast road - some people think greenstuff/redstuff are good for the track. Only Yellowstuff is worthy of really abusive treatment.

 

I've never seen glazed pads from taking it too easy - only from too much too soon, or too easy then all or nothing " oh I've done a 100 miles now just do an emergency stop from 198mph with 80 bags of cement in the boot and a tractor beam in tow." or the biggest school boy error of all - not using brake degreaser.

 

running very old discs in mine with d2500. loads of abuse - not problems. beware cheap branded discs - some very dodgy muck out there. In the end though don't worry. I used std Ferodo premier road pads for 2 seasons of sprints, 2 test days and 10000 hard road miles - no problems. Anyone who has brake problems in a 205 has either obscene amounts of power or no bottle round the corners !