Just got new front rotors and ceramic pads for my ej8. Ive heard that brake bedding is a good thing to do. Any info on this method?

 

What's brake bedding?

 

Bedding in the pads consists of bringing the pads and rotors to operating temp and getting an even layer of the pad material transferred onto the rotors for better stopping ability. It vaires from specific manufacturers but generally consists of doing 3 to 5 35-5mph stops to warm it up as to prevent thermal shock, and then doing 5 to 8 medium to heavy 65-5mph stops till the pads just slightly start to fade, drive for 15 minutes to allow the brakes to cool while trying your best not to use the brakes, park without using the parking brake so you dont leave an imprint and allow to cool a bit more. THen the brakes and rotors are seasoned. Race pads may require some 100mph-10mph stops to bed them in further.

To enhance pedal feel a bit after bedding the pads and rotors, you can bleed the brake fluid.

 

Oh ok, so basically just breaking in the new rotors and pads.

 

Believe it or not, I just read an article in Autoinc from back in August '97 or '98 in their archives, what ever the last year avalilable is, they said to allow the rotor to cool between brake applications, this does not mean cold.

chrisw85 seems to be well informed, check out the article if you like.

I lied, but I went and found it before I closed out this reply, just read it a day or two ago................

"Test drive the car to burnish the new brakes. Use slow-speed stops at first and work up to higher speeds. Allow the rotors to cool between stops and increase the cooling times as speeds increase. Do not burn up the brakes.

Advise the customer that they should take it easy on the brakes for a few days so that the pads and rotors will become properly seated."

http://www.babcox.com/editorial/bf/bf90020.htm

Brake and Front End magazine article. Sep 2000, their last year of available archives.