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So I'm reading stuff about bedding-in the brakes. I'm reading the Centric Whitepapers. And by "regular street cars" I mean the "normal" cars your [normal] mom or your [normal] dad use.

I've just replaced rotors, pads and brake fluid (service done by a mechanic, not me) of my [regular street] car. And here is exactly where the problem lies: the aforementioned whitepapers are geared towards performance or even racing cars. I'll quote:

Bedding-in definition:

bed-in is the process of depositing an even layer of brake pad material, or transfer layer, on the rubbing surface of the rotor disc.

Un-bedding the brakes:

If any brake pad is used below its adherent operating temperature, it will create friction through primarily abrasive mechanisms, slowly but surely removing the transfer layer on the rotor.

If the brakes are used passively for an extended period of time, the transfer layer can be completely removed, effectively un-bedding the brakes.

And to make matters worse, I almost never hit my brakes very hard (unless for emergency) so I'm almost a perfect fit to the second quote above (in case you're wondering, yes, I use engine braking a lot). In that case, then I see no reason for bedding-in my brakes because I'll be un-bedding them for 99% of the time!

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  • SolarMike's answer basically covers this - but just to add in that the key thing in the un-bedding seciont is "below its adherent operating temperature" barring specialist pads road brakes have an operating temp range that pretty much encompasses using them when "cold" so it's not really applicable.
    – motosubatsu
    Commented Mar 25, 2019 at 9:08
  • For what it's worth, I just installed a new set of Akebono ceramic pads on my car, and they say that no bedding is needed.
    – JPhi1618
    Commented Mar 25, 2019 at 14:47
  • @JPhi1618 - I have no doubt the brakes state that, but I'll continue to bed my brakes no matter the manufacturer of the friction material and what they say. That's JMHO, though, so take it for what it's worth :o)
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 ♦
    Commented Mar 25, 2019 at 16:27
  • @motosubatsu The article starts with "If any brake pad is used below its adherent operating temperature", so in my understanding the un-bedding issues should apply to the brakes of regular street cars as well, that's why I'm asking. Not sure if I understood what you're saying.
    – feelthhis
    Commented Mar 27, 2019 at 21:00

1 Answer 1

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The good and reputable mechanic will normally take the car for a road test (or tested by a separate person - foreman or road-tester etc) before you get it back - which will have "bedded in" the brakes.

All you need to worry about is driving it - the performance of the brakes is ample in day to day situations and you will not be using the brakes under race conditions.

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  • While I agree with you the mechanic should bed the brakes, doesn't mean they will. Some places are just there to get the customer out the door. On a separate note, I'm not quite sure this really answers the question at large, especially if taken from the perspective of the average home DIYer doing their own brake replacement. Are you saying if you are the one who is replacing the brakes (ie: you are the mechanic), you should then bed your brakes? Can you give any differentiation between what the OP is stating and why? Links to references?
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 ♦
    Commented Mar 25, 2019 at 16:31
  • @Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 Indeed my question still remains: is it really necessary to bed-in the brakes of a regular street car? Regardless, I will [try to] execute the procedure and I already have a place (an expressway) and time (early hours of sunday) in mind. I will use the C3 Whitepaper procedure (but less aggressively, from 45~50mph to 15~20mph, instead of 60 to 10mph).
    – feelthhis
    Commented Mar 27, 2019 at 20:55

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