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  • How to Break in a New Set of Brake Pads & Rotors

How to Break in a New Set of Brake Pads & Rotors

May 15, 2020     PitStopArabia

Installing a new set of brake pads or even rotors is a part of regular maintenance. Over time, these components can wear out. Hence, they must be replaced. On the other hand, your car might be brand new. In either case, you need to break in the new components. Otherwise, you are unlikely to get the performance you expected.

What is Breaking In?

Depending on the context, breaking in is legal & illegal. Breaking into someone’s property is illegal. Breaking in your new car brake pads and rotors is perfectly legal and highly recommended. What is it? ‘Breaking’ in or ‘bedding in’ refers to the process of ensuring that even layer of pad material comes into contact with the rotor.

Why is it necessary?

Firstly, breaking in improves the performance of the braking system. The braking distance will be improved, reducing the risk of accidents. Secondly, it improves the durability of the brake pads, rotors, and the entire braking system. Also, the braking squeal will be minimized along with any vibrations you might have felt before.

How to Break In?

The process of breaking in new pads or rotors involves rapid acceleration and deacceleration (braking).

Step 1:

Accelerate the car to 70 kmph.

Step 2:

Make a hard brake (harder than normal brake). You do not need to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. The purpose is just to slow it down.

Step 3:

Do this 3,4 times. It will ensure that the rotors are heating up and prevent them from being exposed to sudden thermal shock.

Before the next step, allow the brakes to cool down. You can stop the vehicle for a while or drive without applying the brakes.

Step 4:

Make 7-10 aggressive stops. Accelerate the car to 90 kmph and deaccelerate it to 25 kmph. Make sure that the ABS do not kick in. Therefore, it is vital to apply the brakes suddenly but not so hard that the ABS is activated.

Step 5:

Drive around for a while without applying the brakes. If you stop at this point, the pad will imprint unevenly on the rotors. This can result in vibrations, unpleasant noise, and uneven braking.

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Final Thoughts

After you complete the above steps successfully, the brake pads will change their colour. The zinc will be stripped from the surface, leaving behind a silver colour. This change in colour is known as the transfer layer. Once done, the braking performance will be greatly improved.

Please make sure that you find an empty space before undertaking the above steps. PitStopArabia does not take any liability for any damage, accident, or traffic violation while completing this process. If you are unsure about what to do, we suggest that you seek professional advice.

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