Break in period for rotors and pads?

[GrindingGears]

Is there one?

How long is it?

'83 SC, OEM rotors & pads.

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

The break-in period is about a half hour long, if you do it right. Everybody has a different recipe, but basically it's something like half a dozen moderate but firm slow-downs from 60 to 20, with cool-down periods between stops, then a fairly hard stop from 80 to 0, run for a mile or so to let the brakes cool, then a harder one from 90 to 0, cool down, real hard from 110 to 0, cool down, then one final to-the-point-of-lockup stop from 135 or so, then don't touch the brakes or the parking brake, let the car drift to a stop and sit there for 15 minutes without touching a thing.

Then your brakes are "broken in."

Stephan

[GrindingGears]

wow, i'm gonna have to take notes on that response, thanks.

edit:

now the question is where do i do this... : )

i was thinking on an 110 off ramp near my house, later tonight. i could circle the same stretch of freeway for 30 mins so using the off ramps as my hard brake zones.

any better ideas?

[Zeke]

Search this under 'Bill Verburg.' I don't recommend or think it's necessary to go 135 to break in your rotors/pads. But Steve has got the essence of it. The cool down and no pressure on hot rotors is the important part. Different pads need different break in procedure. I broke my PU pads at street speeds. I broke my 911 pads in somewhat like he said, but w/o the excessive speed. I broke my race car pads in any way I could because you can't pull that go fast and slow down routine very well at the track with other cars on the track.

[GrindingGears]

"I broke my 911 pads in somewhat like he said, but w/o the excessive speed."

are you implying a bunch of the 60-20 stops? how did you do it?

EDIT:

zeke, i searched and found this article.

http://www.zeckhausen.com/bedding_in_brakes.htm

thanks