2021 Brake Break-in procedure
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 74
Likes: 5
From: CT
2021 Brake Break-in procedure
Hey all,
Wanted to see if anyone ever performed a brake bedding process on their new vehicle. I found a document by Lexus detailing the bedding process for F Sport performance brakes. Reason I ask is because I just had to have new front pads and rotors put on my 2021 IS350 at 4,000 miles. I was getting grinding and feedback when braking firmly 40 mph or when braking downhill. They determined that there was glazing and unevenness on the rotors and pads. I was very respectful and mindful of the brakes during the first 200-500 miles. So now with a new set of pads and rotors I’m wondering if I should take a different approach and perform the bedding process. Please see the attached link. Thanks!
https://drivers.lexus.com/t3Portal/document/omnav-s/OMBBKL/pdf/OMBBKL.pdf
Wanted to see if anyone ever performed a brake bedding process on their new vehicle. I found a document by Lexus detailing the bedding process for F Sport performance brakes. Reason I ask is because I just had to have new front pads and rotors put on my 2021 IS350 at 4,000 miles. I was getting grinding and feedback when braking firmly 40 mph or when braking downhill. They determined that there was glazing and unevenness on the rotors and pads. I was very respectful and mindful of the brakes during the first 200-500 miles. So now with a new set of pads and rotors I’m wondering if I should take a different approach and perform the bedding process. Please see the attached link. Thanks!
https://drivers.lexus.com/t3Portal/document/omnav-s/OMBBKL/pdf/OMBBKL.pdf
Driver
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 72
Likes: 20
From: ON
Simply brake very conservatively for the first few hundred miles and you'll be fine.
OEM pads are designed to work through a large range of temperatures. As long as you're within those temperature ranges, material transfer from the pad to the rotor will take place. High performance or track pads on the other hand, have a much higher minimum operating temperature. The whole reason you see aggressive bed-in procedures (like the one you linked) is due to this fact. With aggressive pad compounds, daily driving will fall well below the minimum operating temperature of the pad, therefore pad to rotor material transfer will not happen efficiently or at all (hence heavy dusting and squealing from track pads on the street, or uneven pad deposits causing vibration). An aggressive bed in procedure will bring track pads/rotors up to optimal temperature for material transfer to occur. Since most OEM pad compounds are optimized right from cold, it's completely unnecessary to do this type of bed in procedure. In fact, you risk overheating your pads and damaging them further.
Over the 20+ years of track driving I've done, the amount of both OEM and mildly aggressive brake pads I've seen damaged by these bed-in procedures (from people getting ready for a track day) is staggering. Unless you're in to a Hawk DTC, Endless MX72, etc., or some high performance OEM Brembo systems at a minimum, the proper bed-in procedure is simply to brake conservatively for a few hundred miles. That's it.
Hope this helps.
OEM pads are designed to work through a large range of temperatures. As long as you're within those temperature ranges, material transfer from the pad to the rotor will take place. High performance or track pads on the other hand, have a much higher minimum operating temperature. The whole reason you see aggressive bed-in procedures (like the one you linked) is due to this fact. With aggressive pad compounds, daily driving will fall well below the minimum operating temperature of the pad, therefore pad to rotor material transfer will not happen efficiently or at all (hence heavy dusting and squealing from track pads on the street, or uneven pad deposits causing vibration). An aggressive bed in procedure will bring track pads/rotors up to optimal temperature for material transfer to occur. Since most OEM pad compounds are optimized right from cold, it's completely unnecessary to do this type of bed in procedure. In fact, you risk overheating your pads and damaging them further.
Over the 20+ years of track driving I've done, the amount of both OEM and mildly aggressive brake pads I've seen damaged by these bed-in procedures (from people getting ready for a track day) is staggering. Unless you're in to a Hawk DTC, Endless MX72, etc., or some high performance OEM Brembo systems at a minimum, the proper bed-in procedure is simply to brake conservatively for a few hundred miles. That's it.
Hope this helps.
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 74
Likes: 5
From: CT
Simply brake very conservatively for the first few hundred miles and you'll be fine.
OEM pads are designed to work through a large range of temperatures. As long as you're within those temperature ranges, material transfer from the pad to the rotor will take place. High performance or track pads on the other hand, have a much higher minimum operating temperature. The whole reason you see aggressive bed-in procedures (like the one you linked) is due to this fact. With aggressive pad compounds, daily driving will fall well below the minimum operating temperature of the pad, therefore pad to rotor material transfer will not happen efficiently or at all (hence heavy dusting and squealing from track pads on the street, or uneven pad deposits causing vibration). An aggressive bed in procedure will bring track pads/rotors up to optimal temperature for material transfer to occur. Since most OEM pad compounds are optimized right from cold, it's completely unnecessary to do this type of bed in procedure. In fact, you risk overheating your pads and damaging them further.
Over the 20+ years of track driving I've done, the amount of both OEM and mildly aggressive brake pads I've seen damaged by these bed-in procedures (from people getting ready for a track day) is staggering. Unless you're in to a Hawk DTC, Endless MX72, etc., or some high performance OEM Brembo systems at a minimum, the proper bed-in procedure is simply to brake conservatively for a few hundred miles. That's it.
Hope this helps.
OEM pads are designed to work through a large range of temperatures. As long as you're within those temperature ranges, material transfer from the pad to the rotor will take place. High performance or track pads on the other hand, have a much higher minimum operating temperature. The whole reason you see aggressive bed-in procedures (like the one you linked) is due to this fact. With aggressive pad compounds, daily driving will fall well below the minimum operating temperature of the pad, therefore pad to rotor material transfer will not happen efficiently or at all (hence heavy dusting and squealing from track pads on the street, or uneven pad deposits causing vibration). An aggressive bed in procedure will bring track pads/rotors up to optimal temperature for material transfer to occur. Since most OEM pad compounds are optimized right from cold, it's completely unnecessary to do this type of bed in procedure. In fact, you risk overheating your pads and damaging them further.
Over the 20+ years of track driving I've done, the amount of both OEM and mildly aggressive brake pads I've seen damaged by these bed-in procedures (from people getting ready for a track day) is staggering. Unless you're in to a Hawk DTC, Endless MX72, etc., or some high performance OEM Brembo systems at a minimum, the proper bed-in procedure is simply to brake conservatively for a few hundred miles. That's it.
Hope this helps.
Thanks again man.
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 9,593
Likes: 4,784
From: GA
Just to confirm, I did not perform any brake-bedding procedure on my 2021 which had zero miles when I test-drove it. The brakes work great even on a back road with tight turns. Obviously I did not push the brakes hard for the first couple hundred miles if not more, but otherwise, I would just drive normally.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,620
Likes: 137
From: NO
Just to confirm, I did not perform any brake-bedding procedure on my 2021 which had zero miles when I test-drove it. The brakes work great even on a back road with tight turns. Obviously I did not push the brakes hard for the first couple hundred miles if not more, but otherwise, I would just drive normally.
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 9,593
Likes: 4,784
From: GA
I have the same break-in period, technically. I didn't adhere to it very strictly. lol. Though, obviously I didn't really drive the car fast until after the 621 miles was up. As far as brakes, I just avoided sudden stops for the first 200 or so miles. I don't like to push the brakes hard anyway so that they still work when there's an emergency.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 9,509
Likes: 2,576
Yep people overthink break in. I know from decades of track/canyon experience too. Also lets say the dealer replaces your pads, you think they're going on the streets and doing multiple haul downs while paying close attention to speed? imagine all the rear enders or the bills they'd pay to rent out a special track just for you. No they slap in new pads and pull your car around to the front and say its ready.
the way you break in brake pads is you drive it. Just drive it per the owners manual, e.g., conservatively when possible.
And major props for your dealer telling you it's uneven pad deposits and NOT the low hanging fruit/idiocy that is "wArPeD roToRz" which i've been telling "men" doesn't really exist and is sort of a red herring/myth.
the way you break in brake pads is you drive it. Just drive it per the owners manual, e.g., conservatively when possible.
And major props for your dealer telling you it's uneven pad deposits and NOT the low hanging fruit/idiocy that is "wArPeD roToRz" which i've been telling "men" doesn't really exist and is sort of a red herring/myth.
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