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View Full Version : just got complete brake job done, ? about bedding pads...



Dbl-Htch
04-09-2011, 10:36 PM
Hello-
I just had a complete brake job done on my EP, as in new rotors, pads, and stainless steel lines all around, and new fluid. I've been doing a good amount of research (mostly on this site) about brakes in general lately, and am not too confident that the mechanic who did the work/ took it on a test drive afterwards did a great job of following the correct break-in procedure.
He basically said he took it around the block and did a "few hard stops", including a few using only the e-brake (never heard of that one before?!?), i.e. not touching the brake pedal. When I left the shop I let the car sit for a good 15-20 minutes, then drove it home another 20 minutes on the highway, managing to not touch the brakes for at all during the drive, until turning in my driveway at home.
I'm just wondering since everything is still so "fresh", if it would hurt to do a proper break-in procedure myself at this point. Just fyi, I used Hawk HPS pads, so I would probably just follow their recommended procedure (they print it right on the box!).
Is it safe to assume that no real "damage" has already been done at this point?
I mean I figure it definitely wouldn't hurt anything to do it again the "right" way?
Fwiw, I'm usually pretty easy on the brakes, I coast a lot, slow down gradually ahead of time, etc. (Probably had at least a little to do with the stock pads lasting a tick over 96,000 miles, no?!? :mwink: )
As always, thanks for any input/ help/ advice... :msmile:

15000rpms
04-10-2011, 06:01 AM
What does it say on the box?

RedSiBaron
04-10-2011, 08:09 AM
They're brakes, I doubt any damage has been done, break them in again and re bed them...

Id be less concerned about the break in proceedure and more concerned about the brakes being bled...he probably just pulled the old brake lines and put in the SS ones and introduced air into the system...

Dbl-Htch
04-10-2011, 12:02 PM
They're brakes, I doubt any damage has been done, break them in again and re bed them...

Id be less concerned about the break in proceedure and more concerned about the brakes being bled...he probably just pulled the old brake lines and put in the SS ones and introduced air into the system...

Thanks for the response... as far as bleeding/ flushing out the old fluid, I brought my own fluid (1 quart of Castrol GTLMA), at some point I asked him if it would be enough and he said it should be, then a little later he handed me the bottle back saying they didn't quite use it all (was around a 1/4 of it left in the bottle). I saw that the new lines had already been installed before then, so I think he did that part correctly (i.e. new lines were on before flushing/ bleeding). I'll just go do the break-in/ bed-in procedure over again today, they should be fine then.


What does it say on the box?
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g248/dbl-htch/Lenny2010/hawkpads.jpg

Lucid Moments
04-10-2011, 12:17 PM
They are brakes. They are important, but in the end they aren't really complicated. All you need to do is get them hot (gradually) and then let them cool down. Every company will have slightly different ways of accomplishing the same thing. I'm fairly well convinced that it doesn't really matter that much as long as you follow the general rule.

Now I'm fairly sure that someone is going to chime in here and say that the brake manufacturer knows more about their product than I do. And that is without a doubt true. But do you think that Hawk develops a different break in procedure for every different model of car and brake? With all the variables of car weight, rotor size, pad size, etc out there I think it highly unlikely. I haven't researched it to be certain, but I suspect that you will find the exact same instructions on every box of Hawk HPS pads out there regardless of application. I'd be kind of curious if someone can prove me wrong on that.

Dbl-Htch
04-10-2011, 12:38 PM
They are brakes. They are important, but in the end they aren't really complicated. All you need to do is get them hot (gradually) and then let them cool down. Every company will have slightly different ways of accomplishing the same thing. I'm fairly well convinced that it doesn't really matter that much as long as you follow the general rule.

Yeah, I agree, the principal is the same, but as always, of course the exact techniques are going to vary somewhat. He just did what he thought was an adequate break-in, at least he knew the importance of doing something.
I just figured it wouldn't hurt at this point to re-do it, more in alignment with what Hawk recommends, better safe than sorry, worth a few minutes of my time. I realize it's one of those things that everyone is going to have a slightly different way of doing/ opinion on, especially amongst mechanics/ techs. And the effects of doing it "right/ wrong" probably wouldn't be immediately obvious, so I can see where the results might often go unnoticed/ unreported. Thanks again... :mcool:

Lucid Moments
04-10-2011, 01:02 PM
Yeah, I agree, the principal is the same, but as always, of course the exact techniques are going to vary somewhat. He just did what he thought was an adequate break-in, at least he knew the importance of doing something.
I just figured it wouldn't hurt at this point to re-do it, more in alginment with what Hawk recommends, better safe than sorry, worth a few minutes of my time. I realize it's one of those things that everyone is going to have a slightly different way of doing/ opinion on, especially amongst mechanics/ techs. And the effects of doing it "right/ wrong" probably wouldn't be immediately obvious, so I can see where the results might often go unnoticed/ unreported. Thanks again... :mcool:

I agree there is no harm in doing it the way Hawk specifies, and possibly some gain so go for it.