# Did you "bed" your brakes?



## michelito (Feb 6, 2003)

rost12 said:


> *...
> 
> After the break-in cycle, there should be a blue tint and a light gray film on the rotor face. The blue tint tells you the rotor has reached break-in temperature and the gray film is pad material starting to transfer onto the rotor face. This is what you are looking for. ... *


So do you have to repeat the procedure let's say every time after it rains (or you wash the car) and you have some little rust deposit on the brakes to get back to the blue tint/light grey film on the rotors?!? Or will regular braking remove the rust dust after water exposure and get back to the blue tint...?


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## Sean (Dec 22, 2001)

hockeynut said:


> *Can someone answer this? Do we need to do this on new cars with stock brakes?
> 
> Thanks...
> SteveH *


Hate to say it, but RTFM.

The owners manual says:

Brake System

Approximately 300 miles must elapse before the brake pads and rotors achieve the optimal pad surface and wear patterns required for trouble-free operation and long service life later on.

To break-in the separate parking brake drums, apply the parking brake lightly when coasting to a standstill (at a traffic signal, for instance) provided that traffic conditions allow you to do so. Avoid corrosion, repeat this procedure from time to time.

Page 114 in my 2001 manual.


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## hockeynut (Apr 14, 2002)

Sean said:


> *Hate to say it, but RTFM.
> 
> *


As soon as I take delivery I certainly will.

Unfortunately the 04 manuals aren't on Owners Circle yet.

SteveH


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## Sean (Dec 22, 2001)

hockeynut said:


> *As soon as I take delivery I certainly will.
> 
> Unfortunately the 04 manuals aren't on Owners Circle yet.
> 
> SteveH *


Regarding this issue they're all the same. The owners manual to my 1992 525i states the same thing.


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## rost12 (Dec 22, 2001)

*Re: Re: Did you "bed" your brakes?*



michelito said:


> *So do you have to repeat the procedure let's say every time after it rains (or you wash the car) and you have some little rust deposit on the brakes to get back to the blue tint/light grey film on the rotors?!? Or will regular braking remove the rust dust after water exposure and get back to the blue tint...? *


No, you don't have to do it every time. The full "bedding" procedure should be done once, you only can/have to repeat it when you replace brake pads or rotors.

Rust goes away after a few stops, it's no biggie. The main goal of "bedding" is to put an even layer of brake-pad material onto the brake disk. This happens at high temperatures and brake pad material fuses with the metal of brake disks, so there's no way it will be removed by water or normal braking.


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## rost12 (Dec 22, 2001)

Sean said:


> *Hate to say it, but RTFM.
> 
> The owners manual says: ...
> *


Owner's manual says nothing about "bedding" one's brakes. So the question whether the "bedding" procedure described above should be done on old brakes still stands.


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## rost12 (Dec 22, 2001)

rumatt said:


> *Agreed. RTFM doesn't help much when it's not mentioned in the manual.
> 
> So assuming you believe in bedding your brakes, how do you balance the bedding procedure with the break-in procedure? Most people recommend not doing any hard braking during the early miles. *


The "bedding" procedure is to be done on brand new brakes! At least that's what they say, when you upgrade your car to a new Big Brake Kit or something like that, bed them in. So I'm assuming that it's better to do it on brand new brakes...

But local car junkies seem to be ignoring this thread and are letting my unwise butt to keep assuming... oh well.


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## rost12 (Dec 22, 2001)

Why would there be any difference


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## Guest (May 31, 2003)

rumatt said:


> *I'm trying real hard, but I can't seem to think of any. uch:
> 
> Supid question I guess.
> 
> How much the stock brakes need bedding still seems to be an unanswerd question though. *


I'll be real honest and say I am not exactly sure what one should do about brand new stock brakes. When brakes are replaced at the dealer with OEM pads and rotors, the tech procedure calls for the technician to bed the new parts before the car is returned to the customer. From that, one might infer that the brake parts on a new car are pre-bedded in some fashion. But, again, I'm not sure.


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

There's no harm in a little extra bedding to be sure... The reason they say not to brake really hard early on is that most people will stop following a hard braking session. (And they drive automatics, which means they will then sit there for a few minutes holding the brake down, letting the pads melt onto the rotors.)

It's much easier to tell people to take it easy than to try to teach them the proper method. Plus, telling people how to bed in the brakes might cause liability issues.


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## Sfboy90 (Oct 8, 2010)

getting my brakes changed as we speak and YES will def bed in new monsterstoppers


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## Tangent (Jan 18, 2004)

Sfboy90 said:


> getting my brakes changed as we speak and YES will def bed in new monsterstoppers


Did you really have to resurrect a seven and a half year old thread for this?


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## gtxragtop (Feb 25, 2008)

Akebono states for their pads, this is not needed


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