Just bought a set of Power Slot front rotors from Sakari. I needed to replace my stockers because they are starting to show bad grooves. Anyways, I intend to install them along with the XP10 front pads in the next day or so. I was looking over the break-in instructions. They state the standard multiple slow stops followed by a few hard stops. However, they do say 'Avoid excessive or high speed braking until your new system has seated in. This will take approximately 200 to 500 miles'. How important is this? My plan was to install these and use them at Talladega on Sunday. The drive there is close to 100 miles but there's no way I will be able to get close to 500 miles on the car by then. Should I be worried? I don't want to put off the install until after the event because I don't want to run my new pads on grooved rotors.
when i put my rotors on ped just told me to do some hard braking on the highway. I didn't change my pads though so i dunno. Then again I just had cheap ebay rotors
I might be wrong but I think it might just be something they put in for liability reasons. I figure if you made a mistake during the install, it should surface within 500 miles. You wouldn't want it to surprise you at the track.
I think you'll be fine doing the multiple slow stops and a few hard stops. Remember that the track pads won't be at their best until they have some heat on them.
I have read that you need to get them up to temp and keep them there with several hard stops to set them in. I think you have to get them to temp and keep them there to cause a chemical reaction to get the first layer off the pads. Check the site of the pads you have! btw have fun at the track man!
Not sure if the STI is different but today got my XP10's and XP8's and it said to do several medium stops let cool down followed by several hard stops until some fade is felt then to bring to a stop and let cool to ambient temp. I guess I am good to go time will tell.
All you are really trying to acomplish is to get a nice transfer layer onto the rotor. I wouldn't worry about a specific mileage, just drive on them before you get to the track
This is the one I always reference... Pad and Rotor Bed-In Theory, Definitions and Procedures: Removing the Mystery from Brake Pad Bed-In by Matt Weiss of StopTech and James Walker, Jr. of scR motorsports In order for any brake system to work optimally, the rotors and pads must be properly bedded-in, period. This process can also be called break-in, conditioning, or burnishing, but whatever terminology you choose, getting the brakes properly bedded-in and keeping them that way is critical to the peak performance of the entire brake system. However, understanding why the rotors and pads need to be bedded-in is just as important as the actual process. If one understands what is happening during the bed-in process, they can tailor the process to specific pads, rotors, and/or driving conditions. For this reason, we present this generic bed-in overview pertaining to all brake systems, but follow with links to application-specific bed-in procedures to fit most every set of circumstances. What is brake pad “bed-in” anyway? Simply stated, bed-in is the process of depositing an even layer of brake pad material, or transfer layer, on the rubbing surface of the rotor disc. That's it. End of discussion. Ok, not really, but although bed-in is quite basic in definition, achieving this condition in practice can be quite a challenge, and the ramifications of improper or incomplete bed-in can be quite a-a-n-n-o-o-y-y-i-i-n-n-g-g. Abrasive friction and adherent friction There are two basic types of brake pad friction mechanisms: abrasive friction and adherent friction . In general, all pads display a bit of each, with abrasive mechanisms dominating the lower temperature ranges while adherent mechanisms come more into play as pad temperature increases. Both mechanisms allow for friction or the conversion of Kinetic energy to Thermal energy, which is the function of a brake system, by the breaking of molecular bonds in vastly different ways. The abrasive mechanism generates friction or energy conversion by the mechanical rubbing of the brake pad material directly on the rotor disc. In a crystalline sense, the weaker of the bonds in the two different materials is broken. This obviously results in mechanical wear of both the pad and the rotor. Consequently, both pads and rotors are replaced when they are physically worn to their limit and are too thin to endure further service. The adherent mechanism is altogether different. In an adherent system, a thin layer of brake pad material actually transfers and sticks (adheres) on to the rotor face. The layer of pad material, once evenly established on the rotor, is what actually rubs on the brake pad. The bonds that are broken, for the conversion of Kinetic to Thermal energy, are formed instantaneously before being broken again. It is this brake pad-on-transferred brake pad material interaction on a molecular level that yields the conversion process. With the adherent mechanism there is much reduced rotor wear as compared to abrasive mechanism, but it's not a free lunch – pads now become the primary wear element in the braking system. And even though rotors are not mechanically worn down with adherent systems, they still will need to be replaced on a regular basis due to cracking reaching a point of failure if they are exposed to intense, repetitive thermal cycling. This is why race teams throw out rotors that are actually as thick or thicker than when they were brand new. It's due to the an adherent brake pad transfer layer! The all-important transfer layer As stated above, the objective of the bed-in process is to deposit an even layer of brake pad material, or transfer layer , on the rubbing surface of the rotor disc. Note the emphasis on the word even, as uneven pad deposits on the rotor face are the number one, and almost exclusive cause of brake judder or vibration. Let's say that again, just so there is no misunderstanding. Uneven pad deposits on the rotor face are the number one, and almost exclusive cause of brake judder or vibration. It only takes a small amount of thickness variation, or TV, in the transfer layer (we're only talking a few ten thousandths of an inch here) to initiate brake vibration. While the impact of an uneven transfer layer is almost imperceptible at first, as the pad starts riding the high and low spots, more and more TV will be naturally generated until the vibration is much more evident. With prolonged exposure, the high spots can become hot spots and can actually change the metallurgy of the rotor in those areas, creating “hard” spots in the rotor face that are virtually impossible to remove. Bedding fundamentals In general, bed-in consists of heating a brake system to its adherent temperature to allow the formation of a transfer layer. The brake system is then allowed to cool without coming to rest, resulting in an even transfer layer deposition around the rotor circumference. This procedure is typically repeated two or three times in order to ensure that the entire rotor face is evenly covered with brake pad material. Sounds easy, right? Well, it can be if you have the proper information. Because the adherent temperature range for brake pads varies widely (typically 100°F-600°F for street pads and 600°F-1400°F for race pads), each bed-in needs to be application-specific. One could try to generate a one-size-fits-all procedure, but too little heat during bed-in keeps the material from transferring to the rotor face while overheating the system can generate uneven pad deposits due to the material breaking down and splotching (that's a technical term) on to the rotor face. In summary, the key to a successful bed-in is to bring the pads up to their adherent operating temperature in a controlled manner and keep them there long enough to start the pad material transfer process. Different brake system designs, pad types, and driving conditions require different procedures to successfully accomplish the bed-in. The recommended procedures below should provide you with the information you need to select the bed-in procedure appropriate for your application. StopTech's Recommended Procedure for Bedding-in Stock-sized Brake Systems StopTech's Recommended Procedure for Bedding-in Performance Brake Systems Bed-In FAQ