Akebono says not to bed in their pads?

[vinu_neuro]

Tirerack as well as elsewhere on the internet has it from Akebono, not to bed in their pads. Is this a health and safety warning or something to it? Hard to go against the manufacturer's advice.

http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=85

 

[mclasser]

When I first put in Akebonos in my Infiniti, I did several 30-0 and 25-0 stops that resulted in the front brakes smoking a little. After that, i just drove normally and the smoking never came back. Seems to be common with these pads.

 

[maximus]

It's probably an old school practice that isn't necessary any more.

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: maximus
It's probably an old school practice that isn't necessary any more.


I wouldn't say it is oldschool or not necessary, just possibly not needed depending on compound type and manufacturing process. I recently put some Power Stop ceramic pads on the Fusion, and they provided a detailed bed-in process. This process applied for all grades of their ceramic pads.

 

[Eddie]

I read the link and the Akebono break pad recommendation is to do no heavy breaking during the first 4-500 miles,which is their bedding-in or break-in. Ed

 

[sasilverbullet]

Originally Posted By: maximus
It's probably an old school practice that isn't necessary any more.


That may be, but I highly doubt it. I'll bet that ALL brake pad compounds put some kind of coating on the rotor. That's the whole reason for bedding them in - put a fresh, even coating on a new or turned rotor.

My [censored] meter is pegging...

 

[rslifkin]

Some pad compounds will need more of a bed in than others. Personally, I do at least some bedding on all pads, whether they say they need it or not. I've never had a set that felt as good on stop 1 as they did after a few applications and a little heat.

 

[4wheeldog]

I bed new pads in, because I am not the only one driving the vehicle, and I do not want my wife surprised.

Several medium/hard applications from 40 to 20, Until they seem to be working at least as well as the old ones, followed by a couple from 60 to 20.

By the way, I never brake to a stop when doing the bedding process. Getting the pads hot, then holding them against a stopped rotor will transfer material unevenly. Just sayin'.

 

[Sam_Julier]

I followed the advice not to break in on the V70. Just normal driving. The first stops do require more pressure but nothing that would be a surprise. I'm really pleased with the pads: quiet, low brake dust, strong stopping power.

 

[Kool1]

I believe Akebono is not wanting you to bed in their pads because during the bedding process, there are longer braking distances. I did bed in my pads and while doing it, the pads got hot and smelly. I also got severe brake fade during this time where I, at some times, had to literally stand on the brake pedal to get the vehicle to stop. I thought this was going to be the nature of the pads and was ready to return them; however, after a few miles of bedding in the pads, the fading never returned. The Akebono pads have been excellent since and now have about 40,000 miles on them. When they need replacement I will use Akebono brake pads again.

 

[ronbo]

Two years ago I called Wagner Brake Tech Line and asked a question about the Thermo Quiets. The tech gave me the answer and then in addition told me to "bed" my brakes by driving at 20mph and stopping 20 times.

That said , I use Akebono Pads and use the above bed method.

 

[Dyusik]

I did some easy driving with my ProAct and they smoked, now all is well. My buddy has a bed in procedure of 100-0 on his RAM, fun getting up there with the 650hp, but made me squeal when he slammed on the brakes, smoking the brakes up. To my surprise, he never had any issues with performance or longevity of brakes (any brand), even towing well over 10k lb, mountains and all.

 

[camrydriver111]

I glazed my rotor really badly once, and had to re-do my brakes a year later.

They weren't the highest quality pads, but I suspect it's from an aggressive bedding in, since normally I am a pretty gentle driver.

 

[stephen9666]

I once overheated a new set of pads using one of the aggressive bedding procedures often recommended online.

I think an aggressive bedding is probably not needed for a lot of pads. I now just do several medium-pressure slowdowns from 40 mph or so and call it good. That will at least get a basic pad transfer and get things started. That has worked very well for my last several brake jobs.

 

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
I once overheated a new set of pads using one of the aggressive bedding procedures often recommended online.


Most of the aggressive bedding procedures are meant for aggressive pads. More mild pads (basically any parts store pad) will be fine with a much more gentle bedding. I usually just do a few moderate deceleration cycles to get some heat in them. Once they feel good and/or start to smell a little, I consider them bedded.

On aggressive pads, if they don't have bed-in instructions, I typically treat them about the same, just doing the stops from higher speeds and getting them a bit hotter before I call it good. Hasn't failed me yet!

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Originally Posted By: Sam_Julier
I followed the advice not to break in on the V70. Just normal driving. The first stops do require more pressure but nothing that would be a surprise. I'm really pleased with the pads: quiet, low brake dust, strong stopping power.
I agree. Unless you are installing some type of high performance brakes, I think its mostly urban legion. I've never done any "bedding in" process.

 

[splinter]

Green fade is always a fun...when you're expecting it.

 

[raytseng]

Originally Posted By: Oldmoparguy1
I agree. Unless you are installing some type of high performance brakes, I think its mostly urban legion. I've never done any "bedding in" process.


It's simpler than high performance or not. Just RTFM. It says right on the package or with the paper instructions if you need to bed in brakes or not.

 

[Gasbuggy]

If my insurance company saw my bedding in process they would drop me.


I doubt 99% of cars on the road have the pads bedded in at all, their brakes work fine. I do think that a proper bed in, which most companies won't recommend for liability reasons, helps pads and rotors mate and perform better.

 

[Garak]

I've done it, but for the most part not. No one beds in brakes on a taxi. You get the pads on correctly and get the thing out running fares, not looking for a quiet stretch of highway to play bed in the brakes.