Bedding brake pads

Naim · #1 07-21-2004, 10:44 AM

One of the rear brakes pads is starting to grind into the rotor... I have ordered all new components (rotors, brake pads, stainless steel lines from racingconcepts)...
The brake pads are getting here today, but the rotors and other stuff won't be here till tuesday...
I got Ebc green pads...
Does anyone see a problem using them on the old rotors (one might be just slightly grooved up from the grinding) for a couple of days???

BTW what is the proper way to bed the brake pads for when I get everything on?

#2 07-21-2004, 05:44 PM

Hey there -

Do the pads & rotors at the same time. It'll be fewer headaches
in the long-run. If the brakes are bad enough they're grinding, don't drive the car - crashing hurts.

As for seating the new brakes ... do a few straight line stops from 20-30 mph (max) in a parking lot. Nothing fancy. If you hear 'em dragging after replacing everything, you'll probably need to rebuild the calipers. Did my brakes at the track a few weeks ago & ran into that. Rebuilding is far cheaper then replacing the calipers & just as good.

Good luck.
~Brenda

Mr. Pockets · #3 07-21-2004, 06:00 PM

Rebuilding the calipers is probalbly not necessary. But I do recommend, while you have the brakes apart, that you disassemble, clean and lube the slides. This will likely prevent the calipers from dragging. Subaru calipers are notorious (at least with me) for ragging on the rotors.

I also don't recommend using the new pads on the old rotors.

Naim · #4 07-21-2004, 08:21 PM

I plan on rebuilding the calipers after I powder coat them this weekend.

Bwana · #5 07-21-2004, 09:52 PM

While proper bedding technique changes depending on who you talk to. This procedure is pretty well accepted over on NASIOC.

http://www.zeckhausen.com/bedding_in_brakes.htm

#6 07-21-2004, 09:58 PM

Glad to hear you're planning to rebuild your calipers anyhow.

Food for thought:

* SVXs are, at the minimum, 7 year old cars, most older.

* Rubber does not last forever, esp that which is exposed to heat cycling (if it did, we would never have to worry about things like tires and belts dry-rotting/cracking or gaskets going bad and our cars leaking).

* As long as one is changing brake pads on a car, it's good to check out the condition of the piston seals.

* Afterall, it is cheaper to assume it's ok, but more prudent to check. It's also cheaper to rebuild calipers before a seal blows, rather than have to rebuild calipers AND buy new brake pads 'cause you ended up with brake fluid soaked in your old ones.

Like I said, food for thought. Basic car maintenance.