For most of us, when we install new brake pads on our daily driver, we simply put them on, and we go. We typically don’t take any time to bed the pads, or to make sure they’re working properly. We get in the car, head out of the driveway and down to the stop sign, and if the car stops, we’re on our way.

But when you’re installing a new brake system, such as a big brake upgrade from a company like Baer Brakes, there’s a process called “bedding” the pads to the rotors that must be adhered to. If this process is not followed, it’s quite possible that you could set yourself up for inferior braking down the road because you to the brake pads too hot before bedding them to the rotors.

Over at Baer’s site, they have a full set of instructions that explain the proper procedure for bedding your brake pads. So what is “bedding?” Bedding is a process that allows the organic binding agent in semi-metallic pads to burn off of the top of the pad so that the friction material can make proper contact with the rotor. But this process isn’t simply getting the pads hot by doing a 70-0 stop, repeatedly.

Baer recommends that when you install one of their brake systems, that you put your brakes through a normal, commuting-style of driving for 150-200 miles before you put aggressive force on your brakes. If the rotors are plated for protection, they recommend that you extend that process for another 100 or so miles. The reason for this is because aggressive braking on new pads and rotors can overheat the brakes, causing uneven wear, even warping the rotor.

The proper process is fairly simple, and easy to follow as long as you are patient. Whenever you’re installing performance pads and rotors, this process will help to give you the best braking performance when the time comes to hit the binders hard, such as in autocross.

The process, from Baer’s web site, is as follows:

1. Perform four-repeated light to medium stops, from 65 to 10 mph, to bring the rotors to temperature.
2. Perform three light stops in succession. Perform eight heavy stops, back to back, at a point just pending wheel lock, from 65 mph to about 5 mph.
3. Drive for ten minutes to create cooling airflow, without using the brakes if at all possible.
4. Perform three light stops in succession. Perform eight heavy stops, back to back, at a point just pending wheel lock, from 65 mph
   to about 5 mph.
5. Drive for ten minutes to create cooling airflow, without using the brakes if at all possible.

This process should be performed someplace where you won’t be interfering with other traffic, so a back street on a weekend where there is little to no traffic is best. Getting to that location is fine as long as you remember that you should go easy on the brakes until you perform the bedding process. Baer adds that metallic brake pads need high temperatures to keep the pad bedded. So long drives without using the brakes may require that you bed the pads again, and this is done by simply repeating that procedure.

Be sure to check out Baer’s web site for any of your brake upgrade needs, whether your aim is to improve the braking on your daily driver, or hit the track with your musclecar, they have a full line of brake upgrades to suit your needs.