Topic: Disk Brake Break-in Procedure

[CB500_k2]

I hope this is not a stupid question but I was unable to find anything searching the site.  I have just installed new brake pads on my CB500.  What procedure do you experts use to bed and break-in the pads and disks?
The specific pads I am using are EBC greens. 

Thanks,

Tom

[coyotecowboy]

Did you de-glaze your rotor? and the pads too?  Best bet would be to have the rotor turned, then beadblasted, then hit your pads with scotch-brite or sandpaper.  Clean everything with acetone or MEK, try to stay away from the aerosol cleaners, the propellants can leave residues that will make pads glaze up.

As far as the actual bedding in......what does EBC have to say about it?

Go here also>> http://www.vintagebrake.com/tips.htm

(feel like I'm spamming for these guys, but they have some really good info!!) 

[UnCrash]

Before my very recent engine troubles I re-did my front brakes in my CB750K.

I drilled out the rotor, sanded it with 80 - 120 -220 grit sand paper in my random orbit sander to de-glaze it and remove cross drilling burrs, dis-assembled and lubed the brake parts, bled the lines, and put in fresh DOT 3.

My brakes sucked when I left my driveway.

I did a couple dozen hard braking routines on a deserted road.  Goose it up to 40 and squeeze on the brakes hard.  By the end the bike was stopping faster than it ever had for me.   I don't think I could do a stoppie, but I could hear the front tire squealing a bit in protest.  It felt great to have a competent front braking system.

If you do this and your brakes still feel weak and spongy you may have a little air in your brake line which would require further bleeding.

Best of luck.

[CB500_k2]

Thanks for the information.  I will deglaze the rotor and pads and clean up with acetone before I take her out on the road.  I am still hesitant to just start with some hard stops.

[gilesclement]

I like to take the bike up to about 100 or so immediately after installing new pads then attempt to remove my eyeballs by death-gripping the brake lever. It's important to teach those pads who's boss immediately. Break them in slowly and they'll walk right over you for the rest of their life.

[Laminar]

I like to take the bike up to about 100 or so immediately after installing new pads then attempt to remove my eyeballs by death-gripping the brake lever. It's important to teach those pads who's boss immediately. Break them in slowly and they'll walk right over you for the rest of their life.

[mikethejeepguy]

It's important to teach those pads who's boss immediately. Break them in slowly and they'll walk right over you for the rest of their life.

 
It's even better if you go visual on this one! Spot on! Spot on! O'l chap.

[CB500_k2]

My Honda brakes have never been eyepopping so I have  taken another approach.  I have gone over the disk with 120 carbide paper, washed the disk and pads with acetone, adjusted the play in the system and started the bedding procedure.  After additional searching on the web I found a procedure specifically for organic pads.  With organic pads it is necessary to transfer some of the friction material to the rotor without glazing the pads.  This is done by gradually heating up the rotor and pads under modest braking conditions.  There were several techniques ranging from 5 decelerations from 40 mph with no cool down between to a more gentile approach which I used.  1) 5 stops from 10 mph with a 30 second cool down between. 2) 5 stops from 30 mph, holding the brake lever in the stop position for a minute to allow temperature equilibration then a 30 second cool down.  3) decelerate from 40 to 20 mph five times with a 30 second cool down between.  The instructions say that if done properly there will be a slight bluish color on the disk indicating that friction material has been transferred.  My disk is now uniformly blueish and I will not try any stoppies for a couple of hundred miles.   Racing pad break-in appears to be more extreme.