Video: How to Bed-in Brake Pads and Rotors

[JRittStopTech]

Hi Guys,

A couple of months ago I posted a link to an article I wrote about how to choose brake pads. I’ve received a steady stream of emails and comments from forum members who benefited from that piece, so I decided to address another commonly discussed brake topic, bedding-in pads and rotors. Understanding how to properly prepare your brakes is critical for getting the most performance and longevity out of your components. Since visuals go such a long way towards adequately explaining this topic, I decided to use video in addition to a written article.

 

As with my prior article, this video is not intended to promote any one brand of brake pad, rotor, or brake system. The objective is to teach enthusiasts how to get the most out of whatever brake system they have on their car. My hope is that you’ll get more enjoyment out of your car, you’ll save money on brake parts, and we’ll all have fewer repetitive topics to wade through on this forum.

 

A few notes: When you click the link, please be patient and give the video a few seconds to load and buffer before viewing it (it’s quite long and high res). Also, if you only want to see the actual bed-in procedure or have a slow internet connection, there are links to shortened and low-bandwidth versions of the video below the main video. Finally, if you find this information useful, please feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of the video page. Thanks, and we hope you enjoy it!

Jeff

 

http://www.essexparts.com/learning-center/cat/brake-rotors/post/Bed-in

[RochNY91TSI]

Nice video and good information!

[FrozenNorthLGT]

Subscribe for later when I can watch this vid.

[TSiWRX]

Thank you for providing not only the video, but also the script text! This was most educational indeed!

 

BTW, have any of your customers actually hit a *bat* before?

[JRittStopTech]

Thanks guys...glad you enjoyed it.

 

BTW, have any of your customers actually hit a *bat* before?

LOL...to my knowledge, no bats (or lions or giraffes) were injured or killed in the making of this film. I'm not even sure where I got that picture. I think I was looking for a picture of a cow and stumbled across that one...thought it was more visually interesting!

[TSiWRX]

^ Whatever your inspiration was, it was a nice touch - an unexpected moment of levity in a great informational video.

[jcdennis]

Looking forward to this now. I'm pretty sure I've done this improperly in the past.

[AZP Installs]

No offense but if you want to advertise for Stoptech, perhaps they should become a vendor on here to help support the site. While it's nice to provide the video, it's still advertising!

 

-mike

[LittleBlueGT]

No offense but if you want to advertise for Stoptech, perhaps they should become a vendor on here to help support the site. While it's nice to provide the video, it's still advertising!

 

-mike

 

The link goes to an AP racing site, not Stoptech.

 

Have you watched the whole video, if you did you would see it is not at all brand specific.

[AZP Installs]

I was referring to the username.

 

Mike

[LittleBlueGT]

I was referring to the username.

 

Mike

 

 

Gottcha. Maybe he is not affiliated with Stoptech, or doesn't do a good job, seeing as he posts AP stuff.

[TSiWRX]

Jeff stopped working for StopTech quite a while ago - there was, IIRC, a public declaration of that on virtually every Forum community in which he participates.

 

Should have perhaps changed his screen-name? Maybe, but if StopTech isn't complaining, and he's comfortable with having to declare his intentions, then I honestly don't really care, either...I'd rather know that it's the same person, too many screen-name changes just gets confusing.

 

But back to the point - he's made no effort to conceal that he no longer works for StopTech, this was just one of his past posts to that effect:

 

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120821&highlight=stoptech

 

Also, although StopTech doesn't support the Forums directly, they are a part of the inventory of *SEVERAL* Forum supporting Vendors.

 

Furthermore, Jeff, both while he was with StopTech as well as afterwards, has constantly contributed to our community with informational posts and positive interactions. Let's not run-off another resource, as nastycock so often does...

 

I don't know Jeff from Pitt.

 

I don't own any StopTech or AP products, I've never used Essex as a purchase resource.

 

From day one, I've said that BBKs for me are more about looks than anything else, as I simply don't drive the car hard enough to merit one, for performance.

 

I'm not defending anyone. I'm just asking everyone to not get carried away here - this was not a video to advertise any specific product, it was informational in nature, and it would've been a loss to the entire community, with this resource buried.

[AZP Installs]

His username should be changed. Sorry but its still advertising for stoptech that they don't pay for. The vendors who support this forum pay to advertise and I just was pointing out that its a bit unfair to have them not pay.

 

-mike

[JRittStopTech]

Sorry for the confusion guys. I usually put my disclaimer about the screen name on there, but forgot this time. I don't think I'm able to change my screen name. If I start a new account, I'm back to square one as a newb with no history or credibility. I think the moderator is the only one that can do it.

 

TSi+WRX is correct (thanks also for the kind words:cool:). I am no longer affiliated with StopTech. At any rate, I use J Ritt, or JRitt in every one of my online screen names. So if you see that it's likely me. On some of the forums, I still have my workplace attached...just haven't gotten around to changing them all through mods. Sorry and thanks.

 

Moderator gods above if listening, please change my screen name to JRitt. Thanks!

[TSiWRX]

His username should be changed. Sorry but its still advertising for stoptech that they don't pay for. The vendors who support this forum pay to advertise and I just was pointing out that its a bit unfair to have them not pay.

 

-mike

 

^ I see what you're saying - but at the same time, like I said above, many of the Vendors who do advertise here, who do contribute to the Forums by paying for abd maintaining their Vendor status, do carry StopTech products (FredBeans comes to mind, immediately, but there are others, too).

 

COBB Tuning isn't a Vendor here, right? (honest question - they do not appear under the list of Vendors via the Nav-Bar "Directory" [REF: http://www.legacygt.com/index.php?page=vendors&], but I know that there are Vendors here who do not appear there (i.e. P&L Motorsports, yourself, etc.], so I've also tried to check their individual accounts (dan@cobbtuning.com, Christian.,and there's another one that starts with a "J," but I cannot recall, off-hand , but these also do not have Vendor status)... But their posts are OK? And no, they've never tried to sell anything via their posts, either (at least not that I can remember, but you've been in this community longer than I have, by nearly a half year, so you may remember exceptions from the earlier days...I've tried to do my homework via searches, but I cannot claim to have hit all potential points of concern ) - but just their presence is "advertisement," by the standards you've set forward, no?

 

I'm all for fairness, but in light of just these two considerations above, how far should we carry this? <--- again, an honest, sincere, question.

[AZP Installs]

Well if they have cobb or what not in their username then it shouldn't be allowed. Just trying to look out for the vendors here who do pay to support the site. Its cool that the op agrees to drop the @stoptech part and I'm sure the mods will change his name for him.

 

No further OT discussion needed in this thread, sorry for disrupting things.

 

Mike

[TSiWRX]

Well if they have cobb or what not in their username then it shouldn't be allowed. Just trying to look out for the vendors here who do pay to support the site.

 

^ But that's the very point - the product that is represented by these companies ARE BEING ACTIVELY CARRIED BY FORUM SUPPORTING VENDORS.

 

FredBeansParts is one of our most popular Vendors here (carrying also a Vendor II status), and I know for a fact that they carry StopTech products, as I was just checking out their latest sale.

 

Where's the foul in that, then?

 

Again, I'm not defending Jeff. I'm not defending StopTech.

 

I also simply want fairness - we've "known" each other for quite some time on this Forum, and I think you know that I typically don't provide direct outlinks (unless it is in the context of a direct technical discussion, for which if no such links are provided, it just obfuscates the issue ) to non-Forum supporting Vendors, and that this is something that I do, also consistently, in other on-line communities where I participate.

 

I am all about supporting Forum Vendors, it's one of my core beliefs, and I actually do try to shop, as much as possible, with Forum Vendors as well as give them feedback (both positive and negative) - but isn't the indirect advertisement from those whose products are available via our Forum Vendors, in their way, directly supporting those same Vendors?

 

I just don't understand the logic of your initial complaint....

[Spoonwacker]

Thanks for the great video walkthrough! I've bedded my brakes in before, but it's good to see video proof that I was doing it right You inspired me to re-bed them last night (even more exciting due to 18* temps, but it's been bone dry so there were only a few spots of frost...), and I'm enjoying the improved feel today

[AZP Installs]

I have no problem with registered vendors promoting a particular manufacturer. If a manf directly wishes to promote themselves (directly or indirectly) on the forum, they are making enough $ to give back a bit to the community.

 

its not like lgt collects a lot of money and as a manuf this direct contact price is not a whole lot. Whereas myself and other small vendors pay a bigger chunk of our bottom line to advertise so I see no point in a free ride for the manufacturers.

 

Mike

[whitetiger]

Though i agree about vendors having to contribute if they are directly advertising on this site, I think you are being a little too sensitive by applying vedor jurisdiction to user names. I mean, what if some one's name was COBBjohn because he had all Cobb parts on his car and was a fan but was not affilited in any way with the the company. By your compaints, he would have to pay a vendor fee. I dont think user names constitute even indirect advertisement.

[magnetic1]

I have no problem with registered vendors promoting a particular manufacturer. If a manf directly wishes to promote themselves (directly or indirectly) on the forum, they are making enough $ to give back a bit to the community.

 

its not like lgt collects a lot of money and as a manuf this direct contact price is not a whole lot. Whereas myself and other small vendors pay a bigger chunk of our bottom line to advertise so I see no point in a free ride for the manufacturers.

 

Mike

 

I dunno.. Im going to have to agree with Mike here. That is how it is done on 99% of other sites out there.

 

A customer who wants to promote what they have on their car is easy. That's what sigs are for

 

The whole issue is moot anyways since OP already requested to change his name

[naimouasta]

so back to the vid . would it be stupid to be partially on the brakes and cruise at 45mph to initially warm the brakes up to a decent temp?...then follow up with just one or two 60-5mph? or would that cause uneven pad deposits?

[TSiWRX]

I have no problem with registered vendors promoting a particular manufacturer. If a manf directly wishes to promote themselves (directly or indirectly) on the forum, they are making enough $ to give back a bit to the community.

 

its not like lgt collects a lot of money and as a manuf this direct contact price is not a whole lot. Whereas myself and other small vendors pay a bigger chunk of our bottom line to advertise so I see no point in a free ride for the manufacturers.

 

Mike

 

^ That's definitely another way of looking at it.

 

And there certainly are plenty of "STI" or "SPT" or "COBB" - and other such - usernames, which are private-user accounts, and in simply reading their posts, show that they are in no way affiliated with the company.

 

 

---

 

 

I have no problem with registered vendors promoting a particular manufacturer. If a manf directly wishes to promote themselves (directly or indirectly) on the forum, they are making enough $ to give back a bit to the community.

 

its not like lgt collects a lot of money and as a manuf this direct contact price is not a whole lot. Whereas myself and other small vendors pay a bigger chunk of our bottom line to advertise so I see no point in a free ride for the manufacturers.

 

^ I don't think that your complaint is invalid - as a matter of fact, I can see the merit of it.

 

But if that's your cause, then I think that you should be voicing that complaint at the Admin/Moderation level, and not have specifically targeted a fellow community member, outright/first-line, particularly as there are currently other Manufacturers/Suppliers who step afoul of this fairness criteria.

 

And again, the other way of looking at this is that although you, directly, may not benefit from StopTech's advertisement, since you don't carry the product regularly, those Forum supporting Vendors who *DO* carry the product do gain profit through their margin - so again, why would this indirect advertisement not be fair to the Vendors who pay their way to advertise here?

 

If X's representatives make a convincing enough post to have sent one of our Forum members over the edge, and purchase one of their systems - and they see that Forum Vendor Y is having a sale on said X's system and decides to purchase from that Y vendor, then where's the fault, particularly as Vendor Y will have made the margin?

 

To me, it's just not logical to place such a tight control in place.

 

It's not that I can't see your reasoning, Mike - I can, and I can appreciate where you're coming from - it's just that I don't think it truly benefits the community, particularly if it's also going to somewhat alienate or restrict access of those manufactuers' representatives, some of whom are among the most technically capable and knowledgeable, and able to bring unique insights into the picture.

 

 

---

 

 

The whole issue is moot anyways since OP already requested to change his name

 

^ True, but it's brought up a good point.

 

I can see this both ways, and I think that this is something that this community has to figure out...as it's not come up before (at least to the best of my knowledge).

 

Mike and I have entered into what I think (and I hope he sees it that way, too) a civil discussion as to what we think should and should not be, and I believe we've both made very logical arguments for how we see the issue, and that we've done so in an adult and friendly manner - maybe it's just because we both date back so far on this Forum, that we feel like family, even though we barely know each other (hell, you, too, for that matter! )?

 

I just don't want this issue to crop up again, and, God forbid, for it to become a nasty point of contention, a flame-fest.

[magnetic1]

- maybe it's just because we both date back so far on this Forum, that we feel like family, even though we barely know each other (hell, you, too, for that matter! )?

 

I just don't want this issue to crop up again, and, God forbid, for it to become a nasty point of contention, a flame-fest.

 

We are a couple of old dinosaurs arent we But that is good, forum is growing as is the community!

 

We've been here pretty early on supporting the forum, and in exchange, we've had many loyal and happy customers. It's a win-win for both the vendor and the forum to have a proper supporting vendor structure.

 

Perhaps it is all in the details. Name@StopTech implies the user is an employee (similarly Mike@AZP, etc). Which can be misleading as well, since the OP doesnt work there any longer and cannot speak for ST directly. Could cause issues down the line, but that is a whole other separate issue.

 

I dont see any ill intentions by the OP. He posted a video of what he thought was helpful. He did not post any sales pitches or the like. My only issue is that some confusion may come down the road if people associate him WITH StopTech.

 

What if Carbotech came on here... Danny@Carbotech, started posting links to their bedding procedures and tech articles? For the sake of argument, what if they posted links to general articles, etc? In a way, they would be promoting their name free of charge.

 

In the end, it's all about making everyone happy. You cant be too lax on the rules b/c you offend your supporting vendors. On the other hand, you cannot be too anal, because you limit growth. We just need a happy medium. I'd hate to see this forum go the route of some other forums where everything is watched SUPER closely and people get banned for the slightest bit of name dropping....

[SBT]

Valid points all - OP has requested an SN change to a less-than-commercial identifier, so let's move on and appreciate, as we always do, some good tech info exchange