RS246.com Forum :: The World's #1 Audi R, S and RS Enthusiast Community

This is a copy from the Audi checklist/protocol - Routine for wearing in brakes for sporty drving.

All vehicles with new break discs and /or brake pads must wear in the brakes in order to achieve optimum friction coefficients in later operation and the best possible braking effect, as well as to prevent permanent damage to brake components.

Wearing in the friction surfaces

. Select a suitable route for performing the routine for wearing in the brakes.
.Brake vehicle 50 times from 100km/h to 20 km/h.
.Always allow the brakes to cool off between decelerations by driving for one minute at 80km/h
.The braking manoeuvres must be made at a light deceleration that approximates braking comfortably when stopping at a red light.

Achieving temperature-stable friction coefficients.

To obtain optimal friction coefficients, new brake pads must be allowed to emit gas in a controlled process.
. Follow the 50 comfortable brake applications with five consecutive full brake applications. However, avoid braking here in the ABS control range.
.During these full brake applications, the friction surface fading temperatures must be reached. For this purpose, apply the brakes fully to bring the vehicle from 100km/h to a standstill, accelerate again at full engine power to 100km/h and perform a full brake application again.
.After these five rapid, consecutive full brake applications, the brake pads are so hot that the binding materials can emit gas.
.On no account should you park the vehicle in this state. Instead, go directly to the next step, “brake cleaningâ€

Seeing as there has been a few posts regarding new brakes and pads, thought it would be "handy" to upload this this protocol, even if it is a long process.

50 times!?! When are you going to get the chance to do that?

That's an interesting read and a little different to how I was taught to bed brakes in on a racing car. Whilst I don't dispute the Audi protocol I think it is a little long winded!

I basically understand it that it is all about getting the new pads heated evenly all the way through the entire thickness of the pad as soon as they are put on the car. The idea being that the heating process (when they are new and installed) helps the pads wear evenly and act consistently throughout their useful life. i.e. if you don't heat them through properly/thoroughly when they are new then they will wear unevenly, potentially start to crack, malform and have a limited life. The reason being that if only the superficial layers become superheated and the layers underneath haven't become as hot then the binding material doesn't cope as well and uniformly throughout the entire depth of the pad.

The methodology I was taught was that as soon as the new pads are fitted you should:

1) Use the brakes (but never a full pedal) as much as you can for around 3 or 4 miles (normally by left foot braking at the same time as accelerating) and get the pads superheated all the way through. If in doubt stop the car and look at the colour change in the pad throughout the entire thickness of the pad. If you are not happy you have heated them all the way through, then repeat process 1.

Note: You may not be able to use both brake and accelerator at the same time as the ECU may prevent the engine throttle from being activated at the same time that the brake pedal is depressed.

2) Once the pads are really hot don't use the brakes at all (if you can) so the pads can cool whilst you are still driving the car say around a further 3 or 4 miles.

3) Then, once the brakes are cool, nail the brakes as hard as you like in your normal racing style and within a mile the pedal and brakes will come back to you and start their proper useful life.

As I say, in racing cars the brakes are normally bedded in within the first 2 or 3 laps of qualifying from new and then used in anger thereafter.

P_G wrote:50 times!?! When are you going to get the chance to do that?

I think that's German humour!

If you do a forum search I think you'll find other useful information on this subject. Been discussed before.

P_G wrote:50 times!?! When are you going to get the chance to do that?

The M25

Yep bedding in procedures have been done to death, however..

I included this on here has this is the Official Audi procedure for new brakes on sports models, its more of a "Arse covering exercise" by Audi, norm the Tech would conduct this under owners permission, or you can conduct the test yourself. The text above are taken from the 2 page form that has too be signed as proof, it also has 55 boxes that have to be ticked for every braking exercise. I was handed the form when I was at the dealers last week. Nib yea your right, German humour