Do new brake parts (pads, shoes) need to be "broken in"?

SPOT MY 6

Stock crawlin National...
Joined
May 25, 2001
I just about had a heart attack when my car tried to push through the traps at ZERO PSI. I just replaced practically the whole frickin brake system (new master cylinder (vacuum), calipers, new soft equal length shoes, new pads, cut rotors & drums, new S-10 wheel cylinders, new factory brake proportioning valve).

I am almost ready to put my POS powermaster back on that has a constantly running motor. This is insane.

Do the new shoes/pads need some time to break in before they will hold?
 
TO your question, no. New brakes dont have to be broken in. Thats what I understand. If your brakes are not holding it is your master cyc. I would go ahead and prime out all of the air in it. Is it hard or soft, if it is soft get all of the air out of it. If it is hard you need a new one. If you are having a power with not holding check the master cyc. to see if it has air so if it is no good.
 
Yes! You have to seat the pads to the rotors and the shoes to the drums to get maximum brake. Usually a couple of hundred miles should do it. You can do it faster, but risk the chance of glazing the pads and shoes. They have to go through several heat and cool cycles.
 
Take a look over at the Baer brake site for their break in brake procedure. ;)

It is very complicated and could be a bit time consuming.

Different for race and street applications.

My mechanic says NO hard stops for 100 miles and they should seat okay. I believe him.
 
I followed the procedure on the Baer site, and would HIGHLY recommend that for anyone who has a car with brakes (not just our TR's). The procedure that Baer takes you through stress-relieves the rotors so that when you heat them up doing a hard stop, you won't warp the rotors.
Some friday night and saturday morning out in the country will take car of all the steps.
Also. at the line, when you've done your burn-out and before you stage, put the car in Neutral and hold the rpms high for a few seconds to make sure you build vacuum in the booster.
Nathan
 
Yea it is very important to break them in. Some guy I know didn't and learned the hard way. He was racing in his Mustang and running at about 140mph and put the brakes on. His left one locked up taking him into the wall and he rolled 6-7 times. Luckily he was ok but the car was destroyed.
 
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