Just got a new set of XP10/8 pads for an upcoming trackday next month. Do I have to bed in the pads immediately after installation? Or is it OK to drive to the track (~400) with the pads installed and bed them in when I get there?

thanks!
Arax

 

I run the same setup on my race Miata, and don't bother bedding them in at all -- I just install them and hit the track. Not sure why they don't seem to need bedding, but I'm not complaining.

 

I did the same, XP8's up front, installed at the track, no bedding.

 

They will last longer if you let the pad go through the proper heat cool cycle. It doesn't matter where that's done. I put mine on a couple days before and bed them on the track, be sure you know that they will outgas while braking normally on the track so you might find yourself overshooting a corner when it happens. I usually pick the hardest braking area on the track and do it there when nobody is behind me and I just brake earlier and harder. After they outgas then I just take a hard lap without using the brakes much and they're fine. They don't have to be cold, they just have to cool down.
This is just how I do it. Carbotech would be the best place for the answer.

 

i drive to the track with them installed and bed during the drive or during the first session.

 

Easy solution... bed them on your way to the track. You know that your gonna be up at the butt crack of dawn and there will be no cars on the freeway. Do your 8-10 stops once you find and opening in the traffic. This is also be a good way to "test" the system to ensure everything is up to par before getting on the track. Who know.... maybe you could have a broken speed bleeder or forgot to fully tighten down a bleeder.... I've done it before and caught it before I was on track by doing this.

Track pads will basically grind off the pad transfer on the rotor when street driving them (or in other words the pads are not up to temp). It's always a good idea to make sure you have an even transfer of pad material so that the brakes are working at their best. This means it's a good idea to bed them each time you go to the track if your doing any street driving on them. It's all about the transfer and not necessarily about the pad itself.

-Rob

 

You should always pressure test the system before you even mount your wheels. Start the car and press on the brakes hard for like a minute and check for leaks.

Pad transfer just happens, bedding the brakes (carbotechs) is putting the glue (not glue but the stuff they use to hold everything together) through a heat cycle. The prebed pads are just stuffed in an oven.

Cobalts don't need to be bed in.

While the existing pad transfer will eventually come off, it might not happen with the first set of pads. The best way to take it off is by having the rotor turned, sanding the rotor just ends up pushing the stuff around. The brakes will still work but they won't be optimal and you might end up with what most people think is a warped rotor but is usually only a rotor with uneven pad transfer.

 

That the reason I buy Cobalt. Lazy