Sup guys. Well, I changed out my front rotors today with some new Baer Decalas in prep for another track day this weekend. Install was smooth, and I coupled the rotors with a set of Hawk HP+'s.

I smoked my OEM rotors at my last track event. I've done this previously, but had the rotors resurfaced. Worked for a while...then tore em up a couple weekends ago. Real bad vibration at speeds, and the rotors were all kinds of discolored.

I'm sure I didn't bed my HP+'s correctly with my oem rotors previously, so I wanted to make sure I did it right this time. Although there is always traffic at any hour in the DC area, I found some open stretch of parkway where I was able to get in 6 runs braking from 60 down to 15-20-ish before I had to make a U-turn and then made 3 more runs. Then, I drove around for a few more minutes and downshifted without rev-matching or heel-toeing in place a braking. Finally got back to my house and took a flash light to both rotors. Please see the pics. I was warned that I might see some blue in the rotors from the heat, but I didn't see any. I was also warned that I would see some gray film coated on the rotors indicating that it is the pad material coating areas of the rotors. Think I got that.

Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but something doesn't seem right. I can feel the coating around the outer "ring" of both rotors, but it is totally smooth below it. Is it supposed to be like this? Isn't the rotor supposed to be smooth from inside-out around the entire face of the rotor? Maybe I feel this way because I've never done a "legit" bedding...all stillnew to me.

What do you guys think?

 

As you probably know, daily driving will basically undo the bedding process... it will scrape off that transfer layer eventually. What I'm trying to say is that bedding on a daily driver/track car isn't just a once and done thing. It will probably need to be done before every track day if you want to go into it with fully bedded brakes.

How many miles are on the new setup? I'm guessing that it just hasn't had time to wear-in and get the center section of the rotor/pad up to temp. I would get some miles on it and then go out for one more bedding run the night before the track day and see if that does it. Honestly though if they're at least scuffed in I think you'll have them bedded in no time once you're on the track.

For what it's worth, I've never gotten a completely even transfer layer on mine. However, I do agree that your's look a little more "binary" than what I've seen.

 

Thanks! Good points. My stang is actually not a DD, nor do I want it to be. I take the metro to work everyday so I don't have to rack up the mileage with the blower or pay gobs for 93 octane every few days. It does, however, serve a grocery-getter function for SNG on top of the weekend road trips, joyrides and track days. So, bedding these were with the full intention of having an easy trip to the track (I don't trailer) this Friday and take it from there.

Maybe you're right about not getting hot enough. Temps last night were in the low 70's, and it was raining. Good advice on bedding them again. I think I'll do that tonight since the wife and I are leaving for the track right after work tomorrow.

So, the gray scuffing means successful transfer, like you were saying...but I would really want the entirety of the rotor face to be covered like it is on the outer "rim" shown in my pictures?

Edit: forgot to answer your mileage question...only put about 8 miles on the setup.

Thanks again!

 

are those new pads or the pads that you had on your old setup?

 

I bed my Carbotechs during the first lap. Just make sure you watch for someone coming up fast behnd you.

 

OE rotors (I think they're great) and carbotechs - I use my first session to bed them. I always start at 6/10 anyway.

But, I've never done a successful brake bed. I tried to get it done on the road a couple of times without any luck, so I started to use my first session. I still get vibration when the brakes are really hot. I've learned to brake going straight and ignore the vibration.

Why would I get uneven transfer at 6/10? Or 10/10 for that matter?

 

Bedding them in your first session sounds reasonable... when we put new brakes on Rolex series cars we just stuck a note on the steering wheel that said "new brakes" and the driver knew to take it easy on them for the first few laps.

Moochman, are the scuffs on the outer edge of your rotor like deep gouges or just mild scratches? They look kind of deep in the photo. Pad transfer should be a very dull, bluish-gray coating. After looking at your rotors again it looks like the pads haven't really contacted the inner diameter yet.

 

A nice cross hatch sanding pattern helps with bedding pads.
New or 'glazed over' rotors wont 'bed' correctly.

 

LOL. I like the high tech solution.

Hopefully the note didn't fall of before the driver read it.

PS - I tape a note "TCS OFF" on my dash on track days. Old guys like me need reminders"

 

Hey guys, thanks for all the advice. Actually the rotors and pads worked out great at the track yesterday. Good stopping power. I had some squeel that I knew was coming from the rotors, but they did the trick. I'm getting my vids loaded up to youtube today and will post one or two in a new thread.

Gotta say, I felt WAY more confident in my braking this time out. Don't know if it was just psychological or what...but I literally shaved 2 seconds off my previous best lap time.