Pad Burnishing Service

Not all "pre-bedded" brake pads are created equal. Several manufacturers use the term, but instead of properly bedding-in, they are simply baking or "scorching" their pads, which heats them but does not apply any pressure. One can think of scorching as an incomplete form of bedding, or the step prior to bedding the pad on a brake disc. Scorching improves the likelihood of a successful bedding process by reducing the chance of uneven pad deposits on the disc face. Many race pads today are being marketed as "pre-bedded," but unless the pad has literally been run on a disc face, they are only scorched.

All Ferodo Racing pads are scorched as part of the manufacturing process, and certain applications undergo an even higher-temperature "super-bake" process as well. But the Essex Pre-Burnishing Service takes pad preparation a step further.

Benefits of pre-burnished brake pads from Essex:

• Provides the most consistent and durable performance from the pads
• Removes the binding resin from the friction surface and acts as a final cure, strengthening the friction material and helps prevent cracking/crumbling
• The patented Essex bedding machine uses a computer-controlled process, producing much more consistent results than on-car bedding

When burnishing new discs, the process is much easier with pre-burnished pads. They tend to produce a smoother transfer layer of friction material on the discs, and do not require temperatures as high as when bedding with green (unburnished) pads. There is also less chance of developing judder from improperly burnished discs. Note: Since worn discs are not perfectly flat, drive a few easy laps to “mate” the uneven disc surface with the new pads.