New Pad Bed-In/Burnishing, where do you do it?
 

So I've received my Carbotech pads (XP10 front, XP8 rear) and will install them in the next month for my first track day April 4. I've certainly seen enough posts and videos that describe HOW to bed-in the new track pads. However, I'm curious as to WHERE you guys do it. I also recall someone saying the Carbotech pad material plays 'nice' with the stock pad material, and formal bed-in isn't necessary.

I've found that most track days are a bit hectic once you arrive. It seems I won't have enough time to fumble through my pad swap (nor do I want to). There's a quick driver's meeting and then everyone is on track. Also, there really isn't any formal time to bed-in the pads once on track. So, doing it the day of the event seems unrealistic.

I suppose I can bed them in on the highway on the way to the track day. It's about 2 hours away and I'll be leaving early Sunday morning. I assume there will be light traffic and I can do some burnishing then. The problem is I'll have to install the pads at least a day if not a week beforehand.

Is there any issue with delaying the burnishing after the install? I'd probably drive around town for a week with gentle braking until I can burnish them on the way to the track.

Thoughts?

I have a small low traffic road and I just do it there usually. Yesterday, our first session was a lead follow group, so I was the last car, and did the bedding on the front straight then caught up with the group. I did it for two laps and they were ready to go.

Here is what I do....

I put in the pads before driving to the event so that the rotors are "scraped clean" of the road material. Then I take your first few laps of the first session at 50%, then 70% and then 90% (for braking). The session is usually done then and I come in and give the car time to cool down. After that...game on. Worked really well for me in the past. But it takes DISCIPLINE to go easy on the first session....but it reaps rewards. Not worth it to me to try to bed race pads on a public road. Need too high of speeds. Road pads I can bed on roads since I only needed 60mph to 10mph.

Cool, thanks guys. Sounds like I can be at the back of the pack for the first session and get the job done.

What about installing them a week ahead of time? I'm reluctant to do the install Saturday for a Sunday track day given it's my first time swapping the pads. If I run into an issue, I won't be able to fix it before the following day.

You can chew up the rotors if too long on track pads. A week is about the max I would push. If you can, try to swing a mid-week install. Plus if it rains when on cold track pads....braking distances can be seriously changed.

Normally, I would do the previous day install with a few days of post running.

carbotechs are supposed to be pretty rotor friendly. I just switched to them, but my buddy with a 350Z who is an instructor and really fast driver says he can go a whole season on one set of OEM rotors with the Carbos.

The guys at carbotech claim it's fine to leave their XP pads on all the time (for street driving).