How to Bed In Track Brake Pads: PowerStop & Hawk

How to bed in brake pads is the question that shows up the night before an HPDE, right after the new pads go in. The problem is that "bed them in" sounds like one procedure, and it isn't. PowerStop publishes a separate break-in for its Track Day pads that is different from its street procedure, and Hawk publishes its own steps. Mix them up and you either under-bed a track pad or cook a street pad.

This guide lays out each manufacturer's published procedure side by side, without blending them into one "universal" method. We cover what bedding actually does, PowerStop's street and Track Day procedures, Hawk's steps, rotor prep, when to re-bed, and the mistakes that cause judder. Every speed, stop count and cool-down time below comes from PowerStop or Hawk. Where they differ, we say so.

What Bedding Actually Does

Both manufacturers describe the goal the same way. PowerStop says bedding establishes "an even layer of friction material deposited on the rotors from the brake pads," and that it can also help prevent fade by releasing gas from the pad material. PowerStop explains that brakes work through two kinds of friction together: abrasive friction (pad grinding on rotor) and adherent friction (pad material bonding to the thin layer already on the rotor).

Skip bedding and PowerStop says you get "random, uneven deposits" of pad material on the rotor, which can show up as pedal pulsing and steering-wheel vibration. That's the judder people blame on "warped rotors."

Hawk frames it around heat control. Its instructions tell you to avoid dragging the brakes, let the system cool completely afterward, and, when time is short at an event, to at least "build up heat slowly and allow the system to completely cool down before racing." That's the core of every bed-in: heat in steps, then a real cool-down.

PowerStop Street Break-In (Drilled and Slotted, Non-Coated Rotors)

This is the procedure PowerStop publishes for new pads with its drilled and slotted rotors and non-coated rotors, the typical Z23 Evolution Sport street kit setup:

1. 5 moderate to aggressive stops from 40 mph down to 10 mph, in rapid succession, without letting the brakes cool. Do not come to a complete stop.
2. 5 moderate stops from 35 mph to 5 mph, again in rapid succession. PowerStop says to expect some resin smell as the brakes get hot.
3. Cooling stage: drive as long as possible without heating the brakes excessively and without coming to a complete stop, about 5 minutes at moderate speed. PowerStop says this lets the heated resin cool and cure.
4. Once the brakes are back to normal operating temperature, use them normally.

Evolution coated rotors use a different procedure

PowerStop's installation guide lists a separate procedure for its Evolution coated rotors: 30 decelerations from 30 mph to 5 mph, with 30 seconds between each one for cooling. If your kit came with coated rotors, use that one instead of the 40/35 pattern.

If you're forced to stop

PowerStop warns that the rotors will be very hot, and holding the pedal down at a stop presses the pad into one spot and can leave an imprint that leads to judder. Its break-in page says to shift into neutral or leave room to roll; its installation guide says to shift into park or leave room to roll. Either way, the idea is the same: don't sit on the pedal.

PowerStop Track Day Pad Break-In

PowerStop states plainly that its Track Day pads "require a special break-in procedure that is different from our Street Performance brake pads." This is the procedure from PowerStop's Track Day page, demonstrated by a mechanic at Radford Racing School (formerly Bondurant):

1. Accelerate to 60 mph, then brake moderately to aggressively down to 10 mph. Repeat 10 times.
2. Cool down: a couple of minutes of cool-down laps at about 30 mph without touching the brakes.
3. Accelerate to 80 mph, then brake down the same way. Repeat 10 times. PowerStop's page describes this as the same process as step 1 with the higher starting speed.
4. Cool down again: a couple of minutes at about 30 mph without touching the brakes.

Two things to notice. First, the speeds are track speeds. Ten stops from 80 mph is a closed-course job, which is why we say do it on track during an approved session or ask your event organizer for a slot. Second, PowerStop does not publish temperature ranges for Track Day pads, so we won't give you one. Follow the procedure as written.

Hawk Bedding Procedure

Hawk's How To page publishes two car bed-in procedures, headed "street pad bed-in" and "motorsport pad bed-in."

Hawk street pad bed-in

1. Make 6 to 10 stops from approximately 30 to 35 mph with moderate pressure.
2. Make 2 to 3 hard stops from approximately 40 to 45 mph.
3. Do not drag the brakes.
4. Allow 15 minutes for the brake system to cool down.

Hawk's page doesn't list which pad compounds count as street and which count as motorsport, so if you're not sure which family your pad is in, check the instruction sheet in the box.

Hawk motorsport pad bed-in

1. At medium speed, brake to slow the car without coming to a complete stop. Release quickly and don't drag the brakes. Repeat four or five times.
2. At higher speeds, do the same. Repeat five times.
3. At or near race speed, do the same. Repeat three times, with a few seconds between applications while the car is moving.
4. Don't hold the pedal. Park the car for about 20 minutes, or until the rotors are completely cool to the touch.
5. If the pedal goes soft or you notice fade during any step, park immediately for about 20 minutes, again without holding the pedal.

Hawk's reminders apply to both: don't bed new pads on badly worn or damaged rotors, don't drag the brakes, don't engage the pedal while stopped after the procedure, and let the system cool completely before racing. Hawk also suggests applying the pedal a few times before the start of a race so the pads heat up before you reach race speeds.

For short race formats, Hawk acknowledges there may not be time for the full procedure, and says to do at least the core of it: build heat slowly and let the system cool before racing if possible.

Side-by-Side: PowerStop Street vs Track Day vs Hawk

Rotors, Re-Bedding and Judder

New rotors are the simple case: install, check, bed. Hawk's install steps also call for checking brake fluid, inspecting hydraulics, and making sure calipers move freely before you bed anything.

Used rotors need prep. Hawk says to check for deep grooves or scoring and resurface or replace as needed. If the rotors don't need resurfacing, Hawk says to remove the old pad material by sanding with 130-grit sandpaper using moderate pressure, then clean with soap and water so the surface is free of oil, grease and brake fluid. This matters most when you switch compounds, because the old transfer layer belongs to the old pad.

Blank vs drilled and slotted. PowerStop's Track Day kits use blank rotors, and our drilled vs slotted rotors post covers why. For bedding, the rotor face decides which PowerStop street procedure applies: drilled/slotted and non-coated rotors get the 40/35 pattern, and Evolution coated rotors get the 30-deceleration pattern.

Never cool rotors with water. PowerStop says plainly that cooling brakes with water can damage them. The water Hawk mentions is only for cleaning a cold rotor before installation, not for hot brakes.

When to Re-Bed, and What Causes Judder

The most common judder cause on track cars is the one both brands warn about: holding the pedal down at a stop on hot rotors. In the paddock after a session, roll to your spot and use the parking brake or wheel chocks instead of the service brake. Check your car's guidance on whether using the parking brake on hot rear rotors is OK.

Re-bed when:

• You switch pad compounds on the same rotors, after cleaning the old layer off as Hawk describes
• You install new rotors with your existing pads
• You get vibration that started after a hard stop or a pedal hold, since an uneven layer is a likely cause

Bedding is not a fluid fix. A perfect bed-in won't help if your fluid boils. A long pedal that comes back after cooling is usually a fluid problem, not a pad problem. Read best brake fluid for track days and bleed before the event. Bed the pads after the bleed, not before.

Which Procedure to Use

Common Questions

Do I need to bed in new brake pads?

Yes. Both PowerStop and Hawk publish bed-in procedures and treat them as part of the install. PowerStop says skipping it leaves uneven pad deposits on the rotor that can cause pulsing and vibration, and that the car won't stop as well. Hawk tells you to build heat gradually and let the system cool fully before racing. On a track car, an uneven layer shows up fast, usually as judder in the heaviest braking zone.

Can I bed in my pads at the track?

For Track Day and race pads, the track is the right place. PowerStop's Track Day procedure uses stops from 60 and 80 mph, and Hawk's motorsport pad procedure builds up to race speed. Ask your event organizer whether you can bed pads during your first session or a designated lap. Tell your instructor what you're doing so the braking pattern doesn't surprise anyone.

Is the PowerStop Track Day procedure different from the street one?

Yes, and PowerStop says so directly. Street pads on drilled/slotted or non-coated rotors get 5 stops from 40 to 10 mph, then 5 from 35 to 5 mph, then about 5 minutes of cool-down driving. Track Day pads get 10 stops from 60 to 10 mph, a couple of minutes of cool-down at about 30 mph, then 10 stops from 80 mph and another cool-down.

Do Hawk HP+ and DTC-60 use the same bedding procedure?

Not necessarily. Hawk publishes a street pad bed-in (6–10 moderate stops, then 2–3 hard stops, 15-minute cool-down) and a motorsport pad bed-in that builds up to race speed with a 20-minute cool-down. DTC-60 is a race compound, so start from the motorsport steps. Hawk's page doesn't say which family HP+ falls into, so follow the instruction sheet in the HP+ box.

Can I bed new pads on old rotors?

Often, yes, if the rotors are in good shape. Hawk says not to use badly worn or damaged rotors with new pads, to resurface or replace rotors with deep grooves or scoring, and otherwise to sand the old pad material off with 130-grit sandpaper and clean with soap and water. Then follow the full bed-in for your new pads.

What if I smell resin during bed-in?

PowerStop says to expect some resin smell as the brakes get hot during its street break-in. That's normal. What's not normal is a soft pedal or fade. Hawk says if that happens, park the car for about 20 minutes without holding the pedal. If the pedal stays soft after cooling, check your fluid and bleed before you go back out.