Brake bedding in procedure

[79beem]

Riding down to Kosciuszko National Park so I'm treating the old girl with new fluids, consumables and a tune up.
  [smiley=bmw_smiley.gif]

 Can someone please explain the bedding in process ?  Just purchased EBC pads and shoes.
I've read two completely different techniques and been told others.
From riding with the brakes on until things get crazy hot to getting the horses up and hitting the brakes to an almost full stop,hopefully depositing a layer of pad material on the rotor.
  
The pads are HH, rotors scored.

Interestingly the EBC shoes have longer pads than the BMW shoes, I'd say at least 20mm each end.

[Luca]

I've read two completely different techniques and been told others.
From riding with the brakes on until things get crazy hot to getting the horses up and hitting the brakes to an almost full stop,hopefully depositing a layer of pad material on the rotor.

You don't want to ride with the brakes on, that will just glaze everything.

Doing hard "rolling stops" is how to bed in your new brakes, but you are not trying to deposit any pad material on the rotor or drum, you are just trying to wear them down enough so that the pad or shoe contours to the imperfections of the rotor/drum.

Since you will probably make a lot of brake dust fairly quickly, I would take the rear wheel off after getting the shoes bedded in and give it a quick cleaning.  Drums hold brake dust, and if it gets between the shoe and drum it will cause further wear.  Doesn't hurt to clean the brake dust out of the front every so often either.

[Barry]

Firstly as new brakes are not 100% efficient I ride with more than usual caution until they are.  

As the rotors are scored the pads will take a little time to wear into full contact. I wouldn't treat them so gently that they glazed, a gradually build up of application in short bursts is the usual process.

The rear shoes could take some time to fully bed in depending how accurately they match the drum diameter. Be careful they don't grab during bedding in as a locked rear wheel does not necessarily skid in a straight line and releasing the brake when the bike is even a little bit sideways invites a high side.

By all accounts the rear shoes last nearly forever. Did you wear them out or were they contaminated. Even if not worn there is a theory that as they last such a long time it raises the question of how efficient 30 odd year old brake material might be.

[montmil]

As to speed, I would suggest several "firm" stops from approx 40MPH.

A straight and vacant road is important so as not to get some cage 'up your bum.'

[Matt Chapter]

Danger, danger!

If you have pads that are 20 mm (2 cm!!) too "long", you have the wrong pads.  This invites the question as to which were wrong.. the previous or the new ones.  There are at least three different pad sizes: '79-84, LS, and '85 on.  I suggest comparing the pad wear area against the rotor to confirm. (I'm talking about front brakes here.. not sure if OP meant front or rear.)

Bedding in, several quick stops from some speed, starting at 25 mph up to 40 mph, with "breaks" so that the rotor and pads do not overheat.

[Luca]

I think he meant that there was more friction material on his new brake shoes than the old ones (circumference wise).  Not sure about the 85-on shoes, but when my dealership gave me standard shoes for an LS drum, there was no way they would even install.  The LS drum is somewhere around an inch bigger in diameter, so I don't think you get it put back together with the wrong parts.

If the radius of the new shoes is the same as the old, they should be ok.