u003cstrongu003eA:u003c/strongu003e Breaking in brake pads is essentially the process of mating the wear surfaces of the rotor and the pad together. The process of doing so varies by pad. However, the process should go something like gradually braking from 30-35 mph without stopping, then again from 50-55 mph. After that, it's important to avoid hard braking for a few hundred miles.