to bed in the brakes
- phrasal verb
- Specialized
:
asentar los frenos
- It's important to bed in the brakes after installation to ensure maximum stopping power.
Examples
-
The mechanic advised me to bed in the brakes gradually over the first few days.
-
The mechanic said to bed in the brakes for at least 200 miles.
-
If you don't bed in the brakes correctly, you may experience reduced braking performance.
-
You need to bed in the brakes properly before driving fast.
-
To ensure safety on the road, you must bed in the brakes according to the manufacturer's guidelines.
-
After replacing the brake pads, it's crucial to bed in the brakes for optimal performance.
-
The car owner's manual recommends that you bed in the brakes by introducing gradual pressure during the first few drives.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'to condition or run-in new brake components' is a specialized automotive usage of 'bed in' that is not a straightforward composition of the literal meanings of 'bed' (a foundation) + 'in' + 'brakes'. The meaning is technical and idiomatic to vehicle maintenance, so an average B1 learner who only knows the constituent words would unlikely infer this specific sense.
Etymology
Bed in the brakes comes from the idea of making a smooth bed between the moving parts of new brakes. It means carefully using new brakes so their parts settle and fit together, so they work well and stop safely.
