An oscillatory method for identifying the characteristics of friction pairs of drive systems is considered. It is based on the use of mechatronic systems with a controlled "electric spring" and allows us to investigate dissipative characteristics in the regime of forced steady oscillations in the operating frequency range, with low laboriousness and high accuracy. The mechatronic oscillatory system is realized on the basis of a synchronous electric machine with permanent magnets on the rotor and a control system for the oscillation regime. The peculiarity of the method and the technical means realized on its basis is that the determination of the moment of frictional forces occurs not in the static state of the system, but under conditions close to the operational ones, i.e. with continuous motion by changing the direction of motion.