In this study, an approach designed to compute high temperature friction coefficients for SCM 435 steel through a pilot hot rolling test and a finite element analysis, is proposed. Single pass pilot hot flat rolling tests with reduction ratios varying from 20 to 40% were carried out at temperatures ranging from 900 to $1200^{circ}C$. In the proposed approach, the friction coefficient is calculated by comparing the measured strip spread and the roll force with the simulation results. This study showed that the temperature and reduction ratio had a significant influence on the friction coefficient. As both material temperature and reduction ratio become higher, the friction coefficient increases monotonically. This finding is not in agreement with the Ekelund model, which is widely used in the analysis of the hot rolling process. In the present work, the friction coefficient at a reduction ratio of 40% was found to be 1.2 times greater than that at a reduction of 30%. This higher friction coefficient means that an increment of the roll thrust force is expected at the next stand. Therefore, a roll pass designer must understand this phenomenon in order to adjust the reduction ratio at the stands while keeping the driving power, the roll housing structure and the work roll strength within the allowable range.