Front Calipers on Rear?

[europaisch]

This may have been covered somewhere. But due to the common words it's returns fruitless results. Nonetheless I've searched it.

Can the stock front calipers be moved to the rear; eliminating the small rear calipers?

Thanks!

[Deep6ed]

Technically yes, but you'll lose the e-brake, as well as throw off your brake bias. There are bigger brakes in the front, and smaller in the rear for a reason.

[CBRmatt600]

May I ask why you would want to do such a ridiculous thing?

[Latin Audi]

May I ask why you would want to do such a ridiculous thing?

Its gangsta

[europaisch]

Just curious. I don't mean to be ridiculous. Like Latin said, it'd be gangster to have big brakes in the back as well. But I can't afford to lose that ebrake.

[CBRmatt600]

It would completely destroy the braking characteristics of the car. You would be locking up your rear end like crazy.

[Grishbok]

Brake balance is a VERY tedious thing to get right and typically, when the car comes from the factory, theyve spent hundreds of logged hours making sure its right. Think aobut it for a minute, you have a car that weighs close to 2 tons hurling down the road at 80mph and you have to stop rotational inertia down to 0. ALL 4 brakes must be applied at the same time, or itl throw you into the wall. They must not lock up, or itll throw you into the wall. They must be inertially balanced to accomodate for the pitch forward and weight throw or itll put you in the wall. Come to think of it, theres not alot you can do to brakes that wont end up putting your ass in the wall.

[europaisch]

I see your point Grish. So how is it that so many people upgrade their front brakes to BBKs and not pitch themselves into walls on a regular basis?

[Grishbok]

The fronts take the majority of the pitch forward, and if you notice, the fronts are already larger than the rears, Think of the brakes this way, the Fronts stop the car and the rears keep it stable.

[CBRmatt600]

Think of braking on a bike or a motorcycle. The rear brakes are there for stability and extra stopping power. If you apply the rear brakes hard, the rear end locks up and you slide. Similarly, if you apply the front brakes too hard you will get pitched off the bike.

[europaisch]

I see. I guess my very basic logic went like this. I just bought a BBK. So the new fronts would be bigger. The front stock calipers are the bigger of the two stock calipers but not as big as the BBK. So, BBK up front and stock front caliper in rear.

Do you see how I was thinking it would work?

I appreciate everyone clarifying why it would not work. I was just curious.

[Grishbok]

Its good that you are proactively thinking like that :) You can take a look at the brake bias for the fronts and rears of the stock calipers, and do the math to determine the new brake bias for the bbk + stock rears, and the bbk + (front rears) and see if itll make sense on paper.

[europaisch]

After learning that I would lose my e-brake; I'm over the idea.

But for learning sake: How do I explore the brake bias and learn more about that math?

[Grishbok]

You would have to find out a few things, but its mostly logic. Theres gotta be some plug and play physics equations out there, but things youll need to know are the exact weight of the car, the speed travelling, the maximum pressure applied to the brakes, the friction ratio of the brakes/rotors.

When the brakes are applied the force of the rotors slows the car, but the weight of the car wants to keep moving forward. Knowing that information will enable you to run a few calculations to better understand the physics of it, but im sure that brake bias ratios are posted somewhere.

Omitted Variables:
This will take into account the assumption that: completely smooth road surface with no abnormalities, a balanced and empty car. Tire tread is perfect and provides a null condition for variable.

[europaisch]

Haha sounds like a very pricey, time consuming, experiment heavy and calculated R&D project for learning brake bias.

[Grishbok]

Well, thats what the manufacturers do before the car is released lol.

[europaisch]

If I was in the business of mass producing vehicles that might make more sense for me.

For now, I'll be eager enthusiast who likes to upgrade his fronts and leave his rear brakes stock!

[scoobycarolan]

Just run newer pads in the back to balance it out!

[RedS-line]

BMW's seem to have similar sized fronts and rears and im guessing thats due to the fact that theyre well-balanced and near 50/50. if you added some weight to the rear then maybe u could balance it out but who wants to ADD weight? its more fun just taking out the spare....