Brake Caliper Question, Front Calipers Out Back? Options

[Seventyfive914]

Hey All. First off,...I did do a search on this topic and there's a load of information on brakes all-right, but I didn't find where swapping front calipers to the rear is discussed. It seems that I have read about it somewhere, and I mocked up one of my spare trailing arms with a core front caliper and it looks like it will work. I don't want/need the parking brake function and the front calipers are lighter without that mechanism. Is there anything I should know before I proceed with the swap? Thanks for any advice. Regards, -K-

[hmeeder]

Well, I'd have to disagree with you on a couple points, Dan.

I went to BMW front calipers, moved fronts to the rear (you lose the p-brake and do need to shim the caliper with one wavy-type washer per bolt) and swapped to a 19mm MC. I also ditched the Prop valve in favor of a "T"

I find my brakes to be very well balanced (the fronts lock up just a hair before the rears) and the total brake package is vastly better.

Now, I'm not saying that the swap to Ms with a vented front disk wouldn't be an improvement. It most certainly would be. However, the BMW brakes increase the front pad area by some 40 percent and the move of fronts to the rear about 35 percent and the larger MC accounts for the increase in piston volume. The brakes are extremely firm and ease to modulate. For a 2000 pound car, the braking is entirely adequate. All these mods can be accomplished for a very thin dime and won't require converting the entire suspension to a 5 lug, a much more expensive proposition.

After all, once your brakes lock up, you have exceeded the friction of the tires. More brakes will not stop you faster unless you have a sophisticated system like ABS to monitor, control and inhibit lock up. Bigger brakes doesn't always mean more stop, you just get to lock up quicker.

My $.02 YMMV

OPAF