[BayDriverSF]

For both steel and carbon ceramic breaks, the calipers on the front wheels are much bigger (and look better) than in the rear. Why?

[NoMods]

Originally Posted by BayDriverSF

For both steel and carbon ceramic breaks, the calipers on the front wheels are much bigger (and look better) than in the rear. Why?

[asmazda]

Because when you brake weight shifts to the front so you need more stopping power on front. The brakes are engineered to what is necessary for performance/safety goals rather than aesthetics…. But I do think big brakes and calipers look cool.

[bobmd]

What are brakes?

[norbtx]

BMW cost cutting.

[AHall]

Maybe this is his first car.

[pbonsalb]

Don’t scare away new members. Some may need help learning and we can help them. Others may know a lot and teach us something. It all balances out.

[crypto]

Originally Posted by asmazda

Because when you brake weight shifts to the front so you need more stopping power on front. The brakes are engineered to what is necessary for performance/safety goals rather than aesthetics…. But I do think big brakes and calipers look cool.

Only for plebs who driver forward all the time. Reverse gang 4 life.

[Aronis]

Originally Posted by AHall

Maybe this is his first car.

Fell out of my seat laughing.

Some posts deserve the flame suit.

Oh, why are the tires wider in the back?

Why does the passenger side mirror have that warning?

What are those lines going across my rear window?

Mike

[Alberta]

I don't care that the rear calipers are smaller than the ones in the front.

The only thing that bothers me is that the finishing isn't as good as the front ones.

The paint is granular instead of being nice and smooth.

First world problem I guess

[Aronis]

You will change front brake pads and rotors twice as often as the rear. So the rear's don't do as much work of breaking. Physics is a bitch.

Mike

[Maverik259]

Originally Posted by Alberta

I don't care that the rear calipers are smaller than the ones in the front.

The only thing that bothers me is that the finishing isn't as good as the front ones.

The paint is granular instead of being nice and smooth.

First world problem I guess

Lol right! I believe it’s because the front are aluminum casting and the rear are steel. It’s in the metal. Not the paint.

What I hate is the cost cutting doesnt afford a separate parking brake like most high end vehicles. BMW can get away with the floating caliper for performance but fixed will always be the better performer and aesthetically superior choice. Integrating the parking brake into the rear caliper just sucks. Haha

[pbonsalb]

I thought the front calipers were fixed and the rears were sliders? Floating is a term I have heard only for 2 piece or semi-2 piece rotors.

[NoMods]

[Maverik259]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

I thought the front calipers were fixed and the rears were sliders? Floating is a term I have heard only for 2 piece or semi-2 piece rotors.

Yes sorry I swapped them on accident. And yes the “sliding” calipers are the same as floating calipers. Funny as I’ve never heard them called sliding before. Haha

[shawnhayes]

Originally Posted by Maverik259

Yes sorry I swapped them on accident. And yes the “sliding” calipers are the same as floating calipers. Funny as I’ve never heard them called sliding before. Haha

Not in common language. Sliding and floating are usually referred to different parts of the brake systems - sliding is usually referring to the caliper, while floating is referring to the brake disc. For engineering, Floating and sliding for the caliper is the same, but in the common language we try to keep them separate.

"sliding" calipers are on a fixed mount that has a sliding rail which the calipers move left and right to compensate for brake piston wear (and perhaps disc movement).

"Floating" usually referrs to the rotors.

So, you're technically correct from the engineering standpoint, but we try to keep sliding and floating separate to make it easier. Most people don't understand brakes. At all, in any way.

Shawn

[Maverik259]

Originally Posted by shawnhayes

Not in common language. Sliding and floating are usually referred to different parts of the brake systems - sliding is usually referring to the caliper, while floating is referring to the brake disc. For engineering, Floating and sliding for the caliper is the same, but in the common language we try to keep them separate.

"sliding" calipers are on a fixed mount that has a sliding rail which the calipers move left and right to compensate for brake piston wear (and perhaps disc movement).

"Floating" usually referrs to the rotors.
https://youtu.be/VrUQr7BAyLA

So, you're technically correct from the engineering standpoint, but we try to keep sliding and floating separate to make it easier. Most people don't understand brakes. At all, in any way.

Shawn

Yes I am familiar with aluminum floating hats on rotors. But I’ve also only ever heard of non fixed calipers referred to as “floating” calipers in the automotive world. Just Never heard of the sliding caliper nomenclature. I don’t doubt they’re both a thing.

[shawnhayes]

Originally Posted by BayDriverSF

For both steel and carbon ceramic breaks, the calipers on the front wheels are much bigger (and look better) than in the rear. Why?

Simple answer:
https://www.allrotors.com/blog-65-wh...or-rear-brakes

Graphical answer:


Technical answer:
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/b...le-112010.html

Shawn

[shawnhayes]

Originally Posted by Maverik259

Yes I am familiar with aluminum floating hats on rotors. But I’ve also only ever heard of non fixed calipers referred to as “floating” calipers in the automotive world. Just Never heard of the sliding caliper nomenclature. I don’t doubt they’re both a thing.

Amongst the engineers, you are correct.

Man this is old, and our hero is so so young.

Since "floating" rotors came along (thank you McLaren), people have begun to refer to "floating" brakes to be the rotors, and calipers as "sliding" Honestly, you are completely right. You can ACTUALLY have both a "floating" caliper, and a "floating" rotor (but once the rotor floats, the need for having the caliper move has gone away).

Shawn

[shawnhayes]

Originally Posted by Alberta

I don't care that the rear calipers are smaller than the ones in the front.

The only thing that bothers me is that the finishing isn't as good as the front ones.

The paint is granular instead of being nice and smooth.

First world problem I guess

And now to address this:

For BMW to put the same piece of garbage caliper on an M5 CS with carbon ceramic brakes as much cheaper and no where near as fast cars should be a CRIME.

However, for those of us who have owned fast, heavy cars on track in the past, the rear brakes do so little (unless you leave DSC on, or the brake bias is set badly), that the beauty of having a relatively inexpensive, shared caliper that easily integrates into the family and has an electronic parking brake that easily integrate into the caliper makes a lot of economic sense.

This is the reason, pure and simple. That little rear caliper can provide all of the braking and cooling that the car can use in even heavy track use. The front needs to be so much bigger because it does so much more. BMW getting away with using a cheaper part where a cheaper part does just fine.

Shawn

[Patton250]

Originally Posted by armoredsaint

Not helpful

Originally Posted by asmazda

Because when you brake weight shifts to the front so you need more stopping power on front. The brakes are engineered to what is necessary for performance/safety goals rather than aesthetics…. But I do think big brakes and calipers look cool.

Helpful

Originally Posted by bobmd

What are brakes?

Not helpful

Originally Posted by norbtx

BMW cost cutting.

Not helpful

Originally Posted by AHall

Maybe this is his first car.

Fair point

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

Don’t scare away new members. Some may need help learning and we can help them. Others may know a lot and teach us something. It all balances out.

Spot on. I think it makes some people feel good on the inside to put others down. That and some people are just plain mean.

[micvite]

Originally Posted by shawnhayes

And now to address this:

For BMW to put the same piece of garbage caliper on an M5 CS with carbon ceramic brakes as much cheaper and no where near as fast cars should be a CRIME.

However, for those of us who have owned fast, heavy cars on track in the past, the rear brakes do so little (unless you leave DSC on, or the brake bias is set badly), that the beauty of having a relatively inexpensive, shared caliper that easily integrates into the family and has an electronic parking brake that easily integrate into the caliper makes a lot of economic sense.

This is the reason, pure and simple. That little rear caliper can provide all of the braking and cooling that the car can use in even heavy track use. The front needs to be so much bigger because it does so much more. BMW getting away with using a cheaper part where a cheaper part does just fine.

Shawn

Pretty much, it's the same on motorcycles lol rear brakes are mainly for show while you have double calipers in the front. Bmw in a press release somewhere said it's because of the e brake that they did the one piston in the rear since the m5 is supposed to be a "luxury" car first and foremost unless I was dreaming about it lol. Could they have done a separate caliper for the e brake? Sure, did they need to add weight complexity? Not really considering the rear basically lifts off the ground under hard braking. I'm more intrigued as to why they though the 3 and 4 needed the 4 piston rear since they nosedive pretty badly themselves lol.