Why does the Lightning...?
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 256
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From: Fort Worth, Texas
Why does the Lightning...?
Why are the brakes on the front of the Lightning smaller than the rears? Front is 12.1, rear is 13.1. Though, the front is double-caliper and rear is single. Does this make a difference? Wouldn't you want a bigger brake for double caliper?
One thing I was thinking is that maybe the front brake is thicker than the rear...?
Anyone with an engineering background wanna unriddle this one for me?
One thing I was thinking is that maybe the front brake is thicker than the rear...?
Anyone with an engineering background wanna unriddle this one for me?
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Fort Worth, Texas
I was thinking on the lines of towing, also. More weight in the back, back brakes are bigger...?
If it has to do with the parking brake, then why are the Mustangs fronts bigger? They have parking brakes also...
If it has to do with the parking brake, then why are the Mustangs fronts bigger? They have parking brakes also...
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 925
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From: Vancouver,BC,Canada
Here are some general comments on brakes:
1 A disc brake is a energy convertor from rotational energy to heat energy.
2 A rotor is a heat store. In normal use, radiation does not occur, the brakes work by storing the last stop's energy and being cooled by the air while driving. It's a different story on the track.
3 The bigger/heavier the disc, the more energy can be stored, but unsprung weight increases and that is bad for handeling.
4 A rear disc is in a much worse environment than a front, less cooling air and more dust/salt/...
5 The fronts need more resistance to warpage, since they see more intense heating-cooling cycles. This means (probably) a ventilated, relatively thick disc, with a relatively small diameter.
6 Increasing the diameter increases the relative speed at the contact patch and the braking efficiency. At the rear, with a solid axle, unsprung weight increase is not a big deal, so an expensive ventilated disc can be replaced by a larger diameter solid.
1 A disc brake is a energy convertor from rotational energy to heat energy.
2 A rotor is a heat store. In normal use, radiation does not occur, the brakes work by storing the last stop's energy and being cooled by the air while driving. It's a different story on the track.
3 The bigger/heavier the disc, the more energy can be stored, but unsprung weight increases and that is bad for handeling.
4 A rear disc is in a much worse environment than a front, less cooling air and more dust/salt/...
5 The fronts need more resistance to warpage, since they see more intense heating-cooling cycles. This means (probably) a ventilated, relatively thick disc, with a relatively small diameter.
6 Increasing the diameter increases the relative speed at the contact patch and the braking efficiency. At the rear, with a solid axle, unsprung weight increase is not a big deal, so an expensive ventilated disc can be replaced by a larger diameter solid.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 3,451
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From: Portland, Oregon. USA
Here is a clue. Look at the inside of your rear rotor. There is a tiny drum brake in there that is the parking brake. The Mustang has a different system altogether. Normally the rears would be smaller. Look at the suface size of the brake pad. Front is bigger. The rear end brakes and all is straight out of the expedition. Nothing Lightning specific there.
