Stoopid brake caliper placement question: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Dec. 31, 2008 3:05 p.m. Jensenman UltimaDork

I'm using a stick axle under the Jensenator and I'm going to have to make some rear caliper brackets. The OE RX7 setup puts the calipers behind the axle, it would help in my quest for the longest possible Panhard rod to move the calipers to the front of the axle instead. The technical/fabrication part is easy, the calipers can be swapped side to side to keep the hoses bleeders etc at the top. The torque of the caliper will still be transmitted to the axle in the same direction, just at the front rather than the rear. The rotor will be turning down inside the caliper ratehr than up, but AFAIK that shouldn't make any difference, right?

So here's the dumb question: is there any overwhelming reason for putting the calipers behind the axle centerline instead of in front? What horrifying situation might arise which I hadn't thought of?

And what about Naomi?
Dec. 31, 2008 3:09 p.m. Keith UltraDork

Go for it. Caliper location is mostly for packaging, as long as you put the bleed screws at the top.
Dec. 31, 2008 3:10 p.m. Roto_B New Reader

I can think of one problem that will arise & that would be the hand brake mechanism. Will it point in a way to hook up cables!!
Dec. 31, 2008 3:13 p.m. Jensenman UltimaDork

Ummm... no handbrakes on a race car. Or at least not this one.
Dec. 31, 2008 3:31 p.m. aussiesmg HalfDork

Just picked up a IROC rear end and noticed one caliper on the front side the other is on the back.

Also in Australia some of the V8Supercar teams experimented with dual calipers front and rear.

Go for it
Dec. 31, 2008 3:40 p.m. Jensenman UltimaDork

One in front, one in back? Now that's weird.

I guess nothing truly crazy stupid will happen, so to the front they go.
Dec. 31, 2008 3:46 p.m. Osterizer HalfDork

aussiesmg wrote:

Just picked up a IROC rear end and noticed one caliper on the front side the other is on the back.

Crown Vics do this in the rear, too. Lets them use the same part for both sides.
Dec. 31, 2008 4:04 p.m. slantvaliant Reader

Mopar guys sometimes do this (swap the spindles and put calipers to the rear) on early A-body front disks for sway bar clearance.
As long as the hydraulics are taken care of, no sweat.
Dec. 31, 2008 4:33 p.m. AngryCorvair Dork

Osterizer wrote:

aussiesmg wrote:

Just picked up a IROC rear end and noticed one caliper on the front side the other is on the back.

Crown Vics do this in the rear, too. Lets them use the same part for both sides.

yep. cost save with no performance implication.
Dec. 31, 2008 6:23 p.m. iceracer Reader

As Keith said, make sure the bleeder screws are on top. Otherwise, no brakes. Had a friend put new calipers on his pickup. He couldn't get any pedal. Even replaced the master cylinder. Turns out he had put the calipers on opposite sides with the bleeder screw down. Switched them, bled everything and had good pedal.