Rear Brembo brakes question

[CaptainBigleux]

Hello,

 

I had only my rear pads to change, front were still very good, but I decided to order both front a rear to SJ to be with EBC all wheels.

 

But when I received I discover the "rear" I ordered, was for the "small extra caliper" not the main brembo one, and the front was actually feeting in the main rear caliper.

So I realized I have same discs and same calipers front and rear.

Luckaly the front Ferrodo racing were still really good just needed a bit of buff to remove the glaze (or iced?) layer. We put them in the rear caliper, and put the brand new EBC in the front caliper.

 

Sorry for the long explanation, this weird configuration put some doubts in my mind.

Is it the standard configuration, or the small caliper I thought that was only for the handbrak is the normal rear caliper, and the previous owner did fit and extra front caliper in the back (both brembo and small caliper seems to work). I have no issue with the balance of brake power, the car is not sliding at each brake lol, maybe the factory setting is too weak in the rear. That makes sense as most of the weight is behing the middle of the car.

 

Front end :

 

Back End :

 

 

some confirmation of my config as modified or not ?

[Vulcan Grey]

That i snot standard.  Definitely modified by a previous owner.

 

Similar in config to what they did on the Sport 300 and USA X180-R.  Though those had a parking specific lightweight aluminum Brembo, cable operated, parking caliper, and had AP Racing 4 piston calipers front and rear (rear slightly smaller).  

 

Did you say that the rear small caliper is still connected to the hydraulics?  That is not normal, usually those would be changed to operate cable only.

[CaptainBigleux]

Looks like there is a "Y" connector and both calipers are working, and "small" calipers pads had to be changed too (if they were only for handbrake they should be almost new lol).

[Vulcan Grey]

Doesn't sound ideal to me...  I think I would disconnect the parking calipers, and use them cable only... If it were me.

 

I converted my car to huge 4 piston front calipers and large 4 piston rear calipers, with a separate rear parking caliper (cable operated).  The brake balance on my 89SE without ABS or rear proportioning valve, came out perfect.  Not sure what having the rear 4 piston Brembos and the original Brembo calipers in parallel would do for your braking performance and balance.

[CaptainBigleux]

honestly never felt any suspicously wrong balance, the back end is realy stable under braking, doesn't try to come in front at each turn when I brake!

But good idea to may be disconnect the original small caliper.

[Vulcan Grey]

if it's fine then that is good.

 

If the small rear caliper were to heat the fluid, earlier than the larger Brembo caliper, which is likely, since the small caliper does not have the thermal capacity or the heat isolation of the larger Brembo caliper.  Then that might be another reason to disconnect it from the hydraulic circuit.  If it caused the fluid to boil prematurely, then the larger caliper would be useless.

[CaptainBigleux]

that's a good point too. In terms of balance it seems OK, but the brembo must be enough, and if it can prevent to boil the liquid I could disconnect it.