Brakes--swept area

["Ev-Arch1" <mdg36@domain.elided>]

Not intending to resurrect the overall topic of brake design and all the
variables that were discussed  on the thread a few weeks ago BUT:
someone on the digest, in response to my position on the prime importance of
brake swept area, claimed that swept area is not a significant factor in the
braking performance of an auto and cited that Road & Track no longer
publishes the swept area in their 'road test results' as justification.
This claim is false. The swept area is included in the magazine's full road
tests under the heading "Chassis and Body". For instance, the new 2002 BMW
745i [June 02 issue] is reported to have 701 sq. in. in total swept area and
also reported is the swept area per ton, the bimmer having 301 sq. in. per
ton.
I stand by my earlier comment that all cars that brake well have higher
swept areas in their brake system designs....all the other factors
previously raised, i.e., pads friction co-efficient, hydraulic pressure,
assist, tire to surface co-eff, wheel diameter, yada, yada, yada....
are all governed by a relatively fixed and narrow design criteria-at least
with regard to passenger cars- leaving total swept area as the starting
point for vehicle stopping dynamics.
And swept area to vehicle weight. Kudos to R&T for publishing this data.
Ev in very sunny az.
94 spider ce

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