GTV6 inboard brakes - why?

[AlfaNeely@domain.elided]

In a message dated 09/19/2002 3:47:07 PM Central Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:


> Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 21:29:33 +0200
> From: Zak McGregor <zak@domain.elided>
> Subject: GTV6 inboard brakes - why?
> 
> Hi all
> 
> I was just wondering about the GTV6 and why inborad discs were chosen -
> anyone have any insight into that? I would have thought from a technical
> point of view that the closer the discs are to the wheels, the more
> efficient they would be.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Ciao
> 
> Zak
> 

       In board brakes are sprung weight.  That is, they are attached to the 
mass of the body.  Unsprung weight touches the road and follows the bumps in 
the road. The connection between the mass of the car body and the unsprung 
suspension components is through the springs.  Remember that the largest 
weight mass is the car body itself.
       The more weight the springs and shocks have to deal with, the less 
efficient they are.  That is, a big heavy axle wants to move up with bumps 
and wants to stay there from inertia.  The springs have to push the wheels 
back down.  The shocks have to slow the movement of the axle.  The less 
weight on the moving components, the better the handling of the car.
       Location of the brakes closer to the wheel will not make them more 
efficient.  As long as all the devices connecting the wheels to the brakes 
are relatively rigid, there would be no difference.  Some early automobiles 
put the brake on the drive shaft.  That worked just as well and maybe better 
due to mechanical advantage from the ring and pinion.  However, a broken axle 
would disconnect both rear brakes from such a driveshaft located brake.
       The main disadvantage to inboard rear brakes is cooling.  Air does not 
flow to the center of the vehicle as well.  Plus what does get there probably 
came out of the engine bay.
       Rear brake cooling is a bigger problem on the GTV-6 than on the 
Milano.  The Milano rear brakes just do not do much braking.

Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City
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