"Jim Stewart" wrote in message
.. .
John R. Carroll wrote:
"Jim Stewart" wrote in message
.. .
Joe Pfeiffer wrote:

The corollary I've never been able to figure out is why they don't use
smaller brakes and more pressure in the rear, so they'd all wear out
at the same time (well, as a matter of fact most vehicles I've had
apart have had larger fronts than rears. But not by enough to make up
for the difference in how hard the fronts have to work).
My guess is safety.

It isn't safety, it's standardisation to lower costs.

Standardization of what? Every car I've ever
seen that had 4w disk brakes had bigger ones
on the front.

Emergency brake systems are typically in the rear rotor housing so they'll
be different in order to make room.
To have the same area the rear rotors would necessarily require a bigger OD
and a different caliper.

JC