Brake balance

The brake balance or brake bias of a

Road cars with front-wheel drive can typically have a brake balance of 80% front-wheel bias, while road cars with rear-wheel drive typically have around 60-70% front-wheel bias.^[6]

Changing the brake balance

Sometimes the brake balance can also be adjusted individually between the left and right tires, such as in systems for electronic brakeforce distribution and cornering brake control. In racing cars without such systems, a limited-slip differential can perform some of the same tasks, and this is also commonly adjusted as part of a racing setup.^{[citation needed]}

Advanced forms of adjustment

Brake migration is an advanced adjustment of brake balance where the brake balance changes dynamically through a turn as a function of the force on the brake pedal. This function is made possible with brake-by-wire systems. For example, it can be useful to use less distribution on the rear brakes when entering the corner in order to stabilize the car, and progressively increase the rear-brake distribution as the apex approaches.^[7] On Formula One cars, the amount of brake migration can be adjusted using a rotary switch on the steering wheel.

See also

• Anti-lock braking system
• Oversteer
  , more prone to happen with a rearward-biased brake balance, i.e. greater braking force on the rear wheels
• Regenerative brake
• Understeer
  , more prone to happen with a forward-biased brake balance, i.e. greater braking force on the front wheels

References