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All modern automotive performance braking systems consist of a pedal, power-brake assist booster, master cylinder, brake lines, a proportioning valve, calipers, pads, rotors and hydraulic brake fluid. The pedal is the input device that is usually assisted by the brake booster to trigger the master cylinder to increase the line pressure throughout the hydraulic lines of the brake system. Some type of proportioning valve controls the pressure between the front and rear brake systems. At each of the wheels, a hydraulic caliper houses brake pads that squeeze the rotor when line pressure is increased.





Every single component in the braking system must be working properly for the system to function as designed. The master cylinder converts the mechanical input from the brake pedal into a hydraulic pressure increase in the brake lines. In some cases, a master cylinder with a larger diameter piston may be available. Using a larger-diameter- piston master cylinder will result in quicker increases in line pressure with respect to pedal input. Thus, going to a larger-diameter-piston master cylinder means that you will not have to push the pedal as far to get the braking you desire. Consequently, there is a tradeoff as pedal effort will be increased. However, the power brake assists that are employed on most vehicles will make this additional effort barely noticeable.



The quality of the hydraulic fluid used can also affect the overall performance of the braking system. In general, high-performance brake fluid has increased boiling temperatures and improved corrosion resistance. As mentioned, brakes work by turning kinetic energy into heat (thermal energy). Incidentally, some of that heat from a stop will get transferred to the brake fluid. If your fluid boils over, vapor lock can occur and your braking system will lose its effectiveness. In these cases, the ability to stop the vehicle will diminish and the pedal will respond to input like a sponge.




When upgrading the calipers on your brake system, it is important to take note of the total brake caliper piston area. You can calculate the total caliper piston area with the following formula:

If all of the pistons are the same diameter, the equation is:

Total Area = (# of pistons) x (π x (piston diameter / 2)2)

If the pistons are of different sizes, you must sum the individual areas of each of the pistons to get the total piston area.

Unless you are planning to change the master cylinder, it’s best to select calipers with a total piston area that is close to your original piston area. Most manufacturers will offer different piston options even within the same caliper housings. If the new calipers have a total piston area that is significantly greater than your original, the pedal stroke required to engage the brakes may be too long. In these cases, you will need to upgrade the master cylinder to a larger diameter. Match the percentage increase in caliper piston area to the master cylinder piston area increase to achieve a similar pedal response to the original calipers.

 

decent article most people should read as most certainly do not understand brake systems.

One thing I would note, allowing someone to calculate the piston area could lead you down the wrong road with floating calipers.