Opel perimeter brake.

"Frank Grimes" (FrankGrimes)
03/02/2016 at 16:59 • Filed to: None

Opel showed this awesome little guy.

The Opel GT concept yes its cool and no those windowsless windows will never be made but what caught my eye was on the wheel close to the hub it says perimeter brake whatever that is Road and track speculates

“Check out the hub label: Perimeter Brake. Yes, in order to get such a deep-faced wheel, Opel (ostensibly) mounted the brake rotor to the inside of the wheel instead of directly to the hub. Conceptually, they’re similar to the Zero Torsional Load perimeter brakes innovated by now-defunct Buell Motorcycle Company. While I couldn’t actually confirm whether the concept car had such brakes installed, it’s a nifty concept idea.”

I agree but how does it work? Also how would you take the wheel off?

Lastly they better make this and call it a Chevrolet Nova Vega or something here in the US.

DISCUSSION (7)

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > Frank Grimes
03/02/2016 at 17:07

Wow wheel removal would be a pain, only way I see it is the caliper needs to be easy to remove.. A flat tire would prove to be a bitch regardless...

gin-san - shitpost specialist > Frank Grimes
03/02/2016 at 17:20

If someone can provide some insight: what's the benefit of this? Regardless of the brakes being mounted traditionally or as part of the wheel, it's all unsprung weight, isn't it? Or is this system noticeably lighter? Or is weight saving not even the goal of this system?

Goggles Pizzano > Frank Grimes
03/02/2016 at 18:15

The one thing that struck me most about this concept was the doors. Like the windowless windows, they could be seen as pure styling exercise, but from a manufacturing cost point of view they could be more significant. The entire front of the car is made up of just 2 very simple pieces.

Cost to manufacture the brakes could be one reason they explored it here.

Jayhawk Jake > Goggles Pizzano
03/02/2016 at 18:24

The only thing I don’t like about the doors? Can’t roll down the windows.

I like putting my windows down when it’s nice outside, and I’m american so I go to drive throughs

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > gin-san - shitpost specialist
03/03/2016 at 21:25

You can mount a much larger rotor ( inverted rotor?) inside the wheel. This means that the force applied will be on a larger radius, and thus a greater mechanical advantage. This could allow the caliper to be smaller (and lighter) and the rotor to be smaller as well.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > gin-san - shitpost specialist
03/03/2016 at 23:38

one of the problems like inboard mounted brakes is that removal of the tires also requires unbolting the calipers and that can become a hassle.

flywheel's for newbs > Frank Grimes
03/07/2016 at 17:06

In olden times, before this series of tubes, we called this configuration "Drum brakes".