Front brakes do get much hotter than the rear ones. They do up to 80 percent of the stopping. That's why front rotors are vented, meaning two plates with cooling fins between them. Rear rotors are usually non-vented. They don't get hot enough need cooling slots.
The brake balance, front to rear, is very carefully designed in at the factory. The diameter of the pistons in the master cylinder, calipers, and rear wheel cylinders, (when used), set the basic braking power to the front and the rear. Then, small adjustments are made through valving in the "combination valve" and the "rear height-sensing valve". Both of those valves may not be used. Often the combination valve is incorporated into the hydraulic controller when the vehicle has anti-lock brakes. The height-sensing proportioning valve is used on vehicles that can see a wide variation in loading, front to rear. That applies to pickup trucks and minivans. Cars rarely use that valve.
When combination valves are used, it will be a brass block under the master cylinder. There can be dozens of different part numbers. Even though they all look the same, the valving is different for the different options on the vehicle. For example, air conditioning can add a hundred pounds to the front, so the combination valve will allow a little more hydraulic pressure to the front brakes. Different engine sizes are the more common variable.
Sunday, March 1st, 2026 AT 11:46 PM