On a 1989 300CE, can the front brake rotors be installed on the rear wheels?
If so, will these slightly larger brakes improve braking performance?

Are you sure the fronts are bigger? The fronts are vented rather than solid but I would have said they are the same diameter. In any case the fact that they are vented means you would have to, at a minimum, swap out the calipers too. The rear brakes hardly do anything - performance increase would negligible at best.

You do not want to put front calipers on the rear of the car. Rear calipers have smaller pistons to produce less braking force. Even if larger rotors fit in the rear calipers, there will be no benefit unless the calipers are also changed.

I think doing this would ruin your braking performance -- performance being defined as stopping safely. You'll probably throw off the balance between front/rear stopping power, which could put your car into a fishtail skid under certain conditions. Don't try to reengineer a car unless you know exactly what you're doing.

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the front brakes do aprox 70% of the stopping, so they will produce about 3x the stopping of the rear. so if you want to use them on the rear you need to find some fronts that are 3x the stopping power of the fronts. if you can use the rear calipers on them when installed in the rear you should be fine providing they bolt up which seems highly unlikely since your rear brakes have little drums in the center to provide em brakes and the fronts do not.

what idea are you chasing with these thoughts?

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The factory brake system is (massively over engineered) excessive for the vehicle.

If you plan to install a V12 or larger (Jet) engine, you will need to redesign the brake system.

This is a safety system, if you change it without design and engineering input, you may kill someone, which could open potential criminal prosecution for murder/manslaughter, if anyone is ever killed due to any form of brake failure, (for the remaining life of this vehicle).




Have a great day.

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while roy is correct about the braking system, it doesnt hurt to talk about ideas.

imho

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

there it is.
you can upgrade your brakes with 500E brakes. but you already should have a pretty good setup

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