Difference between front & rear disk brake calipers?

[JQ]

My son has smashed the left hand lever on his hydraulic disc brake (MTB), which serves his rear wheel. It would appear cheaper & easier for me to buy a full kit - lever, tube and caliper.

I can get a very cheap full set - Left lever, 850mm tube and front caliper. Clearly the tube is too short to run to the rear location, but i would plan to re-use the current one. However, can I use what is described as a front caliper on the rear, or are front and rear calipers different?

Apologies if I'm asking a stupid question.

[Justin S]

Depends on what brakes you are thinking of buying. You could just swop the levers over and being careful maybe able to do it without bleeding.

[SouthHamsGaz]

What make are they?

Most semi decent brakes you will be able to just buy the lever blade. Or is the entire lever unit buggered?

[gazza285]

Shimano are the same front and rear.

[BOR]

I've done the same as you.

you should be able to mix and match the old and new parts, but you will need to bleed.

It may be easier to cannibalise the new lever onto your old set up.

In short, no problems using front on rear or vice versa, if they are the same model.

An alternative would be a front brake and calliper upgrade, then use the old front lever on the rear.

[gazza285]

BOR said:

An alternative would be a front brake and calliper upgrade, then use the old front lever on the rear.

In an hydraulic system, would not that put the reservior below the piston? Also would you not have to turn it over to fill and bleed the system?

[JQ]

Cheers all.

This is what I'm proposing to buy, which looks to be a slight upgrade on what he's got, so as suggested upgrading the front caliper might be a sensible thing to do.

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/tektro-draco-auriga-disc-...

[zasker]

Are his current brakes Tektro as you may find you won’t be able to use the existing hoses as the unions/connectors may be different.

[JQ]

zasker said:

Are his current brakes Tektro as you may find you won’t be able to use the existing hoses as the unions/connectors may be different.

Yes, they're Tektro.

[BOR]

gazza285 said:

In an hydraulic system, would not that put the reservior below the piston? Also would you not have to turn it over to fill and bleed the system?

Very rare on a bicycle lever to have the reservoir above or below the piston, Gazza, more in-line so to speak.

To bleed the lever you usually need to undo the clamp and turn the whole thing so that the bleed port is the highest point in the system anyway.

Generally speaking, except maybe for boutique stuff, the same lever unit and calliper are used both front and rear, only the hose length is different.

[JQ]

Cheers all, I've bought the brakes now. Should be here by the weekend.

[gazza285]

BOR said:

gazza285 said:

In an hydraulic system, would not that put the reservior below the piston? Also would you not have to turn it over to fill and bleed the system?

Very rare on a bicycle lever to have the reservoir above or below the piston, Gazza, more in-line so to speak.

To bleed the lever you usually need to undo the clamp and turn the whole thing so that the bleed port is the highest point in the system anyway.

Generally speaking, except maybe for boutique stuff, the same lever unit and calliper are used both front and rear, only the hose length is different.

Fair enough, I only use Shimano brakes with the reservoir on the top.