OEM Brake Calipers

2 Different Types of Brake Calipers

Brake calipers, an important part of the brake system, help slow down and stop your vehicle. Inside the caliper are the brake pads on both sides of the rotor. During braking, they dissipate heat to prevent overheating. There are two primary types of brake calipers:

Floating Calipers: There are pistons on only one side of the rotor. The piston pushes the inner brake pad against the rotor and the caliper slides and squeezes the outer pad against the rotor. They are commonly used in most vehicles.

Fixed Calipers: These have multiple pistons on both sides of the rotor. All move simultaneously to clamp the brake pads against the rotor. These are more commonly found in high-performance and sports vehicles like Ford Mustangs with performance packages or special trims like the GT, Shelby GT350, or Shelby GT500.

How to Find the Right Brake Calipers for Your Vehicle

To find out which type of brake calipers your car needs, check if your vehicle has a specific trim or package option that affects the brake components. You’ll need to figure out if you need single-piston floating or multi-piston fixed calipers. Consult your owner’s manual, research online, or contact us to find out. You can also use our advanced VIN filter to narrow down search results to your vehicle.