Id imagine any deflection within the wheel bearing because of the tolerance required for it to be able to turn has an effect on placement too.
On cornering, lateral loads would be transmitted through the tire, into rim, onto hub, and through wheel bearing.
This would cause deflection of different amounts radially around the hub in respect to the inner and outer bearing race.
This deflection Id imagine is greater in some places than others around the hub assembly.
This would have the effect of pressing back the pads via the disc ever so slightly through bearing deflection. Meaning the driver on re applying, would need to bring them back into place further to re-contact disc.
I think this would have a lot to do where the caliper is placed, and also what brought on the design of floating discs where the disc assembly is mounted onto the hub on heavy duty splines. This way, it is free to move laterally in respect to the outer bearing race/hub and not transfer the deflection force as much that pushed back pads before that.
That would have given them freedom to put it anywhere then, sensible areas only of course.
Placement is nothing to do with dive as mentioned earlier in the thread since its all on the one assembly. But, it has got a lot to do with bearing loads, and how it is loaded. A caliper behind wheel centreline will cause the inner bearing to be forced downwards within its race on braking, and upwards within its race on braking if caliper is infront of wheel centre line. You can have these forces within bearing going whichever direction you want pending where you bolt caliper.
BG
