subtlez28

I'm going through the entire drive line and suspension of my LS1 swap / track focused C4. While replacing the U-joints and bearings I was cleaning up the rear dust shields.

I'm thinking about removing the front and rear dust shields. I'm thinking they are dead weight and actually hinder cooling with no ducts. It would be better to expose them to open air, like the outside (wheel side of the rotor), correct?

Am I wrong? Is there some ligitimate purpose to these parts on track? The car will remain street legal, but see limited road miles.

For that matter, what is their purpose on the street?

I just want to make sure I am not missing something.

Thanks
-Shaun-

Aardwolf

Dust shields? My car didn't have any if you're talking about ones around the rotor. Maybe they could be turned into cooling duct holders?

froggy47

If you are talking about the original factory plates (and not those cosmetic things to keep brake dust off wheels) I would guess that are to prevent road trash from getting kicked up and shot into your caliper/rotor/pad etc. which could cause loss of brakes.

Say you are going into turn one at Willow @ 140 & the guy in front of you just dropped a chassis bolt the size of a big man's thumb onto the track. You run over it & it flips up & lodges in the floating caliper & prevents the pad from compressing onto the rotor.

I guess you could run without them, but.....

Aardwolf

I'm trying to imagine this happening but I can't see how it's possible. Also C5's had some kind of brake covers? Someone please post a picture I'm curious what the heck these things are.

subtlez28

I can try to get pics up, but they are on most any production car. They are typically the same diameter as the rotor, and sit on the inboard side. Go check out your DD or wife's SUV, they all seem to have them.

Its an issue I've wondered about for years. The whole protecing it from road debris makes a little sense, but the out-board side is exposed. With open 5-spoke wheels, I would imagine the risk is there for something to come from the outside.

If say a bolt bounced in, it would get ground up. I can see it ruining your pads/rotors, but not prevent you from stopping. And again, if that is your fear... what about the wheel side?

mgarfias

C5s don't have em. I'd yank.

jaa1992

They tend to trap heat in the rotor and caliper. I had them on a 2001 Mustang, took them off and had no problems on the track without them. As a fact it helped me when the rear bearing seal went to see where the problem was very quickly.

I don't remember having them on my 92 - if I did I removed them three or four years ago when I upgraded the brake lines.

froggy47

Somebody post a pic of what all we are talking about. I would but don't have one handy. Also how do they attach?


Attached to the what?

TJM

The shield I think being discussed is the thin piece of metal seen in this picture between the spindle and disc.

The thing bolts to the spindle.


TJM



blankety-blank photo bucket

subtlez28

Thank you TMJ, my camera is out of service. Yes, that is the part I am talking about (and the rear one also).

Aardwolf

Wow first time I've seen those on a 'vette. Like I mentioned above maybe you can make them into duct holders. Just cut a hole and weld a tube on for the cooling duct to attach. If not, take them off, that looks terrible for rotor cooling.

TJM

Ok if this is what we are talking about [ and it seems to be]

look at these



[IMG][/IMG]

Han Solo

I believe the correct term is splash guard. They are supposed to keep water from splashing on the brakes.

Pull em off. They trap heat and result in uneven cooling of the rotors.

Kubs

If the dust shields/splash gaurds dont allow air to flow to the rotor like this custom made piece, then they should be removed.

ZR1 MK

The stock splash shield came on the 1984 C4 and possibly the 1985. They are similar to the same type that came on billions of cars over the years. They keep water and dirt off the rotors inside surface.

They block airflow, so they arent desirable for track use as the airflow path is from the inside to the outside of the wheel.

The picture TJM posted is the mock-up of my first duct plate. They dont cover the rotor surface as implied. See pic below. These plates are designed to increase airflow through the rotors vanes and keep air off the rotor surface. The entire duct tube is within the rotors center area. The forward portion of the plate shields heat from the tie rod end.



Mike Kryger
cardomain.com/id/zr1mk