are brake dust shields necessary

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Gus Loza

Gus Loza

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I'm installing wilwood disc brake conversion on my 1969 dart. the kit didn't come with the shields and I'm wondering if running the car without them is harmful to the suspension components or brakes. and if I need them. which ones will fit this kit? thank you
 
You ever get a rock stuck between your caliper and the rotor? :)
It sucks.
Not saying the shields will keep it from ever happening, but still.
 
They call them "dust shields", but not sure that is their purpose. Might be to keep splashing water or snow out. I can see little gravel getting past them anyway. The pads should just slightly retract (from rotation of square O-ring), so normally just sand might get in the gap.
 
Bad Sport said:
Yup, right after they P graveled some of the roads around here. Wore a groove in the rotor, had to replace it.
Click to expand...

And I'd bet you had "dust shields" on at the time.
So how are they ever going to keep dust out? right?
Best thing they have ever done for me was to keep a pressure washer from blowing steering parts grease all over the rotors. :D

Well, and maybe a few rocks that it kept out that I never knew about.

Otherwise I would rather the discs had more airflow instead of being covered over with the shields on the inside.
 
In rallying, we used to take the front edge and bend it out to catch air and push it against the rotors for a bit better cooling. It did have an effect.....
 
They help keep rain water off the rotors, if you plan on driving in the rain I'd run them. Trying to stop with wet brakes is a little scary for the first second or two.
 
Anyone using the scarebird setup figure out dustshields? MT
 
daliant said:
They help keep rain water off the rotors, if you plan on driving in the rain I'd run them. Trying to stop with wet brakes is a little scary for the first second or two.
Click to expand...

Discs don't usually have a problem with being wet, but they sure seem to feel different for a second like you said.
 
daliant said:
They help keep rain water off the rotors, if you plan on driving in the rain I'd run them. Trying to stop with wet brakes is a little scary for the first second or two.
Click to expand...

Discs don't usually have a problem with being wet, but they sure seem to feel different for a second like you said.
Maybe a bit more "grabby" at low speeds also.
 
I guess Im just lucky, cause my KH system has worked flawlessly for 15 years 125,000 miles, dust shields and all.And I live in the country, so lots of gravel driving.It was my 4-seasons DD for perhaps 5 years.I ran the 366M/T in summer, and a teenerA/T in winter.Those were the days!
Wet discs suck, allright.
Do you need dust shields?Probably not.Are they recommended?I think so.
Unless its a fair-weather only, occasional use car.Then fogedabowdem.
Just be careful not to overgrease your BJs.
And dont let the fan blow anti-freeze all over the rotors.
And make sure your PS lines, and brake hoses are in good shape.
 
Funny, I always saw them called splash shields?

Was a mopar muschle article several years ago that detailed welding a piece of thin wall pipe to the bottom of each one to hook a hose up, for ducting cooling air to them.

I've always wanted to try it.

You can omit them, but they do serve a purpose.
 
The other reason you want to avoid water splashing directly on the rotor is that if the brakes are really hot and get a good splash of cold water, it can warp the rotor. More of a problem with economy cars and their undersized rotors, but the K-H rotors are none too thick, either.

I've seen that cooling duct trick, I think on the Team Starfish Barracuda. You wouldn't want just a scoop without the duct -- it would just funnel all the crap directly onto the rotor. But routing the duct so it doesn't foul the steering or restrict the suspension travel looked pretty tight. I was just pondering louvers that face backward, to let the hot air escape...
 
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