Front Brake Dust Cover Removal?

[Drew320]

Hi all,

While on the fun trek through up to Mount Mitchell and back home through the devil's whip, at the vintage last year, I had a problem with my front brakes overheating on the latter part of the downhills.

Knowing the 320i has covers over the front disc brakes to reduce brake dust, I am wondering if removing these covers will allow me to experience a little better airflow and overall performance with my brakes.

Does anyone here know if this would be a good idea or not?

My biggest worry is that I'll shorten the space between my turbine wheels and the brakes themselves by too much and may have some sort of rubbing/collision between the two.
If there is, maybe a wheel spacer of the same width as the cover would be a viable option?

[mxl556]

First- is everything in good shape and there are no mechanical issues (dragging brakes, low quality brake pads, etc)? How was the car driven? Riding brakes would overheat any brakes given enough time...

Are you talking about backing plates or aftermarket covers that go between the wheel and brakes facing out (like kleen wheels or similar)?

Assuming that everything is in working order and there was no excessive brake riding downhill:

I would not remove backing plates because they are out there for a reason and you do not want rocks and dirt covering rotors on the inside and get to the hub.
If you have these kleen wheels shields on the outside (between the wheel/brakes) I would remove them because they trap heat and not allow airflow.

Max

[320iAman]

The heat buildup in these can cause the dust cover,covering the castle nut and cotter key to pop off due to pressure build up- bearing grease gassing, I drilled a small pin hole in mine and reinstalled them, solid rotors will heat up when riding the brakes, as to removing the back plate concur leave it on.

Randy

[Tom D]

nothing wrong with removing the dust plates, other then the dust that used to dirty your wheels will now also dirty your wheel wells.

there are a few more things you can do to control heat short of installing vented disc, like using a better pad, flushing the brake fluid before the trip and flushing just the fluid in the calipers after the trip, use dot 4.

there are also techniques you can do like not dragging the brakes. get on the brakes really hard just before the corner and then back off asap, this will give them more time to cool before the next application. employ the transmission as much as possible for slowing the car, maximize the tires and suspension. this is what makes an underpowered momental machine so much fun, getting it up to speed and by good driving techniques trying not to slow it down.

one last tip. take a cue from the racers and stick a piece of 3" ducting facing the disc.