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Question concerning Front brake splash guards


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Good question. Our Pontiac Montana doesn't have shields at all, and that got me to wondering why any car has them. After all,the other side of the brake disk is completely exposed, especially with the very open wheel styles that are popular now. What's the purpose of those shields?

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Maybe the purpose is to protect the brakes from road debris and/or reduce interior noise level? The outer side of the rotor is shielded by the wheel, although not so much if you have a spoked alloy type like Ron says. But the inner side is still more exposed because of the offset.

These backing plates sure make it harder to clean the rotor w/o taking it off.

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Backing plates are meant to keep mud and snow from packing on the inside of the rotor. They are more critical in the front then the back.

 

Anyplace a car mfg can trim an ounce they will, as it all adds up.

 

 

nipper

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Backing plates are meant to keep mud and snow from packing on the inside of the rotor. They are more critical in the front then the back.

 

Anyplace a car mfg can trim an ounce they will, as it all adds up.

 

 

nipper

if the shields have been trimed for subaru to make more money...does this mean I need to be even more careful about going thru certain driving situations like heavy rains which produce at times a lot of water on the streets(no problem ever with my older cars)...this might explain why the previous owner although consciencous about his driving habits had the front brake rotors turned twice with only 40k mi on the car...I don't think, my wife is going to like this..another thing to be aware of ??....I think she has been watching that commercial to many times..you know, the one with the high heels...jumps into car..pushes button to start..mats the gas pedal...drives off without a concern on her mind since the car she is driving will Take Care of itself..
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NO they just removed unessary weight. Its not all about making money, its abou reducing weight to maximize fuel effeciency and reduce emissions. More engineering time and money went into removing that material then subaru would make for that little material loss in the first year of production.

 

Having the rotors turned twice is one time, if not two times too much. Sounds like the previous driver may have been too hard on the brakes. there will be new rotors in your future.

 

nipper

 

PS i have tivo, i am commercial free :grin:

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