the dust shields on my 86GT are bent and make horrible screaching noise all the time, my 87GT did the same thing and i removed the shields when i replaced the wheel bearings. is there any negative effects of doing this or does it just put more dust on the engine from the brakes?

matthew

Well, one good thing about having them is that they'll prevent road debris from striking the rotor.

The shield is not really even a dust shield. Dust would get out anyway. It mostly helps prevent water from spashing the rotors which causes loss of brakes in extreme wet situations. So I would suggest replacing them.

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Red 88 GT T-Top 3800 Supercharged
White 88 GT Stock
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on the 84-87 cars it helps a little if u beat on u'r brakes because they'll stay cooler since the sheild won't block the air flow/reflect the radiant heat back at the rotor. i yanked mine a long time ago (and cut the front ones off, but left the bearing dust sheild)

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Eric
'87 GT 5-speed Gold/Tan NOW with a 4.10 4-speed
3.1 TDC + other goodies coming summer of '03

-2.8 aluminum head crank, 6" SBC rods, N* pistons (11.5:1), 96+ heads, home built equal lenth headers, custom tunnel ram intake manifold, 24 #/hr injectors, and a 150 shot of N20 :)

I think they have more to do with protecting the rotors against rocks/pebbles/sand getting between the rotor and pads than water/dust. I mean if dust can get in there, so can water.
The rear ones on my 88 are also bent, and I have tried everything to straighten them out.
I intend to replace them, if I can find some good used ones........Paul

Why didn't you just bend them out of the way?

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quote Originally posted by Paul Prince: I think they have more to do with protecting the rotors against rocks/pebbles/sand getting between the rotor and pads than water/dust. I mean if dust can get in there, so can water........Paul

If the shields were for dust and rock, pebble and sand then they would put shields on both sides of the rotor. The shield is only on the inside because the wheel on the opposite side of the car could blast the rotor with a constant stream of water while traveling though a long water puddle causing the brakes to fade. The shield would deflect most of the water creating a better chance of the brakes to work.

quote Originally posted by skitime: If the shields were for dust and rock, pebble and sand then they would put shields on both sides of the rotor. The shield is only on the inside because the wheel on the opposite side of the car could blast the rotor with a constant stream of water while traveling though a long water puddle causing the brakes to fade. The shield would deflect most of the water creating a better chance of the brakes to work.

Isn't the purpose of disk brakes to be able to sling water and dust from the rotors as they're turning as opposed to the old drum style being able to trap all of that stuff in? Personally I think the only purpose the shields serve is to prevent pebbles from nicking and scarring the rotor surface, or in this case to make people ask questions.

They might ALSO be used as a shield to prevent oil from the road and engine from directly contacting the rotors inboard surface.

well thanks to all the answers ive got, and the fact my 87Gt has been fine for 3 months of winter without them, im going to cut them off my 86GT also, (soon ill be doing a grand am front brake conversion on it anyway)

thanks fella's

Sure disk brakes do a better job in water than drum brakes but surely you have driven in deep water and felt the brakes fade. Too much water on the rotor is dangerous. If it was for foriegn objects the outside of the rotor would have a shield too. If youdrove a long stretch of water along the highway the one tire can blast the opposite wheel with a heavy blast of water for the duration of the water. It would be like driving along with pressure hoses blasting the rotor with a constant stream of water. The shield blocks most of this water.

thanks for the advice skitime, ill keep it in consideration, But i normally dont drive in the creek or in long puddles of water, normally i just drive on the interstate or paved roads when its raining, and my fiero's brakes are so shitty now, that i never notice anything when they are wet.

matthew