Running without front brake dust shields/backing plates

[Theo]

Has anyone done away with the front brake dust shields on their track/race car? I need to chop mine up a fair bit to fit my front brakes and would prefer to just get rid of the whole lot it it doesn't cause any problems.

[Chris-W]

I can only comment on certain cars which I had the opportunity to run whose shields were non-existent and who suffered no ill consequence. Hetty, however...

[Theo]

Not for Hetty!

On the track hack which has been sitting under a tree for the last 6 months and is looking sorry for itself. Needs some attention (money)

[Chris-W]

Oh, it'll be fine. Brake backing plates = least of worries.

[Theo]

You're not wrong there Chistoph.

[handpaper]

Yep, hack 'em off, save the (unsprung) weight.
Better still, take advantage of their removal to get some proper cooling in there. 100mm flexible hose from the intakes to the strut, pointing at the back of the disc is what you want. Extends pad life, too.

Who/what is Hetty?

[Theo]

Hetty is the name which the previous owner gave to the Hartge H36 which I now own, the name is so silly I have decided to keep using it.

I've got some nice 75mm flexible ducting which I was going to use for brake cooling, just need to make up a bracket on the strut like you mentioned. Have you done this yourself James? I'd be interested in seeing a picture if you have.

[UweM3]

I am running without backing plates for years now. No ill effects so far.

[Theo]

Good to hear Uwe, I shall do away with them completely.

[handpaper]

Not yet, Theo, lots of work still to do elsewhere on the old girl (replace engine, few tinworm repairs, replace bonnet and both front wings, build cage, replace m/cyl and brake lines, plumb in LPG, remove petrol tank, rebuild wiring loom, replace fusebox). I might get a trackday in this year

Proper cooling ducts to the front brakes is something Marc @ TTE does for VLN-spec E30s (only OE size brakes allowed). He swears you can run 'OE grade' (ie crap) ATE discs and not have them warp/crack/harden unevenly.

Hartge H36

Real one?! You jammy sod! Only six made, I hear.

[Theo]

I know the feeling mate, I've got a two page list of jobs I need to do on my track car before it's ready. Really, really want to get on track again.

The H36 was a very lucky purchase, the figure of six relates to the H35-24 which has the 3.5 24v engine, not the later 3.6 like mine. I've yet to see or hear of another car which had the same engine from factory like mine. I'll be taking it to the 'Ring in 4 weeks time if it's ready - which is looking rather unlikely it has to be said.

[fieldl]

Interesting I only commented about removing these a week ago whilst changing the pads.
Will do it next time around.

[cragles]

We removed ours when we stripped down the struts for the coilovers, they just unbolt if I recall correctly..

[rix313]

Might do mine today then for a laugh lol!

Be interested to see some pics of the ducts fitted, How do you stop the wheel from rubbing against the tubing on full lock?

[zaust]

There only there to prevet dust comming out and crap getting in. Get rid of them.

[bodger]

could e36 m3 backplates not be made to fit Theo?

[handpaper]

If you're changing the wheel bearings/hubs they unbolt; if not you need to cut them off as well.

I'm not sure where Marc routes the tubing, but I would have it run inward from the intake (toward the middle of the car), go past, not through, the front arch liner, turn 90° outward and emerge from the upright part of the front undertray opposite the hub. Done that way, the tyre will never go near the tube.

[GeoffBob]

I have 280mm VW discs on the front and I have no problems. Since the offset of the VW discs is 17mm, compared to the standard 13mm on the E30, I fitted spacers between the hub and disc to bring the disc centre-line back in line with the bearing centre-line. The space between the disc and the track-rod end is therefore roughly the same as on the standard E30, so there is still space to refit the backing-plate if need be. Thus far I've seen no need to refit it.