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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Can the brake dust covers be discarded?

What do the front brake dust covers really do? I can't fit them on there with the calipers I want to use. I can have them machined to fit, I guess, but it is not clear to me why they are there in the first place. Without them, will brake dust get all over the place or something?
Harry

I think it is more for keeping the dirt and grit from getting on them from the road etc. On the "outboard" side you have the wheel blocking contaminants from getting to the disks, but no such luck on inside. Plus helps protect from water on that side, (unless you go creek forging)
Larry Embrey

I may be speaking out of turn but I don't think that all the early calipers (of the MGB era) had them.
Roger

Harry,
I left them out when I installed the Wilwood calipers. I have since done about 10.000 miles and haven't seen any adverse effect. I think the cooling of the rotors improves because the airflow path is less restricted. I have vented rotors in front and the air need to get in from the inside of the rotor. The backing plate would severely restrict this.
Werner
Werner Van Clapdurp

I agree with Werner on this and run both my MG's without them.

Paul
Paul

Take them off - it improves airflow to the brakes.

It is no coincidence that Ford stopped fitting dust covers like these on their modern cars.
Chris Betson

I wouldn't be quite so quick to get rid of them-over a period of time you will notice that the inner face of the discs will corrode faster from the edges of the wearing surface. My other concern would be the exposure of the unplated seal track to road dirt/moisture. Even if I didn't run with full shielding to the disc surfaces -I would use an annular sleeve to protect this seal track.

Regards

John Bourke
John Bourke

This thread was discussed between 06/03/2001 and 11/03/2001

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