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Brake dust shield

Brake dust shield—What is it?

A brake dust shield is a thin piece of metal mounted to the vehicle’s knuckle and is designed to prevent road debris like rocks and dust from hitting the brake rotor. It’s also designed to create an airflow pattern that blows dust and dirt away from the brakes as the vehicle is moving.

What goes wrong with a brake dust shield?

Rust— Over time, brake dust shields rust and disintegrate. Replacement dust shields are not costly, but they do often require a complete brake disassembly to install. So it’s best to have your brake dust shield inspected during a brake job, and if rust is detected, replaced while the brakes are already apart.

rusted brake dust shieldrusted brake dust shieldBent—Brake dust shields bend easily and if a DIYer grabs the dust shield while trying to turn the front wheels, they can bend the shield to the point where it touches the brake rotor. This produces high-pitched metal-to-metal squeal sounds. To correct the problem, just bend the brake dust shield away from the rotor using your hand.

©, 2021 Rick Muscoplat

Posted on by Rick Muscoplat

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