32 replies to this topic

[designermatt]

is it worth doing this to help keep the temperatures of the brakes down, has anyone done this to theirs for trackdays?

if i have posted in wrong section then please feel free to move it.

thanks

[Cooperman]

Just take them off and chuck them in the bin! Seriously, they just get rusty and would appear to serve no useful purpose at all. Unless you have an early and totally original concours Mini Cooper or Cooper 'S' they really might as well not be on there. In fact, I've always wondered why BMC fitted them in the first place.

[Bungle]

used up a bit of their spare cash

[Foolish]

Cool, mine are going in the skip tomorrow. I've been scratching my head wondering weather to refub them, and how to get the gaps right afterwards. Thats one less headache

[rosco454]

Just chuck them,as said they do sod all!

Cheers Ross.

[Burnard]

I think you get more problems with them with stones lodging in them than you do without them.

Could say the same about cam belt covers

[Cooperman]

I think you get more problems with them with stones lodging in them than you do without them.

Could say the same about cam belt covers

Funny you should mention that. I once had a Mini brought to me when it was making a 'loud scraping noise'. The owner thought a wheel bearing was breaking up. Yes, it was a stone trapped behind one of those useless shields. He was mighty relieved and we just cut the shields off after unbolting them.

[Rob82]

If its a track only car its fine to leave them off , theyre there to protect the brakes from dirt , spray n debri thrown up off the road, but they do keep a lot of water off the disc and pads surface if its been raining aswell
If its to be used on the road aswell though its an MOT failure if they're missing

Edited by Rob82, 15 January 2011 - 01:29 AM.

[pogie]

If its to be used on the road aswell though its an MOT failure if they're missing

Just exactly how is it an MOT failure? I've not had the disk shields on my car for over 10 years and it's passed every time.

[RayBoogs]

If its to be used on the road aswell though its an MOT failure if they're missing

It's not an mot failure, i took mine off when fitting my 7.5" brakes and had an mot a month later and it passed without even an mention.

[mister bridger]

If its to be used on the road aswell though its an MOT failure if they're missing

It's not an mot failure, i took mine off when fitting my 7.5" brakes and had an mot a month later and it passed without even an mention.

As above, mine have been off for two years and no problem

[mab01uk]

In fact, I've always wondered why BMC fitted them in the first place.

They are fitted on cars to protect the discs from water spray....................on long motorway trips in particular, it is possible to travel long distances in the wet without having to use your brakes. When you suddenly need them they don't bite like you expect when the discs are dry, I have had this happen and it can be scary! Its a bit like those warnings to try your brakes after passing through a flood or 'ford' crossing. Just best to be aware if you remove them on a road car................no car manufacturer adds cost for no reason, especially with the low profit margins the Mini was famous for.

[Rob82]

If its to be used on the road aswell though its an MOT failure if they're missing

It's not an mot failure, i took mine off when fitting my 7.5" brakes and had an mot a month later and it passed without even an mention.

As above, mine have been off for two years and no problem

it should be an mot failure if they do it strictly by the book really , if they were fitted as standard they should be there for the MOT . I'm not sure if it will
make any difference with if the car was built within certain dates but like i said if they play it strictly by the book they should be fitted .

MOT Testing manual << clicky its th bottom of the 3 options for test manuals , its under section 3.5 very bottom of the reasons for rejection " a brake back plate, wheel cylinder or caliper securing device loose, missing or excessively deteriorated "

personally my interpretation of it would be if its missing , it should fail

Edited by Rob82, 15 January 2011 - 11:58 AM.

[dougie-lampkin]

it should be an mot failure if they do it strictly by the book really , if they were fitted as standard they should be there for the MOT . I'm not sure if it will
make any difference with if the car was built within certain dates but like i said if they play it strictly by the book they should be fitted .

MOT Testing manual << clicky its th bottom of the 3 options for test manuals , its under section 3.5 very bottom of the reasons for rejection " a brake back plate, wheel cylinder or caliper securing device loose, missing or excessively deteriorated "

personally my interpretation of it would be if its missing , it should fail

But they're not mentioned in that manual? In all fairness, a calliper securing device is a little more important than a piece of metal in place to stop splashes.

As above, I cut mine off after there were odd grinding noises coming from the front. No signs of wear on pads or discs, so I cut the plates off and the noise stopped

[Rob82]

it should be an mot failure if they do it strictly by the book really , if they were fitted as standard they should be there for the MOT . I'm not sure if it will
make any difference with if the car was built within certain dates but like i said if they play it strictly by the book they should be fitted .

MOT Testing manual << clicky its th bottom of the 3 options for test manuals , its under section 3.5 very bottom of the reasons for rejection " a brake back plate, wheel cylinder or caliper securing device loose, missing or excessively deteriorated "

personally my interpretation of it would be if its missing , it should fail

But they're not mentioned in that manual? In all fairness, a calliper securing device is a little more important than a piece of metal in place to stop splashes.

As above, I cut mine off after there were odd grinding noises coming from the front. No signs of wear on pads or discs, so I cut the plates off and the noise stopped

It is in the Manual , i copied and pasted it from the manual , its there . trouble with MOT's is its the testers interpretation of the manual and the testers opinion is the deciding factor in many cases , but section 3.5 (i) of the manual does say you must check "presence and security of brake back plates, wheel cylinders and caliper" and reason for failure "a brake back plate, wheel cylinder or caliper securing device loose, missing or excessively deteriorated" they are taken straight from the test manual from th VOSA website , which i have linked to on my previous post .

Anyways didn't really come on here for an argument with anyone just saw something i thought i would be able to help answer from my experience n knowledge , if people don't want to take the advice or beleive it to be wrong then thats entirely upto them really ,was just trying to help