driving without front disc brake splashguards.

[racsan]

my '93 has very rusted splashguards on the steering knuckles, looked underneath today to check on my leaking front pinion seal and saw that the passenger side splashguard must have froze to the rotor with snow and when i backed up it pretty much came apart. ive seen rangers run without them, any bad effects from this? the only reason ive not tossed mine yet was because i figured if nothing else, the splashguard would act as a heat sheild between the rotor and the tie rod end thats close to the rotor. besides looking at a junkyard, i doubt id find any for sale anywhere. should i toss 'em and not worry about it, or see about finding a set somewhere?

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Do they look like this according to this they are both the same for the 4x4
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fr/full.aspx?Page=123

 

[racsan]

yep, ref #2. thats them. mine are original, been painted several times, but sheet metal only lasts so long....

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Tossed mine on my 91 looong time ago.

 

[RangerSVT]

They are designed to block the water from splashing on the rotor and causing the brakes to fail. In the offroad world, they retain mud [and snow in the northern climates). Removing them allows water to get to them, but also allow the mud and snow not to build up...I've removed all mine...

SVT

 

[adsm08]

A lot of cars don't even come with them anymore. A lot do, but a lot don't. Just chuck them.

 

[racsan]

i think im getting 15x8 D window wheels this spring with 4" backspacing, the rotors will be more "in" the wheel than they are now with the jeep wrangler wheels ive been running, therefore making splashguards useless. my stock deerpaw rims are now just used for my box trailer. this spring when i do my "every 3 year teardown" of my D35, i'll toss whats left of the splashguards. too damn cold right now to do anything.

 

[ab_slack]

I remember water getting in brake drums in a VW beetle and causing brakes not to work... On disk not much chance of water just sitting there so seems like not a big problem for me.