The 'E' Type Forum

During the rebuild process I upgraded to vented discs on the front only to find that the splash guards no longer fit and rub against the inside of the discs. Anyone come across this and found a solution, other than buying aftermarket original style discs! Hindsight is a wonderful thing......

I, err...., ‘adjusted’ the guards so they fitted and didn’t rub the discs. Gentle persuasion, that’s all that was needed.

Leave them off.

Dumped mine 20 years ago, never missed them!

Agree best option is to leave them off!

Er...... if you do, then beware of driving in the rain. The splash guard does a good job of keeping at least one side of the disc relatively free of water. Thus you get some braking effort when you first press the pedal. If both sides are wet the first press will meet water, which doesn’t grip. It’ll take several revolutions of the rotor to clear the water and for the pads to bite the discs.

This used to be a feature of motorcycles when they were first fitted with disc brakes in the 1970s. One heart stopping moment when a car moved into my braking zone segued into a large amount of kinetic energy being absorbed by my right wrist. Result, one fractured scaphoid. Todays’s bikers have highly metalicised pads which instantly cut through the water. Our cars make do with more conventional pad material.

I do drive in the rain, a lot. That’s why I bent mine to fit. YMMV.

I remember those days Chris but those of us who rode BMW, Guzzi, Ducati or Laverda had an easier time than the Japs, thanks to Brembo cast iron instead of slippery stainless discs. Funny how on car or bike we end up cleaning iron dust from spoked wheels...

Can you put washers/spacers in under the supports, or would that move the shield in the wrong direction?

When I fitted larger calipers I increased the size of the cut outs, but that solution doesn't help you.

I'm often surprised by the 'leave it off it does nothing' view, and then, sometimes by the same people, 'Jaguar didn't fit things without reason, so leave it on'. The fan belt tensioner pulley is another component that most recommend can be removed without any effect. I'm not convinced that it does nothing.

Nick

Was warned about driving in the wet, but not such a big issue in Melbourne! If the forecast predicts rain the car stays in the dry, that said there no doubt will come a time when I will be caught in the rain.