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Was cleaning the wheels today, giving them a good clean with the 'ol meguiars wheel cleaner brush, and heard a noise and then noticed that a part of what looks like the brake disc protection plate had come off..
Is this a bad thing? as i've read these dont matter too much as they are just to trap dirt and whatnot. Just worried that its something worse.
As mentioned I would have a good look around, at least the other disc covers, as if they come off at speed it could do some damage to at least your alloy, if it spun or anything it could take a brake hose out,
better to be safe.
Mine went like that on my 2007 Hawk STi, very common. The new ones are about Ł90 a side from ICP....but the mother of all jobs to replace....ask Henrik lol
The reason the can of worms opened for me was because my handbrake wasn't working properly, shoes only half coming out / moving or seizing on etc.....it was dues to massive corrosion to those plates - it meant that the handbrake was all out of alignment, and the plates were swollen with rust...there is an inner plate welded in which holds the handbrake mechanism...mine were so rusty and blown out of shape.
Then to replace those backing plates it's hubs off (which means wheel bearings too) as these plates are bolted to the hub...then my lower control arm bolts sheared....ABS sensors wouldn't come out. New handbrake mechanisms for both sides....the list just went on and on and on.
I wanted to just cut mine off, and yes that's cool, but my handbrake set up was so shot / rusted I just bit the bullet. If your handbrake is fine, then you should be ok, but it's perhaps fair to say that you may get handbrake issues further down the line...all depends how corroded it is in there.
Not sure if yours is an STi or WRX or what year etc, but here's a few links so you can see a clearer picture of what's going on, and the parts are quite similar :
Not sure if yours is an STi or WRX or what year etc,
ah yeah sorry about that 2002 Bug WRX. The surrounding area looks alright. Noticed the same thing has gone on with the rest of the wheels (so from previous owner as i've only had it 6 months). Doesnt appear to have affected the handbrake etc as its sat alright on my downward facing drive right now. But yeah, may just get them fully removed when next in the garage.
As mentioned I would have a good look around, at least the other disc covers, as if they come off at speed it could do some damage to at least your alloy, if it spun or anything it could take a brake hose out,
better to be safe.
cheers mate. yeah the rest of them have either come off fully (the fronts are like this) or partially on the other side rear (the pics I posted are on passenger side rear). Hasnt appeard to have affected anything, and nothing of note on MOT a couple months back.
Yeah probably wouldn't hurt next time it's next in the garage to take off the rear wheels and discs and have a nosey round how the handbrake shoe backing plates are doing.
Mine were so bad! I had no choice, they were past it lol
Nasty expensive job, but I saw it as a nice rear end overhaul to a degree.
Nasty expensive job, but I saw it as a nice rear end overhaul to a degree.
The Subaru garage I still use talked me out of replacing the front ones on my classic, after I'd bought them a few months before.
The word 'pig' was used more than once about the job.
?? fronts are about the easiest job you can imagine............
guessing they were confused and thought they were rears that involve actually splitting the hub bearings, etc to change
?? fronts are about the easiest job you can imagine............
guessing they were confused and thought they were rears that involve actually splitting the hub bearings, etc to change
Correct - told me it wasn't worth the risk, as they don't do a lot. Still have the new ones after 7 years !
So how do you replace the front ones with diy tools and brain?
Last edited by Flat4x4-again; 06 February 2023 at 04:03 PM.
** at your own risk ** due to the thought police......................
jack up and support with axle stand, remove wheel, undo caliper bolts and move to one side whilst supporting brake hose
remove front disc and you will see 3x securing bolts (12mm hex head from memory) which hold the backing plate in position
remove and replace with new
as our wonderful Haynes is want to say, refitting is a reversal of removal.........
04 February 2023, 05:22 PM
Brake disc protection plate broke off?
as i've read these dont matter too much as they are just to trap dirt and whatnot. Just worried that its something worse.
