since I can't afford a BBK I need to figure out a way to keep the brakes cooler. Idealy I would run some brake ducts, but in order to get even cooling the hose needs to blow through the center of the rotor out through the veins. Does anyone know if it is possible to remove the dust shield on a 4th gen? It appears that it is pressed into place but I didn't get a good look since it started to rain.

 

i wouldnt remove it, id cut a hole in it and use it to hold the ducting in place with an endclamp or something

 

yeah, what he said.
chopping a hole in it will be difficult, but can be done with some tin snips and patience. if you're careful, leave a few tabs on it that you can bend back and use a hose clamp to hold the ducting onto the spindle with. should work fairly well.


but why do you need to do this anyway? even on road course use with stock brakes and good pads (hawk HP+ or so), you shouldn' have problems with overheating them until you're REALLY beating on the car.

 

I agree,
I didn't even have Hawk pads, and the 4 20min sessions at Pocono didn't hurt my brakes at all, no fade, even when trailbraking into the infield at 90.
See, there you go, (sorry if some of you have seen the picture before, I have others but this is my favorite one.)

 

last event I was running GreenStuff pads (I know not the greatest for the track) and they were noticably fading, I am going to be running HP+'s next so hopefully that will cure the problem. But would still be nice to keep them at a lower temp and run a slightly cheaper pad.

 

i took my dust shields off. i just used a dremel to cut a slit in it and banged it off w/ hammer.

 

i think your stock brakes should hold up fine unless your either late braking or running at a track thats extremely hard on the brakes, like sears pointe

 

yeah, greenstuff are crap when you drive that hard.. stick the HP+ on and you'll see a world of difference.
when your'e done at the track, stickt he greenstuffs back on and drive home.

 

Thats what I wanted to hear, I'm running out of time if I needed to make any sort of ducting. Gotta keep as much speed into the corner so I don't have to lift on the straights when the miata's catch me in the turns

 

I've been there, look at the cars coming up from behind me.


unless their turbo'ed, you can usually kill them in the straights.