X2 Ball Joint and Brake Dust Sheild

[DocB]

On an 03/04 Cobra, when installing X2 ball joints, is it actually necessary to remove the brake dust shields to prevent them from interfering with the control arm?

I was planning to use the dust shields as the attachment point for the brake cooling ducts and was wondering if anyone had installed the X2s and had retained the dust shields with no control arm interferance.

Info from your past experince with this appreciated. If you had to trim the shields, pics also appreciated.

 

[mu22stang]

Modifying the dust shield to accept or mount brake cooling ducts is going to be a pain in the butt. I'm curious to see how you're going to go about that because looking at the dust shield, they don't seem to have enough material in the right places to secure ducts.

I vote for you to buy a set of proper brake duct backing plates. I haven't found a better set for this price. The key with brake cooling ducts is pointing the cooling air towards the center of the rotor, not the rotor face. 94-04 Mustang 3 Super Touring Duct Plate Kit [04810DK] - $75.00 : Lambert Automotive Performance Products

 

[keith89]

Modifying the dust shield to accept or mount brake cooling ducts is going to be a pain in the butt. I'm curious to see how you're going to go about that because looking at the dust shield, they don't seem to have enough material in the right places to secure ducts.

I vote for you to buy a set of proper brake duct backing plates. I haven't found a better set for this price. The key with brake cooling ducts is pointing the cooling air towards the center of the rotor, not the rotor face. 94-04 Mustang 3 Super Touring Duct Plate Kit [04810DK] - $75.00 : Lambert Automotive Performance Products

+1
Bruno, I should have showed you my brake duct plates. I got them from Anthony(DaleM) a few years ago. They bolt in place of the dust shield.

 

[DocB]

Thanks, the Lambert duct plates do look nice. From trying to picture them bolted onto the spindle they seem to point toward the center at the hat, but kind of hard to tell. Do they actually point toward the center? Also, what do you think about their 3" hose that can come with the kit? -65 to 600*? Any good? Durable? Pricey, but still less expensive than the hose I was looking at. 22, props for the link.

Yes, I was going to mount them to my dust plates as I had seen this done on a Mustang Terlingua race car. If I remember correctly, it did point toward the center, but now you have got me to thinking. I rekon I should have another look to see if this is so. I do understand the thermodynamics of having the cool air directed at the center hat and not at the middle or outside of the rotor face and agree 100%.

 

[DocB]

Keith,

You're holding out!
No worries, it was not like we could climb under the front of the car.
You might fit, but I sure wouldn't!

 

[keith89]

Keith,

You're holding out!
No worries, it was not like we could climb under the front of the car.
You might fit, but I sure wouldn't!

lol. btw all the brake cooling ducts use material thicker than the dust shields. The dust shields are pretty thin and bend easily. I doubt there is a lot of lateral force on them after attaching the ducts, but i would recommend reinforcing them a bit if you plan to modify them. Also, the aftermarket brake ducts are bolted to to the rivet points on the stock dust shields. This makes it easy to remove them if you ever need more room to work.

 

[03' White Snake]

I have the X2's with stock dust shields still in place. I just bent it a little bit and they are on there with no problems.

 

[Taz]

I have the X2's with stock dust shields still in place. I just bent it a little bit and they are on there with no problems.

Yep. Same here. My shields just needed to be tweaked a little in two spots, and I had to cut off a tiny bit to clear my bumpsteer kit, but no big deal. Pics on THIS PAGE about half way down.

I removed the shields when I installed my Quantum Motorsports brake duct kit, since it came with backing plates designed to accommodate the hoses, but I ran the modified shields for a few years and never had any issues with them before I took them off.