This is a pretty straight forward mod. Little or no technical knowledge is required.
Be aware that the sizes quoted are for a Golf MK1. Different vehicles may use different bolt sizes.
Sizes are quotesd in Imperial Standard.

Step 1: Remove the rim/mag from the vehicle.
Step 2: Remove the brake disc and brake caliper - this is necessary to get to the bolts holding the dust cover onto the hub.
*Note: You don't have to remove them completely like I did. Most calipers can be removed with a 14 Socket.

Step 3: Using a No. 8 spanner/socket remove the bolts that hold the dust cover to the hub. On the Golf you will need to then cut the dust cover off the hub.

Step 4: Replace brake caliper.
*Note: This might be a good time to inspect the condition of your disc and brake pads.
If it is necessary to replace either then do so now - take note of the mileage so that they can be replaced at the appropriate interval.

Another thing to do while the caliper is off would be to take a small "G-clamp" and push the barrel back into it's cylinder.

Step 5: Replace the rim/mag.

And there you go. You're done.

Removing this dust cover will allow more air to reach the rear of the disc. Cooling it down a little more efficiently.
I am currently working on a cheap induction/force air brake cooling mod for the car which I will ofcourse show you guys when it is finished.

Might need to start putting some patents on all the modifications I am developing.

ROFL!!

erm, isn't there a reason there's a dust cover? One would imagine to prevent that irritating screeching noise when you get dust on the pads?

Well, lets put it this way... whats to stop dust getting onto the pads from the exposed top, bottom and front of the setup? Even with this dust cover in place?

Removing this wont suddenly make dust start getting onto the pads.

How sure are you that this mod will make for cooler running brakes, To my knowledge those plates are there spesifically for cooling the brakes and not called dust covers, the pads create their own dust in any case, if you look carefully when the original standard wheels are still fitted, these plates act as air scoops directing airflow towards the disc.

Just my two cents.

That might be the theory behind them.

But the guys who do challenge racing reckon that they actually inhibit airflow onto the discs.

Hence, they all remove the Dust covers from the hub as the first part of many upgrades to the cars cooling.

So if removing them works for challenge racers - why wouldn't it work for you?

It will surely help when wider rims or mags are fitted, since those then cover the protrusion of these plates, but i still wouldn't suggest it to someone with a standard car with standard wheels.

I know the facts to be true, i've seen this theory at work on a big Merc, but then again you cant really fit wider wheels to a Merc.

Yeah, but a Merc braking system is way more advanced than a Golf!
The Mercs plates are active forced air induction systems - seing as the Merc is kitted with much larger hubs, discs and calipers.

...and the Merc is capable of much higher speeds than a Golf...

The plates on a Merc also look entirely different to the ones on a Golf.

You can fit wider rims to Mercs, the compromise comes in the form of reduced turning radius and lower top end speed. Inner tyre well scraping is also usually a deterent.

There is a limit though on how wide you can safely go. The limit depends on the Merc in question.

You can't really compare the two. Any Merc is miles ahead in terms of the technology in use.

In my case I'm running on 256mm discs and the Calipers off a MK III GTi. I am also using 15" Velociti rims.

I don't see how removing these form a standard MK1 would suddenly start causing a problem - since I know many guys from the VW club running with out them on the standard 14" rims that come with the cars.

But there's the guide - use it, don't use it.

No probs man, im not trying to offend you.

Getting back to the Merc's they designed to go up to a 7" wide rim, on the SLK's i think the specs differ

i completely disagree. cars that have them are there for a reason. If you want to upgrade with a big brake kit thats a better idea. Brakes are not to be screwed with at all. You should put a dislaimer in your post. so people dont kill themselves by accident.





no offense but i have more advanced braking system than the slk's. i bought a brembo kit for $4,000. 6 piston calipers.

I've been driving around with my dust covers off for almost a year and a half now... No problems what so ever.

FYI - I did upgrade my cars braking setup from a 239mm disc and caliper to a 256mm disc and caliper setup.
Read my Project Golf thread... you'll see I upgraded more than just teh brakes on that car...

I know about 15 guys who race in the VW Challenge every single week end in the MK1's that have also had the dust covers removed.

Again... no problems what so ever.

The dust cover is not essential to the operation of the brakes. Removing it doesn't negatively affect the way that the brakes on a car work at all. What it does do is allow more air onto the surface of the inner brake disc, thereby cooling it.

I don't know why the SLK was ever brought into this thread as a Citi Golf and an Mercedes SLK are many miles apart in terms of power and braking technology. But here it goes again anyway...



Erm... no you don't dude... In fact you're no where near the technology and power of an SLK brakes.

The SLK's use 320mm brakes discs with matched brake calipers (which are mostly also 6 Pot Brembo's btw) and ceramic brake pads.

Not to mention the ABS, EBD, ASC...

You also fail to mention that the SLK weighs mosr than 1500KG's and makes what? 300 - 500HP?, a Citi Golf weighs around 850KG's, my current Golf makes 95HP.

Anyone with sense will see that comparing a golf to an SLK is a complete waste of time.



There is a dislamor in this thread - you

No one is going to kill themselves by removing the Dust Covers from their wheel hubs.
People have been doing this on the Citi Golf since the original Golf GTi came out in 1972...

That's over 35 years of proof right there.

Nuff said...