Rear Brake Dust Shields on 2002 TrailBlazer LTZ..??
- Thread starter davenay67
- Start date
The rear brakes are identical on SWB and EXT, so the shields will be the same.
You do have to remove the hubs. But in the rear, they're part of the axle. So you have to pull the diff cover, remove c-clips holding the axles in, and run the risk of damaging the axle shaft seals out near the brakes. Not a trivial job.
There's no compelling reason to replace bad shields unless you drive in dust and dirt a lot and can't arrange to clean the calipers and pads off regularly.
You do have to remove the hubs. But in the rear, they're part of the axle. So you have to pull the diff cover, remove c-clips holding the axles in, and run the risk of damaging the axle shaft seals out near the brakes. Not a trivial job.
There's no compelling reason to replace bad shields unless you drive in dust and dirt a lot and can't arrange to clean the calipers and pads off regularly.
the roadie said:
Will removal of the dust shields affect the parking brake at all?.. Mine are completely gone.
I need to get them working and continue to for pa state inspection.
Thanks for your input....
Exactly what roadie said. My drivers side is so rotted out its a miracle I even have pieces of it still attached lol. The dust shield serves no purpose for the brakes at all. I guess the part you can call it as would be the outer bearing for the axle since it looks like it is all a part of the outer bearing on the video rockauto shows on youtube about how to replace the dust shield. When mine go out I am not going to bother replacing it. It's not worth my time to get it done as roadie said unless you are getting it caked with crud there is no point. The only part the dust shield has any role in the parking brake is that there is a little opening in it to feed the parking brake arm through so it connects to the cable. Other than that it is not needed in any way as there are no pivots or mounting locations for the parking brake on the dust shield. If there ever were they would be one poor design because the dust shield is so cheap and flimsy that there is no way it would hold your truck in place on an incline, they would snap right off.
Unless you drive off road a lot and cake up some mud and never clean the rotors off or you feel like draining your entire rear diff and pulling the axle shafts out then pulling the hub assembly off have fun with it. I kick up a ton of snow in the rear end since I did the z71 mod and my brakes get a lot of snow on them but never cake in them so its no deal and I never really drive off road so my dust shields are just a stupid design for my use.
Unless you drive off road a lot and cake up some mud and never clean the rotors off or you feel like draining your entire rear diff and pulling the axle shafts out then pulling the hub assembly off have fun with it. I kick up a ton of snow in the rear end since I did the z71 mod and my brakes get a lot of snow on them but never cake in them so its no deal and I never really drive off road so my dust shields are just a stupid design for my use.
IllogicTC
Member
- Dec 30, 2013
- 3,452
bags529 said:
The dust shields are literally just metal plates intended to act as shields. The idea is to minimize the dirt particulate and road salt, etc. which can come in contact with your braking system. They do have a purpose, but are not necessarily mandatory (just highly recommended).
That's the usual case at least. With the way the rear ones bolt on, I'm not entirely sure. It would not be recommended to go a long period of time with them removed anyway, since PA isn't exactly a nice sunny no-snow state.
Edit: Audio, I believe the rear shield does actually serve a purpose, seeing how the parking brake is set up. In an emergency, that brake handle could be your ticket to life, if you've got a bunch of crap between the shoe and the friction surface you better be able to pull really hard on that handle, and hope for the best.
In the way of researching the specifics of that, I found an old article by the Roadie on the old site regarding manual adjustment. Then, I found his image hijacked and hosted on a "sirjonathon.com." At least he gave sorta-credit (the article says info gathered on tv, but not the author or a link to the actual article).
If you look under your truck you can see that the shield serves 0 purpose for the parking brake. The only time the parking brake interfaces with that dust shield is when the arm goes through the hole in the dust shield to where the parking brake cable locks on. It does not need to be on there for it to function. Now it's not to say that the shield serves a purpose in shimming out the rear axle at all. I wouldn't think it would since it is so thin and small but I can't say for sure on that because of the tolerance needed for those retaining bolts and c-clips to lock on that hold the axle shafts in.
Not to sound like a dick but the shields are no use for the parking brake. My driver side broke off at that top left area where the parking brake arm comes through and it still works fine. In fact I have maybe 1/8 of the stupid dust shield still on the drivers side and nothing is different. No fluid leaks and no parking or driving brake issues. Like I said the dust shield is too flimsy to be able to withstand that pressure from you grabbing onto the parking brake to lock the truck in position, let alone the torque when your truck is held in place with the brakes engaged. Your parking brake assembly on the other hand bolts direct to the axle so it is very secure. Look at this video and you can see what I mean: 1AAuto.com PART 1 Replace Rusted Rear Brake Backing Plates Trailblazer Envoy - YouTube
The 4 scenario's the dust shield has anything to do with the axle and the brakes are this:
1.) The dust shield sits between the parking brake assembly and the axle and may be used in a way as a sort of shim to space it out.
2.) The parking brake support bracket that keeps the parking brake line locked in place so it can spring back when not in use gets fed through an opening in the dust shield toward the top
3.) The parking brake pivot arm (I guess I can call it that, I mean to describe the part where the parking brake cable locks onto the arm that swings in and out when you disengage and engage the parking brake lever) gets fed through an hole in the dust shield.
4.) The parking brake adjustment screw has an opening that is usually plugged with a rubber grommet has a hole in the dust shield so you can sneak a screw driver in from behind the wheel to adjust your parking brake's tension at the wheels when you replace the parking brake pad or new rotors. It is only used if you don't want to pull off the wheel and entire brake assembly to adjust the star wheel. I personally prefer to take it all off and slide the new rotor in and out myself when I adjust it. This has nothing to do with the adjustment where the 2 sides meet and go to the single cable that goes up to the parking brake arm though, that is another adjustment that I think you are referring to by roadies post.
But for what you said with crud building up in the parking brake I never had anything but brake dust get in there. Usually once every 3 months I get to 5 mph and pull it up to make sure it stops smoothly and fast, if it doesn't then I just adjust the star wheels on them. Either way I don't go mudding or anything with my truck and never will because I would get stuck in a heartbeat with the weight from my system in the rear end. I use the parking brake in the snow and even with me drifting around the parking lots that were never plowed and the wheels are caked with snow the parking brake stops me on a dime.
Not to sound like a dick but the shields are no use for the parking brake. My driver side broke off at that top left area where the parking brake arm comes through and it still works fine. In fact I have maybe 1/8 of the stupid dust shield still on the drivers side and nothing is different. No fluid leaks and no parking or driving brake issues. Like I said the dust shield is too flimsy to be able to withstand that pressure from you grabbing onto the parking brake to lock the truck in position, let alone the torque when your truck is held in place with the brakes engaged. Your parking brake assembly on the other hand bolts direct to the axle so it is very secure. Look at this video and you can see what I mean: 1AAuto.com PART 1 Replace Rusted Rear Brake Backing Plates Trailblazer Envoy - YouTube
The 4 scenario's the dust shield has anything to do with the axle and the brakes are this:
1.) The dust shield sits between the parking brake assembly and the axle and may be used in a way as a sort of shim to space it out.
2.) The parking brake support bracket that keeps the parking brake line locked in place so it can spring back when not in use gets fed through an opening in the dust shield toward the top
3.) The parking brake pivot arm (I guess I can call it that, I mean to describe the part where the parking brake cable locks onto the arm that swings in and out when you disengage and engage the parking brake lever) gets fed through an hole in the dust shield.
4.) The parking brake adjustment screw has an opening that is usually plugged with a rubber grommet has a hole in the dust shield so you can sneak a screw driver in from behind the wheel to adjust your parking brake's tension at the wheels when you replace the parking brake pad or new rotors. It is only used if you don't want to pull off the wheel and entire brake assembly to adjust the star wheel. I personally prefer to take it all off and slide the new rotor in and out myself when I adjust it. This has nothing to do with the adjustment where the 2 sides meet and go to the single cable that goes up to the parking brake arm though, that is another adjustment that I think you are referring to by roadies post.
But for what you said with crud building up in the parking brake I never had anything but brake dust get in there. Usually once every 3 months I get to 5 mph and pull it up to make sure it stops smoothly and fast, if it doesn't then I just adjust the star wheels on them. Either way I don't go mudding or anything with my truck and never will because I would get stuck in a heartbeat with the weight from my system in the rear end. I use the parking brake in the snow and even with me drifting around the parking lots that were never plowed and the wheels are caked with snow the parking brake stops me on a dime.
IllogicTC
Member
- Dec 30, 2013
- 3,452
Right, but you not mudding doesn't mean nobody else muds, or can have errant gravel or something bump up into the system. That's what the focus is on my tendency toward caution. One may spend their whole life in the city but really you just never know where you might end up sometimes 
Without the shield, a piece of road debris could get kicked up and knock the star wheel, or any other number of possibilities. The front covers are a different story - they're not protecting a secondary brake system.
I didn't say there would be any performance hit directly. If fluid involves your dust shield, you have a major issue. But it isn't there just to run up the cost of the truck, either. Which is why I ultimately decided that removal can be an interim solution (and may be left that way depending on your climate), but is not recommended for some folks.
However I was also under the impression that the parking brakes could be repaired/replaced without involving the dust covers, by removing the wheel and the rotor. Maybe I am wrong on this.
As to the OP - any luck on this? New shoes, other equipment as necessary, and ensuring the cable is in good order.
Without the shield, a piece of road debris could get kicked up and knock the star wheel, or any other number of possibilities. The front covers are a different story - they're not protecting a secondary brake system.I didn't say there would be any performance hit directly. If fluid involves your dust shield, you have a major issue. But it isn't there just to run up the cost of the truck, either. Which is why I ultimately decided that removal can be an interim solution (and may be left that way depending on your climate), but is not recommended for some folks.
However I was also under the impression that the parking brakes could be repaired/replaced without involving the dust covers, by removing the wheel and the rotor. Maybe I am wrong on this.
As to the OP - any luck on this? New shoes, other equipment as necessary, and ensuring the cable is in good order.
I have no off roading in my future at least in this vehicle, I just need the state inspection.
I will leave the covers as is until summer maybe and reinspect to give myself some peace if mind. Thanks guys. Very informative and active forum in all areas I have gotten allot of info that would otherwise bit be available. Appreciate it!
I will leave the covers as is until summer maybe and reinspect to give myself some peace if mind. Thanks guys. Very informative and active forum in all areas I have gotten allot of info that would otherwise bit be available. Appreciate it!
You're welcome man. I see no reason that a dust shield would fail inspection but each different state scrutinizes cars differently. In NY they saw I had my dust shield with crater holes in it and they passed it. They are more concerned for lights, frame and emission type problems for inspections here.