Shield Keeps Foreign Material From Interfering With Brakes

Shield Keeps Foreign Material From Interfering With Brakes FARM HOME Cars 25-4-39 James Nelson, Lincoln, Kansas: "My wife Sharon drives a 1998 GMC Sonoma 1/2-ton, extended cab, 4-WD pickup on her rural mail route. She puts on about 750 miles a week and was wearing out the rear disc rotors and brake pads way too fast due to all the mud and gravel on our roads. She drives a 135-mile route every day on roads made from clay, rock, and gravel. In fact, at one point she went through two sets of rotors in only about 1,000 miles. GM replaced two sets of rotors and pads under warranty. "To solve the problem I went to Beloit Motor Co. of Beloit, Kan., where a mechanic designed a shielding apparatus. The patent pending, one-piece shield keeps foreign material and water from interfering with the brakes. It's made from lightweight metal and simply bolts onto the wheel hub. We installed the shields last fall and since then my wife has put on thousands of miles in muddy conditions, yet the brake pads have worked beautifully and have shown less wear than would be expected even under normal driving conditions. No problems at all. "I think any 4-WD pickup that rides low to the ground, is used extensively in muddy conditions, and is equipped with rear disc brakes could develop the same problems we had. Apparently 1998 was the first year rear disc brakes were used on the Sonoma and Chevy S-10 pickups. New full-size Chevrolet and GM pickups now also come equipped with rear disc brakes. However, Dodge and Ford 4-WD pickups still have rear drum brakes, with the drums protecting the brakes from mud and grime. Beloit Motor would like to hear from anyone else who's had these problems. They can contact Steve Criswell at Beloit Motor Co., 223 East Main St., Beloit, Kansas 67420 ph 785 738-3511; fax 2645."

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