Some kind of cover came off the inside of the wheel

[Twilkes]

Took the car to a garage because there was a scraping sound coming from the right-front wheel. Guy came back a few minutes later with what looked like half of a giant rubber (?) washer (probably 12 inches diameter, a few mil thick, with a hole in the middle for the axle to go through) that he'd pulled off the inside of the wheel. Don't think he mentioned the exact part name but it was some kind of cover to protect the brakes, or the wheel, or the wheel from the brakes.

So underneath the car, if I look at the left wheel I can see the cover on the inside of that wheel, but if I look at the right wheel I can see the metal disc that it should be covering.

1) Anyone know the name of the part that needs replacing, so I can do some research before taking it back to a garage (couldn't book it in this week)? Apparently it's maker-specific, which usually means they try to overcharge for it. And 2) The guy said it was safe enough to drive for this week, is that correct?

[S0 What]

Well pics would help but it sounds like "it may be" a wheel clean disc, there to stop the brakes making the alloys dirty, probably aftermarket (can't say i know of any car where they are standard but ???)
is it between the disc and wheel or behind the disc as you look from the outside ? if it would sit behind the disc it may well be a stone gaurd for the disc? really need more info or a pic, or maybe even what the hell car it is ????

Edited by S0 What on Sunday 5th October 17:23

[Twilkes]

I'm not 100%, but I think it's probably the cover behind the disc when this guy takes the wheel off of his car:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwpD-mSNypM#t=1m48s

It's a Honda Jazz.

So if that's what it is, same questions - what's it called, and is it okay to drive 150 miles or so without one?

[although looking further into the video, that piece looks fairly integral to the wheel assembly, rather than the degraded piece of decrepitude the mechanic showed me - might just have to take it to Honda and hope it's not expensive]

[Dave Brand]

Different manufacturers may have different names, but it's commonly known as a brake dust shield. Its main function is to protect the disc from road dust & water thrown up from the wheel. It's safe to run without one - a lot of cars never had them fitted - although it's just possible that you may notice a slight braking delay in the wet caused by water build-up on the disc, which will, of course, lead to braking imbalance as the other side will still have its dust shield.

The good news is that it's a cheap part, the bad news is that fitting may be expensive!

[Twilkes]

Honda call it a 'splash guard' apparently, although when I google this it brings up images of what seems to be a wheel arch splash guard, not something that fits on the inside of the wheel disc. They described the right thing on the phone though, part £50 and £100 fitting - seem reasonable?

Edited by Twilkes on Monday 6th October 14:09

Edited to add image - this is what it is:

http://honda-tech.com/honda-civic-del-sol-1992-200...

Edited by Twilkes on Monday 6th October 16:12

[one eyed mick]

£150 quid !!!!!! bull pucky!!!, leg lifting isn't in it

[S0 What]

Twilkes said:

Honda call it a 'splash guard' apparently, although when I google this it brings up images of what seems to be a wheel arch splash guard, not something that fits on the inside of the wheel disc. They described the right thing on the phone though, part £50 and £100 fitting - seem reasonable?

Edited by Twilkes on Monday 6th October 14:09

Edited to add image - this is what it is:

http://honda-tech.com/honda-civic-del-sol-1992-200...

Edited by Twilkes on Monday 6th October 16:12

Got to be an hour easy there in lab, wheel,disc,caliper and hub removal, replace gaurd, replace it all again, probably just over an hour at main dealer rates so £100 sounds about right but personly i'd get an independant to do it for roughly half the cost of lab ?

[PaulKemp]

It's a pain if you have to take hubs etc off to fit
I would consider splitting the thing and fitting 2 halves insitu joining the unsupported bits someway

[Dave Brand]

£50 sounds excessive for a part that costs around £5 to manufacture! £15 would be a fairer price

As for fitting, I'd go along with PaulKemp's suggestion - possibly cut out the left-hand side (as seen on the diagram) to allow it to be fitted without hub removal.