Re-newing front brakes on my 1.8 Clipper Cabby.... PROBLEM!?

Firstly hello to everyone on the site! I have never been a member of any forums before and this is my very 1st post!

I recently bought a 1.8 Clipper Cabrio and i'm in the process of re-newing a few bits and bobs. I've started with the brakes. Upon removing the drivers side calliper, I couldn't help but notice the metal splash guard was rusted to hell!
I had a closer look and found it was being held on by only one bolt! The other fixing holes in the plate had corroded so badly they had come away from the bolts.
The bolts look as though I wont be able to budge them.
My main question is………
Do you need the metal splash guards? What is their purpose and what problems could I encounter by not replacing them?

I'm looking forward to getting an answer as I can't find one anywhere else on the net!!

Hi and welcome to the site I'm going to move this post to the braking section as you may have more success in getting an answer i will leave a copy on here as well hope you find out what you need and i hope you will continue to post questions and fun stuff on the site

Thanks!

Pretty sure that VW would not of fitted them without a good reason - they stop grit and stuff getting on the disks and perhaps help to funnel air on the disks.

If you do decide to replace them then be aware that you will have to do the wheel bearings at the same time !!

If you do decide to replace them then be aware that you will have to do the wheel bearings at the same time !!

How come? They look like they just bolt on? I can see all 3 fixings?

You cannot get them over the hub !!

??? The 1 removed looked as though it was just a semi circle which would just offer up and bolt on???

I'll have a double check 2moro!!
Thanks.

It has rusted away !!
They are a complete circle

   

oh I see!!!  

crazyquiff has some on his site, also some decent pics to show you what they should look like. Link below.

http://www.golfmk1.co.uk/Items.php?cat=ALL&group=BRAKES

Thanks DJHeap22!
Mine look nothing like those!!
Think i'll have to treat her to a new set!
Crazyquiff are out of stock at the mo though.

I have fitted Crazyquiff's dust shields - great…almost as good as original…..gave 'em an extra coat or three of satin black paint and used stainless bolts to fit 'em.  Some of the old bolts sheared off at the heads in the carrier so had to carefully drill out the remains and retap them (6mm iirc)…..the hubs/bearings need to be out of the way to do this and to refit them as  lhasadreams  says above.  

You will need to press out the hubs from the carriers, remove the circlips and press out the bearings from the carriers (large hammer and suitable drifts will do this….you are NOT going to re-use the bearings.

Then fit a new circlip to the outer groove (usually comes with the bearing set) press in the new bearing into the hub carrier from the inside until it contacts the circlip and then fit the inner circlip (Note that the press tool must contact the outer race only).  Press in the hubs into the carriers/bearings from the outside after you have fitted the new shields…the hub carrier/bearing must support the inner race only….else you're going to kerknacker your new bearing!!!!!    I got my local independant VW shop to do all this pressing (I bought the bearings (GSF supplied) from them) but any olde machine shop will probably do this for you…

You could try GPC (chubnutt) if you can't wait 'til Rich at Crazyquiff's gets more stock

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GOLF-MK1-GTI-CABRIO-CADDY-SCIROCCO-FRT-DISC-BACKPLATE_W0QQitemZ350280889450QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item518e5e346a

Cheers