Rear disc shield / guard failure

[TallMark]

Have had my 2010 SE 140 Estate for about a month, and has 76k miles on the clock.

 

Driving over the past week on holiday noticed a metallic rattle occasionally going over potholes - looked around car and put it down to tow bar electrics bracket.

 

Driving home yesterday, 20 miles from home noise changed to sound like dragging a metal panel down the road - very severe - thought something must be hanging off. Stopped to inspect - nothing obvious, so prodded the rear driver's side disc guard out of curiosity - it was completely loose.

 

Showed signs of rubbing on the disc and didn't look like it could go anywhere - so completed my journey home with accompaniment of alarming noises.

 

Took wheel off this morning - guard fixing screws still in place and it appears the shield has fatigue failed around them - three ragged circular holes with no rust, a perfect fit for the bolts. No corrosion on the guard at all.

 

Cut the guard off with tin snips (it is very thin and soft) - will get it replaced next time the brakes need to come off (don't think it serves a significant purpose).

 

Have seen similar reports on the Octavia pages - has anyone else with a Superb experienced this? Is anyone aware if there is an underlying cause that I need to be concerned about?

 

Other than that the car is great.

[rwbaldwin]

Is the guard 'C' shaped or a complete circle?

If it's the latter, I'm not sure you can replace it without removing the hub.

[TallMark]

Thanks for the reply.

 

It's C-ish shaped with a large bridged cut-out to clear the caliper. The hole in the middle is quite large, widening to the caliper cut out, so could clear the hub. Can't tell for sure with the disk and caliper in-situ.

 

I'm not too concerned about replacing it tbh; mainly posted it for the following reasons:

 

1) to give others a clue should their cars exhibit similar symptoms.

 

2) to see if anyone with similar experience has discovered an underlying cause that I need to pursue and fix.

[rwbaldwin]

Whilst the 'C' shaped guards are easy to replace, they are prone to getting stones between the disk and the guard.

[Mart Vrs]

Thanks for posting this warning, my 2009 140tdi hatch started to rattle like this on the way to work last night, I couldn't see anything obvious in the dark, I'll make the rear brakes my 1st check.

[999smiler]

Thanks for the post.

Both my rears have failed within a week of each other, used tin snips to get them off and don't intend replacing them.

Pretty sure they're not relevant for mot and will just make it an area to clean at the annual service.

So 2009 car just 5 years old and done 118000 miles.

Wonder how long the front ones will last.

[mckeey]

Just removed rear right guard today. I had my tyres changed for winter this week, I guess the guy dropped the tyre on the guard while unbolting, so I noticed loud mettalic noise couple of days later (first I thought I'm gonna loose my exhaust on my way home). Anyway I drive Superb limousine 2010, with 220k kilometres. I was able to remove it with wire cutter, hammer and some brute force

[lodge]

I have just got this same failure on my 2011 superb estate, gonna cut it off until its in the dealers next (lease car) my car is approaching 160,000 miles and has had nothing so not done bad, personally I suspect its with the removal and fitting of the wheels that damage the shields as they are only a flimsy dust cover not designed to have the weight of the wheel dropped on them, mine has had the rear wheels off many times.

[silver1011]

Personally I suspect its with the removal and fitting of the wheels that damage the shields as they are only a flimsy dust cover not designed to have the weight of the wheel dropped on them.

 

Agreed, I catch the guards most times when removing the rear wheels.

[silver1011]

Well my time has come!

 

Driving home tonight over a rough road surface with the window down I noticed a metallic rattle.

 

Got home, the rear drivers side disc guard is indeed loose. My fault as I dropped the wheel on it putting the winter wheels on late last year.

 

The question that still remains unanswered (both in this and the Octavia forum) is whether or not the disc guard can be replaced without removing:

 

1) The brake disc

2) The caliper

3) The hub

 

Whilst loose it hasn't yet completely failed so I don't plan on cutting it off, at least just yet.

 

I would like to replace it but won't be removing the hub if this is indeed required.

 

Anyone know for sure!?

[adamal]

I am pretty sure the hub came off when mine were replaced on my Octy. Initially my garage cut the old ones off as they didn't have the ramp time to change them (it wasn't the issue I went in for) and I had to go back later to finish the job.

It could be different on the Superb but I doubt it.

[BJM]

I had all the symptoms today - rattle followed after about 100 miles later by the scraping, screeching noise. I guessed what it probably was, and an exploratory hand through the wheel suggested that the dust guard had gone.

 

On the way back in to work I called in on my local independent that I usually use. Neither He nor I had time to put it on the ramp to examine, but he confirms the damage. It turns out that on  the Superb it is necessary to remove the hub, so tomorrow I'll pull the wheel of and cut it away until I can get it replaced on Monday.

 

FYO the new shield plus the mounting bolts is £24 + VAT, rplacement time 1 hour. 

[silver1011]

I was where you are now but a few months ago!

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/351129-brake-disc-guard/?hl=+disc%20+guard

[BJM]

Darn it.

 

I searched, but this was the only thread I could find.

TBH  a few years ago I would have dived in and had a go at it myself, but nowadays I'v got to the stage where "I'm too old for this ****", so with the absence of a lifting table I'll just quiet it down until somebody else can fix it properly.

[silver1011]

Using a trolley jack and axle stands I couldn't get the car high enough off the ground to be able to get my breaker bar in.

 

The caliper carrier needs some real brute force to crack the nut.

 

So I too jacked it in and paid the local garage with a proper four post lift an hours labour to do it for me 

[BooSkoda28]

Is it safe to drive?? I can't get into a garage till next week and need to travel 

[BJM]

On 01/06/2018 at 13:08, BooSkoda28 said:

Is it safe to drive?? I can't get into a garage till next week and need to travel 

 

Well, between mine failing and getting it fixed was over a week, so about 700 - 800 Miles.

Mechanic reckoned it wouldn’t do any harm so I never bothered to cut it off and just put up with the noise for a while.

All that happened was that it rubbed on the edge of the brake disk and rattled and screeched.

They are Ali so the disk rubbed it away without any damage to the disk.

 

About 3 months later the other side went as well, same symptoms and I drove that one for a few hundred miles too.

[silver1011]

Well, one of mine is starting to rattle again, albeit only occasionally. It's clearly failing again though.

 

This time, when they come off they're bloody staying off.

[BooSkoda28]

10 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

Well, one of mine is starting to rattle again, albeit only occasionally. It's clearly failing again though.

 

This time, when they come off they're bloody staying off.

I'm tempted to take them all off at the same time.