Brakes Wheels 1st Gen Tires Most liked posts in thread: Brake Duct Inlet Options

I have an R53 and Sneed's kit installed without the bumper brackets. The fog light holes are too small for trash, bugs don't matter, and rain doesn't cause issues. The only time I had trouble was when they pre-treated the roads for snow with a brine solution, and then the snow wussed out and it rained.

Salty rain is HORRIBLE for brake ducts! I hosed off the rotors and calipers, sprayed some water through the ducts, and crossed my fingers. The wire inside the ducts got rusty, but nothing's broken yet. After that episode, I re-installed my fog lights and tucked the duct hose behind the fog lights. This year I'll be sure to close up the ducts before winter comes.

 

What are you looking for, a concensus?

 

OK. I run my Way ducts open all year round, but rarely do I drive in the wet, or other nasty conditions. I once drove through a really deep downpour and the ducts directed water directly on my brakes so that I was without brakes for one application of the pedal--scary for a second but no problem thereafter. (But the water was over 12" deep, so no brake duct would have done otherwise.)
As for the Way ducts, they direct air --generally-- to the center of the hub, but there is a reasonable distance between duct outlet and hub. I really don't know how well they work, having never done any tests, but they don't hurt. They look cool, are quite rare, and don't hurt, so that's +++ in my book.
I ended up putting 4 rivets in each duct, and would like to see them integrated with the bumper, but that's a completely different project (that will never get done.)
Good luck,

 

So I'm not the only one who put four rivets in...

I've been thinking about making an insert, or maybe a piece of vinyl to cover them during the winter...

 

I too run with them open year round. I do drive in the rain and am conscience that there is extra cooling from the added water going through the disks. I've even driven through a mass of grasshoppers only to find some embedded in the rotor and on the back of the wheel afterward.

 

You could always add in a screen somewhere to stop bugs and debris. Got to be able to reach it to clean it.. Could also add a couple of "weep holes" ( drain holes ) in the bottom of the tubing/hose to help with the water..

 

Photo below shows the fog light installed with the brake duct sitting behind it. This is one benefit of using one large tube instead of 2 smaller ones like JCW Challenge cars. This is my winter setup.

 

I leave the holes open all year round.
As DrPhil noted, I also had a problem in deep water with no brakes but I do not think the brake ducts had much negative affect it was just too much water and the pads were cold and very wet.

 

Yup. While the fiberglass ducts offer more protection from moving parts, the flexible hose ducts are more flexible.