on my civic, there is a dust cover behind the rotor, i bent it taking off my tire and i am now squeaking when i drive. Is it a neccessity to keep that on or can i just take it off? getting annoying.

 

Not necessary but not sure how you are gonna take it off cleanly. Had a knuckle that I bought off a junkyard one time, and the shield was all torn up. Ended up just cutting it off.

 

bend it back till it doesn't hit the rotor any more that should solve your noise problem

 

i bent it back before and it was fine and 4 months later, noise comes again and this time is a bit louder. maybe cuz of the crappy buffalo snow weather. So then in general, i can just cut them off and it should be fine right?

 

just take em off......your rims will just get really black really quick

 

I bent mine too initially then went on a lightening spree and used the oxy/acy on em, I have a enamel powdercoating on my rim (not, really feels like it) and the carbon doesnt seem to build up on them, on matte aluminum I think it would though

 

so then thats the only thing right? my rims and rotors will get dirty faster, but if i wash every now and then....i should be alright?

 

I can only imagine that other than being a dust shield, they are a heat shield (from what I dont know) and they may act as a sort of Naca duct drawing air in to keep em cool - just guesses my car slows down real good.