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  #1  
Old 05-16-2013, 04:58 AM
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Front Brake Cooling Ducts? YES! NOW WITH DIY!

Looking at the 4.6is front wheel well, there is a brake cooling duct that channels cool air from the bumper to the wheel well/brakes.

Looking at the same area in my 3.0 facelift, there is a provision for the duct but it is covered by a blank plate.

I assume the 4.8is has the same ducts so I look at RealOEM to find out what I need to get ducts also.

It shows that the 3.0 has the same bumper ducts as the 4.8is already...

Is it as simple as removing the cover plate in the wheel well?

Away from my car at the moment so I figured to ask in case some of you have noticed this.

DONE!

1) Choose which side you want to start with.

2) Turn the steering wheel all the way in the direction of the side you want to start with. This will move the tire out of the way and give you space to work. This is the passenger side.


3) Now pry the top edge out. You may have to push down on the clips with pne hand while pulling the cover outward with the other hand.


4) When you have released the the two upper tabs, you can pull up on the cover and it should pop right out.

5) Voilá! Functional OEM brake cooling ducts! Rinse and repeat for the other side


View through the duct:


It seems to have increased front downforce and improved handling, and stopping distances seem shorter now. It seems to have added some horsepower, maybe because there is more air cooling the engine compartment?

Or maybe it's just a placebo effect. Let me drive a few more miles on it to be sure.
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Last edited by g300d; 05-17-2013 at 02:38 AM.
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Old 05-16-2013, 06:46 AM
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The 3.0 will not have the duct open because engineers figured it did not need as much cooling. Monster brakes like on the 4.6 and 4.8 require the extra air flow. I haven't seen how it is set up on the 3.0, if it is just a flap you can pull off or what but in my head. If it ain't broke. Dont fix it.
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Old 05-16-2013, 08:06 AM
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But I heard over at e46fanatics that painting the calipers red plus the brake ducts will shave 20ft off my 160mph-0 times! :-P

Seriously though,it seems like an inexpensive factory mod, might not do that much but being factory, it certainly cant hurt either, I think?
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Old 05-16-2013, 08:23 AM
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Haha! 20 ft? I heard 40 ft and it can increase BHP by 50!

Anyways, I dunno if it would hurt or not. My Bimmer world got turned upside down today after I learned the caliper guide pins aren't supposed to be greased. Lol. I've always greased them. I thought, "no big deal" but apparently it can cause the pins to swell and stick. So in my thought, increased cooling in the brake when it is not needed will increase stopping distance because the rotors are too cool?!? I dunno.

I need to go sit myself in a corner now. Give myself a strong talking to.
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Old 05-16-2013, 09:05 AM
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Lol I do get where you are coming from, despite trying my best to deny it I know these trucks are pretty much set up as-is. Heck, these are the same brakes as on the 4.4 V8's that are up more than 50hp!

Just a tinkerer and trying to find something to do now that I am close to updated on maintenance.

On guide pins...I actually have a Mitsubishi Montero that had ungreased pins. I ended up replacing them because they got pitted all to hell.
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Old 05-16-2013, 09:10 AM
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Opening the cooling ducts wont negativly effect ur brakes,

They just will be more resistance to warpage due to better heat disapation and they will work better on hwy
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Old 05-16-2013, 09:37 AM
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I removed them awhile back.
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Old 05-16-2013, 09:55 AM
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Hey tmv, removed which? The duct covers in the wheel wells?

So I take it they are just covers and we 3.0 owners now have functional brake cooling ducts like the 4.6/4.8 by just removing these covers?
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Old 05-16-2013, 12:10 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by g300d View Post
Hey tmv, removed which? The duct covers in the wheel wells? yes

So I take it they are just covers and we 3.0 owners now have functional brake cooling ducts like the 4.6/4.8 by just removing these covers?
and yes
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Old 05-16-2013, 01:51 PM
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Awesome, thanks for clarifying tmv, will open mine up too then! Free upgrade, yay!
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