Very long story short, I recently have been getting rocks wedged up in between the backside of the rotor and the dust shield. Only had this truck for a couple weeks, but this has happened multiple times this past weekend. Happened twice in the DF, once in the PF, and once is the PR. So that's 4 times in three days. Each time I was going over a gravel road. Each time the grinding sound would clear itself after a short few seconds, or after a couple miles. When the PF happened, the grinding sound was the worse I've ever heard. And this one wasn't clearing itself. I drove it for over 10mi like that. So I had a tire shop take the wheel off, and out plops a rock the size of a quarter. I had them check, and thankfully no damage occurred to the rotors.

I leased this 2015 XLT with the Sport package a couple weeks ago. Part of that package included the 20in wheels with 275/55/20 tires. I'm wondering if its because of the bigger openings in between the spokes, the more opportunity there is for debris to get up in there? I don't know. I had a 2006 and a 2011, while I put both those trucks through hell, I never had this problem. But 4 times in three days just seems a bit ridiculous. I already called two ford dealerships. Both have said there are no TSBs regarding this, or nor have they seen many vehicles come in for that issue. At least not that frequent or close together like I experienced.

Has anyone else seen this issue with their 2015? Anyone running the 20in sport wheels on theirs? I'd hate to think I can't take my truck on dirt without risking this ever time.

 

Never had it happen with a truck but it did just happen two weeks ago with my daughter's Nissan Altima. She was about two blocks from our house and she said it started making a terrible grinding, almost metal on metal sound. I jacked it up but really couldn't get it to make the sound again so called a roll back the next morning to haul the ten miles to the dealership. Yep same thing, small rock got wedged in the same spot and was making a terrible noise, no damage to the rotor.

First time I have ever experienced this, I could see it happening if we lived on gravel roads but she never takes her car off of the pavement.

 

Do the dust shields curve in or out at the edges? I suspect that if the curve towards the rotor it makes a pocket for a rock to get trapped in.

I haven't had this happen but I did have a rock get lodged better the caliper and wheel. It ended up punching a hole in the wheel.

 

That's what I'm afraid of happening. From what I can tell, the dust shields curve outward at the edge, something like a 90deg angle. So the edges between the face of the rotor and the shield are flush. And the gap between the two I'd suspect its about 3/8. Just a guesstimate.

Now for perspective, I work at Ford and have access to some great info. A co-worker pointed me in a direction where Ford employees can submit consumer feedback on products. I'll be sharing my thoughts with them today cause this is the kind of stuff that burns bridges with customers, and drives them to competition. So I'd like to imagine they'll take it serious.

 

Why not swap the dust shields around from left to right? That would put the flange pointing away from the rotor and let the rocks just fall out. It would be free and easy to do.

 

Mmmmm I'd have to look, but I think they're both facing outward, each side. But even if I that did reverse, I'd have to be cautious. Its a lease. If something goes 'oopsie' I might be out a few bucks on a service visit. But its definitely worth checking out.

 

I got a rock between the rotor and back dust shield on driver's front. Went over a hundred miles and it was still grinding away. Had to take the wheel off and pry on the dust shield to get the rock out. Scored the rotor marginally...one damn hard rock for sure.

 

That sucks. I did get mine into the dealership. Of course nothing could be found. No damage, no defect, and nothing out of spec. Now just a thought since I have the Sport package with the 20s. I'm wondering if when designing the spec for the rotors and dust shield, these were included in that design/testing. I know I'm grasping as straws here. But just can't help but wonder since the 20s have more opening, and more of the rotor/shield are more exposed, it certainly increases exposure to debris. Could that be it? Idk.

I work at Ford in Dearborn so I am going to attempt to use whatever channels I can to get more info on this. Again, once in a while, I believe its possible. But four times over a weekend is just stupid.

 

20s have been a factory sized tire since the early 2000s. I haven't heard of this on the 1997-2003, 2004-2008 or 2009-2014 trucks all of which have had that size from the factory. I'd guess there's either something different about the 2015s or something odd on your truck that's causing this. Can you look at your dust shields and compare them to another truck? That might help you see if something is odd on yours.

 

This happens to me quite often as I spend quite a bit of time on rock haul roads. I can usually back up a short distance and the rock will pop out. Occasionally I have to pull the wheel off and get the backing plate levered away from the rotor to get it loose.

Poor design in my mind.