I had brake dust shields on my Caravan and had ZERO problems with them. I had aftermarket wheels on it from low miles and had warped rotors very early. I have read a lot of research on the subject (good article in the Road&Track tech correspondence column) and the conclusions reached were that heat is not the thing which warps rotors. The cause of rotor warpage seems to be rapid cooling, i.e. getting them real hot coming down the mountain and then cruising on the flat for miles without using the brakes (worse on rainy days). I installed new pads and rotors and put on a set of the dust shields, mainly to help hold some heat and preclude fast cooling. I had no further problems with my rotors and my driving habits remained the same.
As to the lug loosening concern, I always retorque my lugnuts at each oil change and did not find any problem there and I had them on there for several years. The "rice" issue is, of course, one of personal taste. I did not find the black background offensive, at all, since I am not wild about the "open" look of most aftermarket wheels, especially as seen under the car from the far side. To me it is a weak look and with the centers filled in I was happier. I made my own "faux" brake discs, as seen in J.C.W., many years ago from one of my wife's aluminum cooky sheets. That was not such a bad look.
Jerry O.
2001 GG LX
