[DenisW]

I am in the US and have a 2009 451 Brabus and I need to replace the rear valance (part that covers the exhaust area) due to damage. I purchased a facelift version from a company in the UK and it does not have have a heat shield, or mounting points for one. The one coming off my US model does have a heat shield. The UK person advises me he has not seen heat shields on the European cars.
I am wondering if the heat shield was added for US import to meet one of our many regulations.

Does your Brabus have a heat shield (see picture). The second picture is of the part I am going to install.

 

[jetfuel]

…Eastwood sales Heat Shield..
…so does Jegs racing..

jetfuel…simple fix

 

[DenisW]

Understand, but does it really need it? I can also remove the one off the existing and fabricate a mount for it, or wrap the muffler.

 

[jetfuel]

…if you can transfer the shield more power to you…
…it gets pretty hot around there so anything that you can do to help keep the plastic from melting the better…

jetfuel…I would

 

[smark]

Bumper & Components - Rear for 2012 Smart Fortwo | MB Online Parts

www.mbonlineparts.com

 

[DenisW]

Smark, I am not quite sure what you are wanting me to see. I am familiar with this illustration, I have the original heat shield, so I don't need one. I also noticed the non-Brabus does not have a heat shield, but the Brabus does, which bring me to the question is it really needed or a US reg for import. As we know the European Brabas has a turbo and the US does not; could it have been the MB had planed on a turbo in the US but in the final days could not pass EPA reg's, hence the addition of the heat shield in prep. ???

 

[kong24680]

Smark, I am not quite sure what you are wanting me to see. I am familiar with this illustration, I have the original heat shield, so I don't need one. I also noticed the non-Brabus does not have a heat shield, but the Brabus does, which bring me to the question is it really needed or a US reg for import. As we know the European Brabas has a turbo and the US does not; could it have been the MB had planed on a turbo in the US but in the final days could not pass EPA reg's, hence the addition of the heat shield in prep. ???

I've got a US valance in excellent condition on my Smart. I'm open to swapping for your European valance and pay for shipping both ways if your interested and want to run the heatshield.

 

[DenisW]

I've got a US valance in excellent condition on my Smart. I'm open to swapping for your European valance and pay for shipping both ways if your interested and want to run the heatshield.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

 

[DenisW]

My current plan is to follow jetfuel's advise and get heat shield material from Jegs and attach it. First I have to get the car back so I can see which item will make the best installation. But I sure would like to know if the European & US models are different in this regard, so if you have a European model I sure would like to hear from you.

 

[DenisW]

As an interim update; the car is inline for the paint shop, who is backed up. I reached out to Smart Madness about the rear Brabus valances they have sold over the years. They advised me that none of the valances they installed, or sold, had the heat shield and no problems reported. Now that said, I am confident that most were installed/sold for conversions to a Brabus type exhaust system of theirs, which may be better insulated than the MB Brabus exhaust.

Happy 4th everyone.