backing plates on brake rotors....

[ramblingboy42]

I'm just wondering how important or critical others may think these plates are?

My RH front cracked at every mounting screw about 18mths and I removed it.

The two rears have both cracked on two places and I'm about to remove them in 15mins time.

The LH front is still secure.

Had no problems in two big trips with the RH front removed.

Just wondering about their necessity.

[carldjohnston]

I've done the same, but have read that the rotors and pads will suffer in sand driving. Seems the backing plate keeps out the sand :)

[simonmelb]

Just buy new ones and use big washers to spread the forces to prevent them cracking again.

[PhilipA]

I welded mine on my RRC. Always rear left that goes first.
Even with my chook poo welding it held for many years.

Regards Philip A

[scarry]

I've done the same, but have read that the rotors and pads will suffer in sand driving. Seems the backing plate keeps out the sand :)

Exactly,they also help to keep out the dirt and dust on dirt roads.

[onebob]

I ditched my rear ones years ago and no ill effects since then - and think about it, reallly you don't need or use brakes when sand driving eh! and lets not mention mud driving. Ditch 'em, it's all scare mongering.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery-2/146894-rear-disc-guards.html#post1652482
onebob

[Dervish]

All of mine are removed after a wet trip up at the Cape. The area between the backing plates and the rotors filled with rocky mud. The mud dried out and fell away but the rocks remained wedged in there and very quickly wore huge grooves into the rotors.

If I ever get another 4x4 with them on, ripping them off will be my first job.

[onebob]

All of mine are removed after a wet trip up at the Cape. The area between the backing plates and the rotors filled with rocky mud. The mud dried out and fell away but the rocks remained wedged in there and very quickly wore huge grooves into the rotors.

If I ever get another 4x4 with them on, ripping them off will be my first job.

....that was my experience although my rotors didn't sustain damage.

onebob

[Resection]

I have refitted new shields, with bigger washers (after removing the cracked originals some years ago.) The D2 hub and ABS sensor are exposed without the shield...
No apparent ill effects until we were in the middle of the NT. This countryside is pretty rocky. A stone lodged between the inside of the rotor and ABS sensor, cracking it. Frequent 3 amigos for 2000km until I caught up with the replacement sent to Broome.
I can see the point about mud and rocks, I dont get to drive mud all that often. Mine are staying.

Jason.

[Disco Muppet]

I ditched my rear ones years ago and no ill effects since then - and think about it, reallly you don't need or use brakes when sand driving eh! and lets not mention mud driving. Ditch 'em, it's all scare mongering.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery-2/146894-rear-disc-guards.html#post1652482
onebob

You might not press the pedal but the brakes are still working, how do you think ETC works?!

[onebob]

You might not press the pedal but the brakes are still working, how do you think ETC works?! ;) thanks Muppet ....however your post ommitted your comment on the topic - disc guards Y/N? what's your experience?

onebob

[Disco Muppet]

I'm for leaving them on.
Haven't had a chance to thoroughly check them on mine yet, will do so when I rebuild the entire system; which will have to be soon as the rotors have been below minimum thickness since I bought it in 2012 :angel: :eek: Wouldn't be surprised if they're broken, everything else seems to be.... :p
Pretty sure Nugget on here welded his old ones onto his new ones for double strength, but not 100% sure. Hadn't heard of the washer fix :)
However I can understand that in certain situations, they can be a hinderance.
Realistically it's a bit much to pull your wheels off every morning when you're up the cape to clear the crap out but perhaps a bit of a quick eyeball on trips is a good idea anyway.

[PhilipA]

Hmm, perhaps the posters who recommend taking them off could provide a list of 4x4 makers who don't fit backing plates.

I think the list would be very short indeed.

Maybe in some unusual circumstances they are a hindrance but in nearly all circumstances they are a help.

Seeing all automakers are concerned with shedding weight one would think they would be the first thing to go if they didn't provide any benefit.

Regards Philip A

[ramblingboy42]

thanks for all the comments guys.

I'm off for another big trip shortly , without them......dont think it's gonna rain this time. Actually it's looks like it's going to be a stinker in central south australia.

I too am a bit like disco muppet , knowing my pads are very low, I may well replace the plates when I overhaul the brakes.


....in the mean time the suspension should be slightly better......reduced unsprung weight.....hahaha

[onebob]

Hmm, perhaps the posters who recommend taking them off could provide a list of 4x4 makers who don't fit backing plates.

I think the list would be very short indeed.

Maybe only in some unusual circumstances they are a hindrance but in nearly all circumstances they are a help.

Seeing all automakers are concerned with shedding weight one would think they would be the first thing to go if they didn't provide any benefit.

Regards Philip A

Hi Philip , I accept your point and yes it'd be a short list for sure - but you as the end user are at the pointy end of life and trusting their gear however if your disc "dust" guards give you grief cos they collect and hold mud and rocks I reckon you'll ditch 'em before complaining to the automaker about their design decisions.

OLD SAYING "once bitten - twice shy"

NB:- Isn't it something like 95% of 4WD's NEVER leave the flat top, if so then no wonder fouling of disc dust guards is not on the automakers radar....

onebob

[PhilipA]

I do have a bit of personal experience with this as with age you tend to get with a lot of things.

Waaay back I had a 77RRC which had had a hard life before I got it and had no backing plates, and AFAIR I was inexperienced enough not to know it had no backing plates LOL.

Anyway I went to Fraser island for a week, and coming off the beach at Tewantin, the brakes were squealing a lot. As it was the rear brakes , I took off the RH rear wheel ( in the main street of Tewantin) to find the inner pad material had disappeared completely and the disc was ruined.

My theory is that seeing the pad is always right up against the disc, the sand blown up from the front wheels grinds away the pad even if you don't use the brakes.

So that is why I like backing plates. I welded mine on my 92RRC as I am a tight arse, and the cracks IMHO are from the stress of the stamping, as the welds lasted until I sold the car years later.

Regards Philip A

[scarry]

I do have a bit of personal experience with this as with age you tend to get with a lot of things.

Waaay back I had a 77RRC which had had a hard life before I got it and had no backing plates, and AFAIR I was inexperienced enough not to know it had no backing plates LOL.

Anyway I went to Fraser island for a week, and coming off the beach at Tewantin, the brakes were squealing a lot. As it was the rear brakes , I took off the RH rear wheel ( in the main street of Tewantin) to find the inner pad material had disappeared completely and the disc was ruined.

My theory is that seeing the pad is always right up against the disc, the sand blown up from the front wheels grinds away the pad even if you don't use the brakes.

So that is why I like backing plates. I welded mine on my 92RRC as I am a tight arse, and the cracks IMHO are from the stress of the stamping, as the welds lasted until I sold the car years later.

Regards Philip A

My experience as well,lots of sand or very dusty dirt roads wear out the rears,even though the brakes are hardly used.

[Slunnie]

I've been running no backing plates for as long as I can remember and have had no problems, including no abnormal rear pad/rotor wear. Sand, mud, touring, rocks, its had the lot.

[Disco Muppet]

Your car is too high off the ground to be concerned by the problems of the rest of us mere mortals Slunnie :p :twisted:

[Jazzman]

Just buy new ones and use big washers to spread the forces to prevent them cracking again.



I tried this but the head of the bolt rubbed against the brand new rotor with a washer fitted.

[ramblingboy42]

dont understand this Jazzman, the boltheads are well inboard of the rotors.

[Yorkie]

Mine rattled loose on corrugations so removed them all, no ill effects.

[Jazzman]

dont understand this Jazzman, the boltheads are well inboard of the rotors.

It was a while ago but I think there is one on the front outside of the guard that is close to the rotor on the front.

[gusthedog]

I'm with PhillipA. Leave them on. I had a defender use new brake pads down to bare metal on a wet Tanami track in under 400 kms with the covers removed. The wet sand just stripped them. And I hardly touched the brakes.

Not scaremongering. Just my experience. I won't travel into remote areas without them.

[onebob]

I'm with PhillipA. Leave them on. I had a defender use new brake pads down to bare metal on a wet Tanami track in under 400 kms with the covers removed. The wet sand just stripped them. And I hardly touched the brakes.

Not scaremongering. Just my experience. I won't travel into remote areas without them.

I have factory alloy wheels and one wet year at Wonnangatta i had the reverse experience.... the backing plates apppeared to inhibit the wheels ability to shed the mud quickly. The squealing from the front wheels was worse than the back. When back in camp the wheels had to come to release the hardpacked. mud around the rear inside of the alloy rim.

onebob

[onebob]

I have factory alloy wheels and one wet year at Wonnangatta i had the reverse experience.... the backing plates apppeared to inhibit the wheels ability to shed the mud quickly. The squealing from the front wheels was worse than the back. When back in camp the wheels had to come to release the hardpacked. mud around the rear inside of the alloy rim.

onebob

:oops2::oops2: should READ as "When back in camp the wheels had to come OFF to release the hardpacked mud around the rear inside of the alloy rim.

[PhilipA]

should READ as "When back in camp the wheels had to come OFF to release the hardpacked mud around the rear inside of the alloy rim.
It would be probably the same with or without backing plates.
Regards Philip A

[onebob]

It would be probably the same with or without backing plates.
Regards Philip A

perhaps...

onebob