Thread: backing plates on brake rotors....

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 Wouldn't be surprised if they're broken, everything else seems to be....
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.

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

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

Originally Posted by 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 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

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

Originally Posted by 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

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

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.

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