Ever Run Without Brake Backing Plates?

[tptrsn]

Hey drift forum cohorts!

My POS e36 missile has some super rotted backer plates on a corner or two, and I think I'm just going to yank them off the car and call it good. I'd never suggest something like this in "normal" car forums, but this one seems fairly open to doing stuff "wrong" if it doesn't really tend to cause much of a problem. And, with the extra rear calipers on some of the cars around this forum, I figure backing plates get thrown in the trash anyway.

So what do you all say about it? Ever tried?

[Novablue454]

I'm 99% sure that most people running dual calipers toss those plates.

[tptrsn]

Thank you!

[protomor]

+1 I run mine out of laziness

[tptrsn]

+1 I run mine out of laziness

Does this mean you left them on out of laziness, or you didn't put them back on out of laziness? Probably the former I guess?

[protomor]

left them on. rears require the bearings out to take off.

[tptrsn]

Ok, gotchya, thanks. BTW, the bearings don't need to be out if you're handy with cutting tools. But I hear you.

[protomor]

Well the rear backing plate is required for the factory hand brake shoes' locking mechanism. So if anything, I'd replace them with new ones. Which I might next time I do the bearings.

[tptrsn]

Oh yeah, you don't use your hydro as your parking brake, do you? And I forgot you're one of the poor souls who doesn't have automatic trans you can put in park. I crack me up.

What about the front brake backer plates? That's what are absolutely shot on my car. I can't imagine why I really need them.

[tiMASTER]

We take them off the Land Rovers because they just pack with mud.

On a stret car, I believe the intent is to keep junk and water off the rotors so they stop when you need them. Although plenty splashes on the front side...

And if you have the M3 bumper cover, the ducts sort of line up with the plates to help cool them. But, if you are not pointed straight with the wheels, they don't line up. Long track cars use a more complete backing plate with an attached duct (looks like a dryer hose, but isn't) so every angle the hubs are flooded with air.

[protomor]

I don't trust hydraulics to keep my car parked. So I kept my mechanical hand brake. I can always put the car in gear but even with autos, I always put on the parking brake. Can you tell I'm risk averse?

Front plates you can chuck. In some cases they just get in the way and make noises. Mine are still on tho.

[tptrsn]

Thanks guys, front backer plates, or what remains of them, will be gone the next time I work on the car!

I'm still using my rear drums for driftybrake, so for now I'll leave the rears on. If they start to annoy me I'll just angle grinder off the part of them I don't need, but for now it's really the fronts that are getting on my nerves.