The Backing Plate Is The Unsung Hero Of Your Braking System

It's not the most interesting component on a car but a backing plate certainly has an integral part to play in a braking system
The Backing Plate Is The Unsung Hero Of Your Braking System

If you look through the wheel spokes of a drum-braked vehicle, you may be able to spot the outer circumference of the backing plate nestled behind the circular brake drum. They are pressed plates of steel that provide a support for the brake shoes and wheel cylinder. Those components then combine to provide an outward pressure and braking force on the rotating brake drum, slowing the car down.

Specific indentations are pressed into the metal sheeting to provide housings for the respective brake components to sit in, creating the basis for the drum to be connected to. The backing plate itself is mounted to the suspension setup, providing a stationery support in relation to the rotating drum.

A truly wonderful piece of automotive engineering
A truly wonderful piece of automotive engineering

Dust covers or splash guards on disc brake systems can also be referred to as ‘backing plates’. These components provide a shield from brake dust and water, reducing corrosion of suspension parts. They can also act as a heat shield for fragile non-metal parts like ball joints which can otherwise be damaged by heat from braking friction. In order to stay out of the way of the brake caliper, dust covers are normally shaped like a comma rather than the fully-circular plate found on a drum brake system.

The placement of backing plates mean that they can quickly succumb to erosion as water, salt and grit is splashed up into them, nibbling at their steel construction. This can become troublesome as, despite their relatively simple construction, backing plates can be rather expensive. For example on a 2015 Toyota Yaris, a new backing plate comes in at £83 ($102), which seems pricey for a pressed circle of metal!

It's fairly common for dust covers to corrode badly due to repetitive water and heat damage
It's fairly common for dust covers to corrode badly due to repetitive…

Can you think of another ‘forgotten’ car component like the backing plate? Have any of these components corroded away on your daily? Comment below with your exciting backing plate stories!

Comments

Jordan 4
01/21/2017 - 11:26 |
16 | 8
P5 Ford

Why is a stamped piece of metal so expensive? They must have a reason for it.. Or is it just the old regular. Let’s milk our customers as much as we possibly can..

01/21/2017 - 12:27 |
6 | 2
Chris Büsch

In reply to by P5 Ford

It might be because it is a fairly new car so most parts come off the production line.

01/21/2017 - 23:24 |
0 | 0
Dat muscle guy (Sam Stone)(Camaro Squad)(Die augen leader)(E

And here I wanna get rid of drum brakes

01/21/2017 - 13:12 |
2 | 8
Anonymous

It’s also the most annoying thing in the world when it starts coming loose and rattles…

01/21/2017 - 14:47 |
2 | 8
Anonymous
01/21/2017 - 16:05 |
0 | 8
Ricardo Mercio

I knew a few forgotten parts, but I forgot.

01/21/2017 - 20:37 |
0 | 8
Anonymous

Did you just assume the capacity level of my memory, I though we lived in an equal society ffs smh not Inn the 1800’s

01/21/2017 - 21:09 |
2 | 2
Macej

Its causing me a troubles from time to time so mine are going down soon as I had it on my previous car. So i dont seem backing plates as a heroic parts of my car….

01/21/2017 - 21:56 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

Backing plates are also great emergency substitutes for wheels when the wheel bearings fail catastrophically.

01/21/2017 - 22:56 |
4 | 0
Chris Büsch

Lol I’ve taken mine of because they rusted. Haven’t had any issues.

01/21/2017 - 23:23 |
0 | 0

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