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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Leaving the backplates off?

Whilst in the process of fitting a new N/S whishbone, I thought I'd smarten up the suspension with a lick of paint.

On inspection, the disc brake backplate looked a bit tatty, with rusty spots and a few dents.

So my question is, should I just leave the backplates off?

Have others done this? What are the pros and cons?
Thanks.

Bernie.
b higginson

The PO fitted bigger brakes to the front of my car (possibly Frontline-sourced modified Spitfire discs and MGB calipers) and there have never been any backplates while I have owned the car. It has never caused me any problems, but I have to confess that I don't tend to drive the car in the foulest of weathers.
Jonathan Severn

Definitely!
My mk2 jaguar never came with them, and my parents' mk3 zephyr had a stone Lodge between ballplayer and disc which cut a groove in double quick time. So when I bought my B 40 yeRs ago the fist thing I did was remove the backyard. Despite having covered ten's of thousands of miles on gravel roads since (including lots of owed road special stage rally miles), plus very much more tarmac miles, there has never been an issue. And the brakes stay cooler.
Paul Walbran

Paul. Yes, I had a stone get up between disc and backplate on the motorway. Frightened me to death. Luckily, when I pulled over it fell out, no harm done.
b higginson

Ha, I see that #@(*#!!!! auto correct thinks it knows best again, quite humorous though, backyard indeed!
Paul Walbran

Not to mention the 'ballplayer' ;o)
Dave O'Neill 2

Ball player and fist thing - Kiwi auto correct is a bit non PC for us in Blighty
f pollock

If your car has damaged or very corroded back plates it can fail an MOT. If they are removed from the car it will not fail it's MOT on the backplate being removed.

For instance the MK2 MX5 you cannot get a new nearside front back plate but you can get a new offside front backplate and people are now removing the nearside ones that rust first to prevent an MOT failure.
Eddie Cairns

I was going to say if your driving on back country gravel roads then its a benefit but that appears to be a misconception

Pwul, trust me .. I feel your pain ...this latest update from 3 months ago is a royal fudge pack... auto correct used to be a great part of my phone but now it can't even be trusted to spell dog carp properly

I hate it and it can't be undone

Prop
1 Paper

This thread was discussed between 29/03/2018 and 01/04/2018

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