Rear brake backing plate replacement

[rjirvine]

Well the rear brake backing plates on my 99k mile 2000 Silverado 4x4 are toast (as seems to be pretty common). I did a search and looks like I'll have to pull the rear axles and change the axle seals while I'm at it. Question is, I can't find the backing plates at Rockauto or any of the normal car part websites. Do I have to get them from the dealer?

 

Anything to be watchful for when I replace them?

 

PS I just changed the spendy rear diff fluid and gasket about a year ago and the backing plates weren't TOO bad then. But now the right one is rusted thru and is rubbing on the rotor...makes me crabby!

[Bish]

Well the rear brake backing plates on my 99k mile 2000 Silverado 4x4 are toast (as seems to be pretty common).  I did a search and looks like I'll have to pull the rear axles and change the axle seals while I'm at it. Question is, I can't find the backing plates at Rockauto or any of the normal car part websites. Do I have to get them from the dealer?

 

Anything to be watchful for when I replace them?

 

PS I just changed the spendy rear diff fluid and gasket about a year ago and the backing plates weren't TOO bad then. But now the right one is rusted thru and is rubbing on the rotor...makes me crabby!

 

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HERE is a link for a good procedure. After you do the first side, you should finish the second in a fration the time.

 

Regarding the backing plates, GM only item. I went through P and G for the parts.

[alvocado]

My backing plates were really rusted when I changed out the brakes last fall. I doubt they'll last more than another year or so but I don't want to pull the axles to change them. How critical are these plates? I was tempted to cut them with a grinder to keep them from rubbing on the rotor.

[the blur]

ttt

[the blur]

anybody else do this?

both of mine are gone.

is it important?

[chris_kucia]

anybody else do this?

both of mine are gone.

is it important?

 

My 2000's got the rear end up on jackstands with the axles pulled waiting for the splash shields to come in. I bought Dorman's through NAPA. I generally buy GM, but since the originals weren't exactly awe-inspiring, I figured I'd not make the same mistake twice.

 

Probably give them a coat of paint over whatever they come with just as a bit of extra protection.

 

On mine, both splash plates were rusted to the point they were being held together by the paint on the outside. Both rotors were rusted and scored on the inside surface only. Parking brake area was all rusted and dirty. I was telling my wife that I'd expect less rust on a car sitting in a field for a couple of decades than was on the splash sheilds on my 8 year old daily driver.

 

IMHO, the splash plates definitely keep the parking brake area clean so those keep working. I'm leaning towards thinking they keep the rotors clean too since both of mine were gouged up the same way.

 

 

My simple rear brake job has turned into a multi-day ordeal with pulling axles, messing with the differential, etc. Nothing else on the truck as rusted away like these splash shields. Makes me wonder if they weren't defective from the factory.

[the blur]

keeping the rotors clean is not an issue. if you park your car for a week, the cast iron starts to rust anyhow.

keeping crud out of the parking brake area may be worth while.

 

I understand the backing plate is what holds some of the parking brake assembly... although I havn't pulled mine apart to see...