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YOUR RESEARCHPlate behind rotors
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Use screwdriver
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So I had a big scare on my way home from work the other night.... Everything was fine until I started to accelerate to make a right turn. I heard this loud screetching sound, like metal dragging on the ground. I was driving next to an industrial facility where they are often doing metal work so I didn't think too much at first. Then as the sound followed me I quickly pulled into the first driveway as "oh SH$$" is going through my head! The noise stopped when I stopped, I looked around and didn't see anything out of the norm. I let the car roll and there was the sound. Called a friend so I could pin point the noise while he was inside the car releasing the brake. I was able to hear it was coming from the right front wheel. After a few minutes of searching I pushed a little on the plate behind the rotor and heard something pin balling around. I pushed on the bottom of the plate and out fell a little pebble. I guess it must have lodged itself in one of the holes in the drilled rotor and was scraping on the plate as it went around.
So long story to get to my question.....Do most people remove these plates? I've never noticed them on other Porsches. The only mention of these plates I could find is in the link below where someone mentions getting pebbles stuck in there.
http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/9...ind-rotor.html
I have had a pebble stuck behind the plate on my right rear wheel with similar results to what you experienced. Brake backing plates are not unique to Porsches and I had the same thing happen to a 535i I had years ago.
I don't know the technical reasons for their existence but I've never thought about removing them.
I always bent mine away from the rotor to buy some clearance and avoid scraping. As was mentioned in the other thread you can remove them (and many track drivers do).
I first encountered them on my XK8 when I had factory big brakes added to it. Jaguar failed to send the new plates so my installer just removed them altogether. I never had an issue, but I unfortunately didn't have the car that much longer (not brake related
) so I can't speak to long term impact.
This winter seems especially bad for getting stuff caught up in there on our 996.
I've had them rub on my rotors after a weekend at the track. Was scary at first because you don't really know what's happening. I took the tire off and let the wheel turn freely and found the issue. Used a screwdriver to bend it back and no issues.
I believe they help with keeping brake dust and heat off other suspension components. For a street car probably worth keeping on.
I believe the reason for the backing plates is to keep water and debris from hitting the back of the rotor and reducing brake effectiveness or damaging things. They may also channel cooling air along the inside face of the rotor.
My suggestion is not to remove the dust/heat shield behind the rotor. That shield act as radiation shield to suspension components like balljoint and tie rod. I work as heat management engineer in one of the oem and have seen brake rotor templates exceeded 600C.
If you don't drive your car hard and not heating the brakes, you would be fine with the heat shield removed. But if you often brake hard and stop immediately, it might be an issue.
My suggestion is instead of taking it off, you can to cut it and leave the area near balljoint and tie rod.
