I just received my new rear hubs (with new bearings :D ), but there's a slight problem- being from a wrecked car, they weren't real careful about not bending up the backing plates. I'm thinking about just cutting them off, since trying to bend them back looks like it would be tough. What potential problems will I encounter without that ring of metal around the inside of the disc? The only thing I can think of is problems braking when wet, but since they're on the back, I'm not too worried.

Josh

That is just the dust protector. I took my front ones off too help cool the brakes but the rear rotors didn't seem to want to come off.

If you plan on going offroad (rally) leave them on. If you are like me and don't go offroad, take them off. The brakes will generate enough heat to evaporate the rain water off.

p@

I say just the opposite for off-road use -

In all my trucks (heavy off-road use) I took the disc protector off because I would constantly get rocks/sticks/pine cones stuck in there, making a god awful screech until you stopped and fished it out.

For street use, I suppose they would tend to keep heat in the brakes... Can't really think of a reason to keep them on, except not caring enough to take them off.

Thanks for the input... I futzed around with them a little tonight, and it turns out they're only held on by a half-dozen or so spot welds and, in trying to straighten them, a couple of the welds started coming loose... So I guess it's off they come :) Pry them off, put on a bit of spray paint to keep the rust down, and I should be good to go. Besides, it'll look a little "racier" this way. ;)