Brake Pads - heat shield & flipping sides

[23jayhawk]

What is the verdict on the OEM heat shields on the brake pads? I'm about to install a set of DP's and they do not have a replacement shield. Do I need to transfer the backings to the new pads?

Also, the DP package has a sticker on one pad indicating 'piston side'. Looking at the pads I can't see a difference between them. Is there? Based on how the last pair wore, I was planning to swap the pads around every so often to get longer/even wear.

BTW, I searched back 2 years and did not find more than a cursory reference to these questions.

 

[Danny Stein]

If your talking about the shield on the pads you took off the bike I did in that case. They just pried right off with a flat head screw driver. And popped right backed on the new pads no problem. My pops told me they were for squeaking effects. I quess if you wanted to leave them off you could. Thats what my pops told me when I was doing my pads and he's a auto mechanic working on cars for 25 years.

 

[Braahp]

I don't use the heat shields and yes I swap the pads around because they wear uneven. No probs.

 

[davidg]

I use the heat shield and the white insert between the sheild and pads. I've only gone through two sets of pads but they both wore evenly on mine.