Rattle in Mk3 rear hub

First post here guys. Be gentle . I’ve been restoring a ‘75 Commando Roadster for my brother which has been off the road since ‘82. It’s complete and has had its first 200 mi break-in run - no issues. However, I noticed the rear hub has a slight rattle like something is loose when I shake it. I’m pretty sure it is the drive plate behind the cush drive (06-4810). What exactly is the function of this plate and is it normal or inconsequential to be slightly loose? The cush drive rubbers are fine and I’d rather not take it apart unless there is a problem.

springs75 said:

However, I noticed the rear hub has a slight rattle like something is loose when I shake it. I’m pretty sure it is the drive plate behind the cush drive (06-4810). What exactly is the function of this plate and is it normal or inconsequential to be slightly loose?

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Yes, it almost certainly is the backplate and not the first time the rattle has been mentioned so it's normal although it can be stuck in with silicone sealant or similar.

The plate prevents the cush rubbers dropping into the empty hub space.

L.A.B. said:

Yes, it almost certainly is the backplate and not the first time the rattle has been mentioned so it's normal although it can be stuck in with silicone sealant or similar.

The plate prevents the cush rubbers dropping into the empty hub space.

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Thank you for the quick response L.A.B. That’s what I suspected. If in the future I need to replace the cush drive rubbers, I will silicone the plate in.

springs75 said:

If in the future I need to replace the cush drive rubbers, I will silicone the plate in.

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If you decide to do so some time in the future then note that the 06-5548 lockring is normal right-hand thread as some versions of the Mk3 manual say "left-hand thread".

Thanks, I did replace the two bearings in the hub and noticed this discrepancy in the manual.