Rear brake pad extension strip

As most will know that on the brake pad that fits against the rear caliper piston there is an extension strip of “bent metal”.
I don’t know (and will be interested to hear from those that do) what that piece of bent metal is for. I suspect it is to act as a vibration absorber.

What I’m really curious to find out is whether there is a correct position for that strip. The WSM (in the exploded diagram) shows it being positioned towards the bottom of the assembly. As the pads appear to be handed in this respect it must be possible to fit that pad such that the extension is uppermost.
I took a number of images before dismantling the assembly the image suggests that the exploded diagram is correct (but the same image appears to be wrong when looking at the shims). By the same token it doesn’t mean that what came off is correct!
Can anyone suggest an opinion or authoritative source?
 

What I think you are asking about is wear indicator. If pads wear too much that bent part of metal will be exposed and grind on your disks. That kind of sound you will not be able to ignore.
Pads have only one weay to be correctly positioned so there should be no possibility to position that part of metal wrong way. Only if pads are forced incorectly into position.

Thank you for that explanation.
Based on your reply I will need to check again. I totally agree that the pad with that metal strip can only go in one way I do think they are handed such that when fitted in the caliper it is possible to think or rather see that depending on which caliper and which pad the tab can be either low down or high up (once one is fitted the other will take the mirror image position).

Here is an official photo from the Pagid website showing the rear pads with the tabs i refer to. As you see they are handed and so it is perfectly possible to assemble the pair of calipers with the tabs either at the bottom or the top of each assembly depending on which one was selected for the first caliper chosen for service (left or right).
So I believe my question still stands. Which is correct and why? Tab at the bottom or the top.   

I just replied to this but it disappeared.
They can be fitted either way. I believe mine are at the bottom. They will do the job either way.
I also commented about the pads not fitting the carriers but I will omit that in order to keep this short and hope it posts this time!

They should not be placed either way. Only one eay is correct.

Wear sensor is placed on inner side due to fact that piston is on that side and that side wears slightly more and faster.

Further wear sensor must be put on leading edge. This means wear sensor is placed at bottom. Why - because due to way of rotation of the disc when disc first contact breaking pad you want for the indicator to be there in order to push indicator against the rotor rather then getting it snagged or bent backwards. That way loud, consistent screech is guaranteed.

Thank you Roverlike!
After I posted my info I went on a bike ride and all the way I was thinking about what I posted was incorrect!
Mine are on the bottom and now I know why I put them on the bottom.
Memory is precious when you are losing it!
Sorry for wrong info Delbourt.

Ah thats where you may be going wrong. You are definitely supposed to put them on the brakes, not on your bottom.

A bike ride is good for pondering...contemplating and realising you effed up...when I got back Roverlike had exposed my ignorance for all to see before I could alter it...I bare him no ill....cos he's brilliant!!

Just one point!
I agree about the brilliant aspect. 
But until other information comes to light l can’t see anything to positively indicate gender. The avatar might suggest “she’s brilliant”!

I guess we will never know……
I just hope that the encyclopaedic knowledge keeps coming. 

 

Well Delbourt..and anyone else maybe confused I used the search function..there's a novelty..and deduced from His profile that Roverlike is indeed male and was born in 1969.
All I can say is that 1969 was a good year for all of us MG enthusiasts...the stars aligned...we reap the knowledge.
I hope you are smiling Mr. Roverlike...😉