Backing plate replacement?

[79K15 HIghSierra]

Replacing the rear axle (current one is mismatched gear from the front, don’t ask why). The one I got to swap in has pretty crusty backing plates, how hard and what is involved in removing them? Guessing I’ll need to remove the axle shafts?

 

[CalSgt]

On the corporate 12 bolt axle: remove the brake drums & brake hardware, take the diff cover off, pull the center pin out of the carrier, remove the "C" clips from the axle shafts, pull axles, remove the brake line from wheel cylinder, unbolt wheel cylinders, remove 4 bolts from backing plate and bobs your uncle.

Biggest issue is probably the wheel cylinders, the brake line can be hard to get loose without damaging it.