Hello hunters of steel and alloy, I recently bought an early Deore “Deerhead” rear derailleur for $20 at a local shop, and not long after that found the Deerhead front mech for even less money.

They both look so purty, in excellent cosmetic condition, and though I haven’t installed them yet, show no blatant signs of mechanical issues.

I was all jolly about these purchases, and have a project that is ripe for them, but then went on to read some BF / C&V threads with posts warning that the SuperPlate version of this derailleur was fatally flawed, and to be avoided. Sheesh, ok, thanks for the buzzkill.

So I guess my question is : are there any particular things I should look for that would tell me that my particular derailleur’s SuperPlate is in imminent danger of collapse, or explosion, or whatever it is they like to do? Should I immediately consign this derailleur to ebay, or the antique shop, or make jewelry out of it? Or rather should I pay no heed to the haters, and boldly sally forth unto the hills astride my super-plated deer?

Help me out folks. I need closure and clarity.