A subassembly for use in a brake assembly, the subassembly comprising a shim, a backing plate and a friction pad formed of a friction pad material, wherein the friction pad material extends into at least one pass-through hole in the backing plate; and wherein one or more flanges perimetering at least one opening in the shim are encased in the friction material; whereby the shim is resisted from movement at least in part by the one or more flanges being encased in the friction pad material. A preferred methodology of forming the braking subassembly comprises the steps of forming the friction pad on the backing plate and at least partially filling the at least one pass-through hole with said friction pad material such that the one or more flanges perimetering the at least one opening in the shim is encased in the friction pad material.