In order to increase the bonding strength between Plating layer and substrate and promote the formation of a transfer film, a new type of Ni-Cu-P brush plating layer with excellent wear resistance was developed on the basis of an Ni-P amorphous plating layer, although it showed different behaviour when the substrate was changed. This paper systematically investigated its tribological behaviour on a ''ball-on-disc'' testing machine under lubrication with paraffin oil, and analyzed in depth the effect of substrates (conventionally heat treated 1045 steel and nitrided 1045 steel) on its microstructure, hardness, wear resistance and wear mechanism. The results showed that the load bearing capacity of an Ni-Cu-P brush plating layer on a nitrided 1045 steel substrate can be more than ten times that of a 1045 steel without a plating layer, and more than twice that of a 1045 steel substrate without a nitriding layer. The composite coating process can usually offer an immeasurable effect through the interaction between composite layers.