[suprarx7nut]

I designed a torque plate this weekend. If there's interest from a handful of people I'll go ahead and have some made. It looks like I could price them around $600-750. Perhaps as low as $500 with a group buy.

Anyone interested in a 7M torque plate?


For those unfamiliar, a torque plate is a tool used by machine shops during honing/boring. It is a tool which ensures the cylinders are machined to a cylindrical shape while under clamping load of the head. It mimics the cylinder head and is bolted onto the block during these machining processes. It has open holes over the cylinders so honing/boring can take place while the block is under the same clamping load it sees in actual use. If a torque plate is not used, the cylinder walls will be slightly out of round, decreasing service life. Some folks believe the use of a torque plate depends on power goals, but I disagree. I think if you're machining a block, you should be using a torque plate.

 

[Wreckless]

PM Alan aka Captain here on SF if you haven't already talked to him. He's ABQ's most hard core 7M dude and I know he was looking for one recently.

 

[Captain]

There's another well known CNC guy that I checked with that has previously made them and can make them for a better price than what you're estimating them at.

Problem is no one wants one which means having him make a batch of one which really sucks on his end.

There's a 95% chance I'll just buy a whole batch myself and sit on them for an eternity.

 

[suprarx7nut]

There's another well known CNC guy that I checked with that has previously made them and can make them for a better price than what you're estimating them at.

Problem is no one wants one which means having him make a batch of one which really sucks on his end.

There's a 95% chance I'll just buy a whole batch myself and sit on them for an eternity.

Fair enough. I'm basing my pricing thus far solely on Xometry, which I know tends to be high. If a shop already has the design they could surely pump a few out for less than what I'd charge since I'd have to cover both my time/investment and the CNC shop's profit.

Like you said, demand is minimal. Someone is going to have to bite the bullet and invest in it up front and make their money back over the next 5 years. If you do make one/some, please let me know. I will need one in the next year or two. If somebody else gets some made, I'll be the customer. If nobody makes it, I'll be the vendor.

 

[Captain]

I'll be needing one next month so I went ahead and ordered a batch of 5 this morning. No ETA yet but I'll let you know when I have one.

 

[KenHenderson]

I'll be needing one next month so I went ahead and ordered a batch of 5 this morning. No ETA yet but I'll let you know when I have one.

Hey, my friend,

I'll buy one of those five from you when you receive them and have inspected them accordingly. Please PM me your price and mailing address. Many thanks for doing this.


Ken.

 

[Captain]

Rough ETA is 3 weeks and these are being made by Sleeper Designs. I am estimating them to be at $400 but possibly lower depending on shipping costs.

I will send you a PM Ken.

 

[sixpack]

What material are you going to have them out of ?

 

[Captain]

What material are you going to have them out of ?

6061 Aluminum

 

[sixpack]

I would have thought something stiffer, like something in the 7000 range,
or 'MIC-6 tooling plate' made by ALCOA, which is made just for fixtures, and tooling, and is also very stiff.

 

[Captain]

It seems that the majority of torque plates out there are either 6061 billet or some grade of steel, mostly 1018 from what I've seen. I've seen cast plates but never specified as MIC-6, and they are usually far to cheap to be MIC-6.

In the 3 months of research I put into the subject I found nothing definitive that wasn't a glorified marketing campaign for a manufacturers product so I elected to go with what ever Sleeper Designs was building them out of.

 

[88soup]

I'll be needing one next month so I went ahead and ordered a batch of 5 this morning. No ETA yet but I'll let you know when I have one.

Captain, I'm definitely interested in keeping you from sitting on one of them for an eternity as well.
I have/had one foot in the door with CCA Racing for one as of yesterday until suprarx7nut gave me the heads up.
Can you PM me the details as well?

 

[suprarx7nut]

I think 6061 is fine, if not preferred. The goal is to imitate the cylinder head, which is aluminum. A steel torque plate may pull the block in a very slightly different way where the aluminum would give more. Most the torque plates I've seen were aluminum.

Also, I'm in for one if it's priced around $400. Let me know when you've got it.

 

[Captain]

suprarx7nut- Sorry I seem to have hijacked your thread:hide: I am figuring the total price including shipping to be right at $400 to CONUS. I'll make sure to set one aside for you from this batch.

88soup- I'll send you a PM with details once I get the plates in my possession but I've got one earmarked for you.

With that said I'll have one left over. Thought I'd end up with a bunch of torque plates as wall decorations.....

 

[GC89]

I think 6061 is fine, if not preferred. The goal is to imitate the cylinder head, which is aluminum. A steel torque plate may pull the block in a very slightly different way where the aluminum would give more. Most the torque plates I've seen were aluminum.

Also, I'm in for one if it's priced around $400. Let me know when you've got it.

I agree, the factory cylinder head is quite compliant with all the passages so 6061 should be more than adequate.

 

[suprarx7nut]

suprarx7nut- Sorry I seem to have hijacked your thread:hide: I am figuring the total price including shipping to be right at $400 to CONUS. I'll make sure to set one aside for you from this batch.

88soup- I'll send you a PM with details once I get the plates in my possession but I've got one earmarked for you.

With that said I'll have one left over. Thought I'd end up with a bunch of torque plates as wall decorations.....

No worries on the hijack. As long as 7M torque plates get made I'm happy!

 

[88soup]

suprarx7nut- Sorry I seem to have hijacked your thread:hide: I am figuring the total price including shipping to be right at $400 to CONUS. I'll make sure to set one aside for you from this batch.

88soup- I'll send you a PM with details once I get the plates in my possession but I've got one earmarked for you.

With that said I'll have one left over. Thought I'd end up with a bunch of torque plates as wall decorations.....

Cool, thanks!

 

[SupraPilot]

The plate as mentioned should be made from AL and should be as close to the cast unit in hardness to imitate as best as possible. The came bolts should be used and the correct TQ procedure just like your installing the real one. The other VERY important thing is the plate should be of the same dimensions as the real head. My next plate I buy will have to be.

 

[sixpack]

If you can pull this all together, you will probably get more people wanting them.
Since SupraRich is no longer around, the only other ones are made by BHJ, and they get $800 for their 7M plate.
They include hardened steel washers with their plates.

Just remember when using one, it should be on a freshly decked or lapped block.
Which reminds me, I need to get my lapping block re-ground, as it's starting to show a little deviation across it's 12" length.

 

[tundra2000]

I'm interested, nowhere around me has a torque plate for 7m.