Torque plate

[gakali]

My buddy works in a machine shop and is going to make a torque plate for me . How thick should it be?

Also, it sounds like he may have a lot of time on his hands soon. What if he made a bunch of them and tried to sell them? Anyone interested? What kind of money is realistic? Shipping would suck but oh well...

[bluneon]

they're only needed when honing and boring a block. they aren't everyday used items. so i dunno about mass producing them. most competant 'chiners would have their own anyway.

[mpgmike]

Sunny guns! Mopar Performance/Direct Connection used to sell them. I looked through the 2002 catalog and all they have is for SB/BB/Hemi. These are only about 1" thick from the pictures. You could try calling FWD Performance and find out how thick theirs is. They rent it out for $50 for 2 weeks w/a $300 deposite.

Personally, I'd love to have one. I do quite a few TDs. I don't know what kind of price you need, but I'll trade you a head porting for one. Or perhapse an adjustable cam gear? Do you even need anything other than the money that I might have?

Mike

[The Barron]

I had one made in the welding/machine shop I work in. MY cost was $250CDN

It was made out of 2" thick HSLC(44W) plate.

http://clox.iwarp.com/gasketonplate.jpg

A bit thick I know.. but hey.. it worked.

[JDIZZ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluneon they're only needed when honing and boring a block. they aren't everyday used items. so i dunno about mass producing them. most competant 'chiners would have their own anyway.

I have one, I use it for honing, not boring.
It is around 1 3/4" thick. I will check the next time I see it.
I paid around $ 250.00 US for it.

Joe Dzwil

[allmotor]

they are readily available from engine machining sources...like goodson and silver seal. I had 2 of them and sold each for $100.

[mpgmike]

The 1999 Mopar Performance catalog lists them as part number P4286787. The 2002 price sheet lists it at $315 (racer's net). Don't know if they're still available. Incidentally, would these suckers work on the 2.0 + 2.4 blocks?

Mike

[gakali]

My buddy made me the first one, just a prototype since its not the type of thing he normally makes. He made it 1 " thick out of ALUMINUM for some reason. He was just goofing around and setting up his machine. It does look good and seems sturdy but is it even worth using?

I dont see why they couldnt be used on 2.0 and 2.4 since the bores and bolt holes line up.

What do guys use for bolts, I guess you want the same block penetration as the headbolts with the head on, right?

[mpgmike]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gakali My buddy made me the first one, just a prototype since its not the type of thing he normally makes. He made it 1 " thick out of ALUMINUM for some reason. He was just goofing around and setting up his machine. It does look good and seems sturdy but is it even worth using? I dont see why they couldnt be used on 2.0 and 2.4 since the bores and bolt holes line up. What do guys use for bolts, I guess you want the same block penetration as the headbolts with the head on, right?

Right. You use shorter bolts and shim with washers to get approximately (as close as you can) the same thread depth/penetration as you will have with your head bolts and everything bolted up.

So, how much? I'll even take aluminum.

Mike

PS, hurry before I spend my $$ on some other stupid little trinket.

[Reaper1]

I have a MP one. It was about $330 out the door(a bit over a year ago now). I don't know if it was the machine shop or the plate itself(could have been a combination), but they had to bore the plate itself so that they could use it to bore and hone my block! The holes for the cylinders weren't centered on the block. At any rate, it is fine now(at least for .020" over), but that shop won't be using my stuff again any time soon...

[nemesismachine]

most machine shops already have them , hence no need to make one. The ones around here use them on all the performance/racing motors they build. saved me a ton of $$.

[Reaper1]

Yeah, well in the north they actually believe in doing things propperly. Down here you're lucky if the shop knows what a torque plate is, much less how to use it right. Even the shop I took my stuff to didn't do it right, and they do use them on other types of engines. It's really sad when you are willing to pay for a service and the people STILL won't do the work...that's the mentality down this way...it sucks.

[Putter]

Aluminum should be fine, you have an aluminum head bolted to the block normally, and the point of a torque plate is to simluate the cylinder head.......

I've always been going to just bandsaw the caps off of a cracked swirly and bore the 4 holes in it, can't get much closer simulation to a production head than that.

[gakali]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Putter Aluminum should be fine, you have an aluminum head bolted to the block normally, and the point of a torque plate is to simluate the cylinder head....... I've always been going to just bandsaw the caps off of a cracked swirly and bore the 4 holes in it, can't get much closer simulation to a production head than that.

Yeah but its only 1" thick. The heads got to be 2" or so at the bolts. I'll probably keep it and use it but I would still prefer steel.