523/568 shift fork pads, pricing feeler

[135sohc]

The 1-2 and 5th gear shift fork plastic pads are no longer available from Mopar and unless you have a secret stash or know of one there are none left scattered around the country NOS.

Very simple question: What are you willing to pay for a direct OEM replacement ? $1? $5? or maybe even up to $10 for a direct drop in replacement part. Parts would be made of a similar material to the original or possibly a better plastic material that wasnt around 25 years ago. Reasoning for plastic is simple, it works and works just fine unless abused to infinity and beyond... So hold the hate mail on the metal vs plastic debate.

And please keep in mind, small volume intricate parts especially those that require injection type molding and/or CNC type work cost more than something that can be fabricated without specialty equipment. So please hold the hate mail there also...

I'm contacting a few different places that specialize in low volume plastic production and want a rough idea of what people would be willing to spend.

Thank you.

[Austrian Dodge]

making a whole kit? i'd be in for one or two.
don't know how much they were originally from mopar, but i figure around $5 - $10 each is OK?

[turbovanman²]

Check with "badassperformance", he was planning on making some.

[karlak]

I would sure buy a couple sets.

[135sohc]

making a whole kit? i'd be in for one or two.
don't know how much they were originally from mopar, but i figure around $5 - $10 each is OK?

Only the parts that are not available at this time which is the 1-2 and 5 fork pads. The 3-4 is still available from what I know and I just ordered a ton of them as a supply for myself (assuming there still available). Oem original price was around $2.50 each iirc, I could never get a price that low unless selling several thousand. Target price would be between $5-7 per pad and theres 4 per transmission so between $20-28 is the target.

Check with "badassperformance", he was planning on making some.

Last I checked that thread the metal ones were not working out so great ?.

[turbovanman²]

Last I checked that thread the metal ones were not working out so great ?.

Bummer.

Glad someone is getting on this,

[MNmopar]

Target price would be between $5-7 per pad and theres 4 per transmission so between $20-28 is the target.

That seems extremely reasonable to me, I'd buy a few sets at that price. In fact, please let me know if you do make these, ok?

[Directconnection]

being that there are none left.... and it's an important part for the transmissions.... I don't see why anyone would have an issue for even $10 each. If they work, then they should be the last ones you'll ever need.

[zin]

being that there are none left.... and it's an important part for the transmissions.... I don't see why anyone would have an issue for even $10 each. If they work, then they should be the last ones you'll ever need.

What he said!^

Also, I'd seriously consider making it a kit with all the NS1 or soon-to-be NS1 parts, it would be worth the extra $10.00 to not have to make a separate trip to the dealer and/or have to wait for them to come in... With a kit, once you have it, you are ready to start!

And the price is reasonable, even with an "extra" piece, IMHO.

Mike

[BadAssPerformance]

Check with "badassperformance", he was planning on making some.

Yes, I have pototype bronze pads in two cars now. Since my Z is down for the winter we just put them in a daily driver. More to come...

Only the parts that are not available at this time which is the 1-2 and 5 fork pads. The 3-4 is still available from what I know and I just ordered a ton of them as a supply for myself (assuming there still available). Oem original price was around $2.50 each iirc, I could never get a price that low unless selling several thousand. Target price would be between $5-7 per pad and theres 4 per transmission so between $20-28 is the target.

What trans do you have? Each MTX 5-speed in our cars has 6 pads. Are you planning to injection mold them or what?

Last I checked that thread the metal ones were not working out so great ?.

Not sure where you heard that? They work GREAT in my car. Even the soft brass ones that showed some wear and I swapped out for the bronze ones are still in decent shape and would have been destroyed if they were plastic.

[135sohc]

Yes, I have pototype bronze pads in two cars now. Since my Z is down for the winter we just put them in a daily driver. More to come...



What trans do you have? Each MTX 5-speed in our cars has 6 pads. Are you planning to injection mold them or what?

523/568. The 1-2 and 5 fork pads are the same from my researching. 3-4 are still available and not a priority at this time.

Not sure where you heard that? They work GREAT in my car. Even the soft brass ones that showed some wear and I swapped out for the bronze ones are still in decent shape and would have been destroyed if they were plastic.

other answer in bold.

I must have gotten lost in trying to follow your fork pad thread, seems you had mixed results with how well they were holding up ?

[135sohc]

being that there are none left.... and it's an important part for the transmissions.... I don't see why anyone would have an issue for even $10 each. If they work, then they should be the last ones you'll ever need.

$10/pad would pay for itself alot sooner than $5 but you know how people here are... They are CHEAP and like to b!tch about anything and everything

[BadAssPerformance]

Miss a hard 7000 RPM shift and no pad is gonna have a good time no matter what material. I race my car a lot and I want the best material that can live with missed shifts cuz they do happen when racing all out.

So mixed results? The brass did not live up to my hopes, but they lived way better than plastic. So far the brinze is doing better than brass.

3-4 are no longer available that I know of either, at least the last time I tried to buy them whcih is part of why I also made the original brass ones... LMK if you find some, but I find it funny you posted you're trying to buy the remaining ones and that you want to sell your own, LOL

[BadAssPerformance]

Are you planning to injection mold them or what?

I missed the response to this... I have access to injection molding equipment if there is any need for plastic?

[turbovanman²]

Be nice JT,

[135sohc]

Miss a hard 7000 RPM shift and no pad is gonna have a good time no matter what material. I race my car a lot and I want the best material that can live with missed shifts cuz they do happen when racing all out.

So mixed results? The brass did not live up to my hopes, but they lived way better than plastic. So far the brinze is doing better than brass.

3-4 are no longer available that I know of either, at least the last time I tried to buy them whcih is part of why I also made the original brass ones... LMK if you find some, but I find it funny you posted you're trying to buy the remaining ones and that you want to sell your own, LOL

I ordered 8 of the 3-4 fork pads. lifetime supply for me, assuming they are not discontinued. Didnt show as being at the site I order with but things can change before the catalogs update. I'm not into this stuff for making a profit...

I missed the response to this... I have access to injection molding equipment if there is any need for plastic?

injection molding. If you have access to the equipment why havnt you started making these yet ? Theres plenty of market out there for the plastic versions.

[BadAssPerformance]

I ordered 8 of the 3-4 fork pads. lifetime supply for me, assuming they are not discontinued. Didnt show as being at the site I order with but things can change before the catalogs update. I'm not into this stuff for making a profit...

injection molding. If you have access to the equipment why havnt you started making these yet ? Theres plenty of market out there for the plastic versions.

The term "plenty" is relative... you just said 8 would be a "lifetime supply" that sounds more than "plenty" when you say it that way, no? ... I would probably need to sell 1000 pads at $5 each to break even, or 500 at $10, or... You see the problem with molding them is the tooling cost.

So if I could make them out of bronze for even $20 each, and 2 of them (per fork) is a lifetime supply for a trans, Would only need to sell enough to cover the cost of raw material.

[135sohc]

Just an FYI the 3-4 pad is still available as of 7 minutes ago when I called the parts dept.