Baffle help for friend

[RV7Guy]

One of my neighbors discovered several of his baffles cracked during the teardown for his Condition Inspection. He is using the stock baffles with a Sam James Plenum.

He's out on a vacation now and asked if I would post to see what others are using for baffles with the SJ plenum.

The cracks are on the forward baffle at the radius, both sides, the left rear is a disaster at the oil cooler and the right rear as a couple of cracks. The oil cooler has not been removed yet so it is unclear if the rear baffles are cracked or not.

He was thinking of using thicker stock for new ones.

Thanks in advance!!!

[Rupester]

I used the stock Vans baffle kit. For the oil cooler on the back of #4, I used the doubler that Vans provides plus another .063 doubler all the way around the circumference of the cooler on the aft side of the baffle. I also added a third long bolt on the outboard side. No cracks at 150 hrs....