Do I need a torque wrench to tighten screws when replacing top cover? It says to tighten 12-15 in-lbs.

 

I dont.. You should just tighten it really soft using two fingers on your screwdriver. Just tighten it untill you see the gasket start to "deform" slightly. Otherwise if you tighten it to hard it will start to leak brake fluid. It is a weakness they have. Make sure that the gasket and the "touching" surfaces isndry when you assemble.

 

And i think 12-15 in-lbs is too hard

 

And remember the brake fluid kills your paint if it gets on a painted surface.. So throw away the cloth or paper you use to clean

 

Two finger tight is good enough as stated above. I have had a problem off and on with this and I think the next time I take off the cover I will put a drop of blue locktite on to insure it doesn't vibrate loose.

 

the problem is the stock cover. It has been for years. My res. is so bubbled it looks wet.Best thing, and this is Harley's way of "fixing" it, buy a new gasket and the new chrome res cover. The new chrome ones are an upgrade over the black version.

And you don't need a torque wrench for that cover! ^As stated above!^

 

I replaced the stock with the chrome HD one and tightened it with 2 fingers and have not had a drip, even with it hanging sideways for several days waiting for the trees to get powder coated