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Changing exhaust without a torque wrench

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Old Oct 29, 2010 | 07:31 AM
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Default Changing exhaust without a torque wrench

Hi Fellas,

any tips? I normally like to tighten things like a gorilla, but I know not to overtighten the flange nuts.

Any advice?

Cheers
 
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Old Oct 29, 2010 | 07:37 AM
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Tighten like a gorilla.It will be OK.
 
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Old Oct 29, 2010 | 07:38 AM
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Not to be a smartass, but why not invest in a cheap "flex bar" type torque wrench? Probably less than 30 bucks at Sears, and you won't be wondering all the time after the install.
 
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Old Oct 29, 2010 | 08:09 AM
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Harbor Fright! If you have one close you can pick up a pretty darn good torque wrench and the price is reasonable. I wouldn't monkey grip the flange nuts...
 
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Old Oct 29, 2010 | 08:11 AM
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I think you should get the torque wrench. They are cheap and you will use it more than you think. I would suggest getting a ft lb and an inch lb. You want to make sure you tighten the exhaust to the right specs and retighten after the first ride with the new pipes. Harbor Freight has cheap ones, check out the link.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-hal...rench-239.html
 
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Old Oct 29, 2010 | 08:17 AM
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Default Torque Wrench

Just firm them up EASY. Then after the first heat cycle tighten again.
 
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Old Oct 29, 2010 | 08:32 AM
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Let me ask this.....how do you get a torque wrench to fit onto the flange nuts without using a healthy extension, which will throw the amount of torque you're applying completely off. I don't have it handy but there is a formula to recalculate the amount of torque when using an extension.

I wouldn't do it.

I would just snug the nuts up good and tight. Run the bike for a bit i.e. go for a ride and then re-snug them up after a period of cool down.
 
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Old Oct 29, 2010 | 08:38 AM
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Originally Posted by SC-Longhair
Let me ask this.....how do you get a torque wrench to fit onto the flange nuts without using a healthy extension, which will throw the amount of torque you're applying completely off. I don't have it handy but there is a formula to recalculate the amount of torque when using an extension.

I wouldn't do it.

I would just snug the nuts up good and tight. Run the bike for a bit i.e. go for a ride and then re-snug them up after a period of cool down.
Absolutely right about the extention and any universal throwing off the torque although it is still close. I surely wouldn't overtighten the nuts onthe exhaust flange. You would be a long time sorry if you broke one of them off flush. Every cycle magazine out there has an ad from harbour freight and they allways have torque wrenches on sale. Think I picked up a 3/8 and 1/2 inch from them for $10 bucks on sale.
 
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Old Oct 29, 2010 | 08:41 AM
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Originally Posted by SC-Longhair
Let me ask this.....how do you get a torque wrench to fit onto the flange nuts without using a healthy extension, which will throw the amount of torque you're applying completely off. I don't have it handy but there is a formula to recalculate the amount of torque when using an extension.

I wouldn't do it.

I would just snug the nuts up good and tight. Run the bike for a bit i.e. go for a ride and then re-snug them up after a period of cool down.
When you're talking about the flange nuts, I assume you'e talking about the header nuts on the studs?

What do they take, 10-12 ft-lbs? Not sure.

Yeah, if you're putting 100 ft-lbs on a nut/bolt with a 18" extension, you need to be aware. The extension will store energy in it and not transfer all the torque to the nut/bolt.

But 10-12 ft-lbs? Unless the extension is six feet long, I wouldn't get too excited about it. You'll be in the 'ball park'. What's just as (or maybe more) important is that both nuts have the same torque on them. Where we get in trouble is when one nut/bolt has 6 ft-lbs and the other one has 15 ft-lbs. If they both have 10 or if they both have 12, 9, 14 or something close to tolerances, I think that's fairly important.

But that's just me.

edit:

Do NOT trust any inexpensive ft-lb torque wrench below 18-19 ft-lbs. Expecially the clicker kind. Anything under that, use your inch-lb torque wrench. 1 ft-lb = 12 inch-lbs.

In fact, I'm not even sure I'd trust an expensive ft-lb TW below that number.
 

Last edited by Grendel4; Oct 29, 2010 at 08:46 AM.
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Old Oct 29, 2010 | 08:46 AM
  #10  
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I always torque bolts to the middle of the range right before I snap the heads off. j/k seriously...the middle of the range is good in 99% of applications.
 
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