Derby Cover Installation
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 193
Likes: 2
From: Not too far up the BC border
Derby Cover Installation
I just got my hands on a "Live To Ride" derby cover for my 04 Heritage Softail and from reading through the forums in here, its got me concerned about stripping the torx screws when I'm trying to remove the old ones. I don't really want to have to go to a wrench to do such a simple addon. Does somebody have a idea on how to remove these torx and save me going to get stripped screws removed
Cheers and Ride Safe
Cheers and Ride Safe
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 12,227
Likes: 7,803
From: Along the shoreline in SW FL
Put a squirt of WD-40 behind them the day before. They don't get torqued on tight...they don't have to, there's not a lot of pressure in the primary housing. I wouldn't worry about your torx bit chewing it up and spinning in there. Keep the diaphragm in there clean, tighten up snugly when done...but don't worry about cranking them back in hard, just.."snug"...manual has them at ~ 100 inch/pounds.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 9,741
Likes: 1,599
From: Danbury CT
+1 & make sure the bit is all the way in & it's a good quality bit. I haven't striped a torx bolt in years using the proper sized quality bits. And don't use a drill!
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 193
Likes: 2
From: Not too far up the BC border
Got a bit ansy and went outside to give one of the bolts a try to see if I should have my "Wheaties" or not this morning. OMG to my surprise the bolt wasn't very tight at all and cracked very easily so I assume the rest are going to be that way also. I also made sure I was using the T27 torx bit. So going to put it on and go to my dealer, armed with a dozen donuts and ask them to torque the bolts to spec for me.
My 2004 Heritage Softail
My 2004 Heritage Softail
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 12,227
Likes: 7,803
From: Along the shoreline in SW FL
This hardest part of this will be worrying about getting the diaphragm on perfect. Notice it is labeled to go on 1 way...with a side facing in, and a side facing out.
When tightening the bolts, I just use the 5" handle on my wrench...and tighten by hand...snug, no more tight than you'd tighten spark plugs with the 6.5" wrench handle.
Notice I said ~100 inch pounds, not foot pounds.
Put a diaper or an oil pan underneath. And have the bike leaning on the jiffy...not vertical in a stand. Depending on how/who filled your primary case last with oil..the oil level they filled to, you will probably drip a little bit. More spill if bike is vertical in a wheel chock stand..thus the lean of the jiffy stand helps reduce amount of primary oil that may leak out.
When tightening the bolts, I just use the 5" handle on my wrench...and tighten by hand...snug, no more tight than you'd tighten spark plugs with the 6.5" wrench handle.
Notice I said ~100 inch pounds, not foot pounds.
Put a diaper or an oil pan underneath. And have the bike leaning on the jiffy...not vertical in a stand. Depending on how/who filled your primary case last with oil..the oil level they filled to, you will probably drip a little bit. More spill if bike is vertical in a wheel chock stand..thus the lean of the jiffy stand helps reduce amount of primary oil that may leak out.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: anacoco, la
Got a bit ansy and went outside to give one of the bolts a try to see if I should have my "Wheaties" or not this morning. OMG to my surprise the bolt wasn't very tight at all and cracked very easily so I assume the rest are going to be that way also. I also made sure I was using the T27 torx bit. So going to put it on and go to my dealer, armed with a dozen donuts and ask them to torque the bolts to spec for me.
My 2004 Heritage Softail
My 2004 Heritage Softail
secondly, do not go the dealer to have them torqued. that's just an extra pita step that you don't have to do. when you tighten them, just tighten them all to just barely holding, then go back and snug them all down, using a star pattern (upper left, lower right, etc). also, i find its a good idea to use a little anti-seize on the bolts so that they are easier to remove next time.
switch to allens if you want, or you can keep with the torx. i've only had one problem with the torx screws in 10 years, and that was after a dealer did my first service.
don't worry, you'll be fine.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,933
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From: Kentucky
I've taken out plenty and never stripped one, except in a handlebar control.
You don't strip it taking it out - you find out it's stripped when you take it out. The stripping happens when you put it in and overtighten, but friction will often hold it until the next time you take it out and the little pieces of threads fall out.
The best way NOT to strip it is to use a tool for putting them back that doesn't give you a lot of leverage - for example, you can take them out with a ratchet torx but, but when you put them back, use a small screwdriver handle type driver to hold the bit, so you don't have as much leverage to help you overtighten.
Also, don't start thinking oil is going to leak if you don't crank them down - it isn't. I use my fingertips to tighten them, not my whole hand, and I've never ahd a leak. If you do get a leak, you can tighten some more. Remember to tighten evenly in a star pattern - I do the star 2 or 3 times, tightening a little more each time, so they are very even tight. I don't use a torque wrench, just feel.
This would be a good choice (in the correct size, of course):
You don't strip it taking it out - you find out it's stripped when you take it out. The stripping happens when you put it in and overtighten, but friction will often hold it until the next time you take it out and the little pieces of threads fall out.
The best way NOT to strip it is to use a tool for putting them back that doesn't give you a lot of leverage - for example, you can take them out with a ratchet torx but, but when you put them back, use a small screwdriver handle type driver to hold the bit, so you don't have as much leverage to help you overtighten.
Also, don't start thinking oil is going to leak if you don't crank them down - it isn't. I use my fingertips to tighten them, not my whole hand, and I've never ahd a leak. If you do get a leak, you can tighten some more. Remember to tighten evenly in a star pattern - I do the star 2 or 3 times, tightening a little more each time, so they are very even tight. I don't use a torque wrench, just feel.
This would be a good choice (in the correct size, of course):
Last edited by brenn; Sep 4, 2011 at 11:31 AM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,889
Likes: 104
From: Mississippi
This hardest part of this will be worrying about getting the diaphragm on perfect. Notice it is labeled to go on 1 way...with a side facing in, and a side facing out.
When tightening the bolts, I just use the 5" handle on my wrench...and tighten by hand...snug, no more tight than you'd tighten spark plugs with the 6.5" wrench handle.
Notice I said ~100 inch pounds, not foot pounds.
Put a diaper or an oil pan underneath. And have the bike leaning on the jiffy...not vertical in a stand. Depending on how/who filled your primary case last with oil..the oil level they filled to, you will probably drip a little bit. More spill if bike is vertical in a wheel chock stand..thus the lean of the jiffy stand helps reduce amount of primary oil that may leak out.
When tightening the bolts, I just use the 5" handle on my wrench...and tighten by hand...snug, no more tight than you'd tighten spark plugs with the 6.5" wrench handle.
Notice I said ~100 inch pounds, not foot pounds.
Put a diaper or an oil pan underneath. And have the bike leaning on the jiffy...not vertical in a stand. Depending on how/who filled your primary case last with oil..the oil level they filled to, you will probably drip a little bit. More spill if bike is vertical in a wheel chock stand..thus the lean of the jiffy stand helps reduce amount of primary oil that may leak out.