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General Topics/Tech TipsDiscussion on break in periods, rider comfort, seats and pad suggestions. Tech tips as they become available will be posted here.
Don't know about now, but back in the day, you could have a torque wrench that for example was 60 ftlbs to 120ftlbs but yet the scale would go lower than 60, and this was when the ugly would happen as someone would try to drive it to lowest on scale.
Didn't know this. I usually store mine lower than marks. This is bad?
I torque just about everything. Mainly because there is a spec, I like to perform the work correctly. And it can be easy to overpower a fastener.
Central Tools makes some decent mid priced torque wrenches. A good starter wrench is their 97352A Torque Wrench - Range: 20-100 Ft-Lb 3/8 Drive. That one is made in USA. Keep in mind that once you decide to us them, there are more than one that's needed depending on what parts of the bike you want to work on.
I have these:
3/8 drive inch pound torque wrench micrometer type - Snap On
3/8 drive foot pound torque wrench micrometer type - Snap On
3/8 drive foot pound, inch pound, newton meter torque wrench digital type - Snap On
1/2 drive foot pound torque wrench micrometer type - Snap On
JEEZ!!!
Now I gotta get a TW collection!!!
Seeing as how I've never used one, help me with what I "need" plz.
For the shocks.......how many ft.pds TW should I get?
And same question for smaller jobs like foot pegs, or fender rails, etc.
And I assume there are various attachments for the different screw heads and bolts.
Ill take a look at YouTube also and get more information.
Tx all!
Last edited by 81shovelhd!; Mar 15, 2024 at 04:20 PM.
Post # 8 will get you what you need. Read your service manual for listed torques on your year and model of bike.
Originally Posted by CoolBreeze3646
1. As provided above, if you have a series of bolts/screws that hold something in place have them torqued to the same value limits warp of the item.
2. If you are putting a steel bolt into aluminum, using the correct torque will limit pulling the aluminum threads.
3. If you have aluminum wheels on your cage, torquing them correctly will limit warp on your rotors.
4. You can tighten many single fasteners by hand if you have a feel for it (spark plugs, oil & primary drain plugs. However, you can over tighten or under tighten and it may affect the item being stressed incorrectly or getting loose at some point.
5. For the handyman that does not use torque wrenches on a daily basis, these from Amazon are of good quality, come with calibration certificates and are real close to the specified value +/- 3-5% depending on if you are on the lower end or upper end of the torque setting. (tested with my digital torque adapter).
6. Set of three for $165.00 will get you most any torque you need for your bike, car, or truck.
7. There are many more expensive brands that are better quality and made to be used daily on a continuous basis. I have a set of these and have been using them for going on 8 years now with no issues.
NOTE:
The above information, while credible, is worth what you paid for it and should not be considered gospel.
Do due diligence, research and have a H-D Field Service Manual before working on your bike.
You will probably have many opinions and suggestions presented; make sure you research the person providing the helpful information as there are some who provide good information that is useful and some who speak out of other orifices with gibberish. You will figure out this quickly.
Originally Posted by 81shovelhd!
JEEZ!!!
Now I gotta get a TW collection!!!
Seeing as how I've never used one, help me with what I "need" plz.
For the shocks.......how many ft.pds TW should I get?
And same question for smaller jobs like foot pegs, or fender rails, etc.
And I assume there are various attachments for the different screw heads and bolts.
Ill take a look at YouTube also and get more information.
Tx all!
Attachments will come from your socket sets or crow foot along with extensions. Learn what you need to do to calculate torque if you have a lever extension that is not at a 90 degree angle to your torque wrench as you can go over or under torque.
Easier if you are not direct on the end of the wrench with a socket is to put it at a 90 degree angle when torquing, otherwise use the formula:
NOTE:
The above information, while credible, is worth what you paid for it and should not be considered gospel.
Do due diligence, research and have a H-D Field Service Manual before working on your bike.
You will probably have many opinions and suggestions presented; make sure you research the person providing the helpful information as there are some who provide good information that is useful and some who speak out of other orifices with gibberish. You will figure out this quickly
Last edited by CoolBreeze3646; Mar 15, 2024 at 07:07 PM.
Post # 8 will get you what you need. Read your service manual for listed torques on your year and model of bike.
Attachments will come from your socket sets or crow foot along with extensions. Learn what you need to do to calculate torque if you have a lever extension that is not at a 90 degree angle to your torque wrench as you can go over or under torque.
Easier if you are not direct on the end of the wrench with a socket is to put it at a 90 degree angle when torquing, otherwise use the formula:
NOTE:
The above information, while credible, is worth what you paid for it and should not be considered gospel.
Do due diligence, research and have a H-D Field Service Manual before working on your bike.
You will probably have many opinions and suggestions presented; make sure you research the person providing the helpful information as there are some who provide good information that is useful and some who speak out of other orifices with gibberish. You will figure out this quickly
Something I have seen mentioned is some folk think a torque wrench is not accurate at its min or max value. I asked Norbar before purchasing if that were the case and it isn't.
They send out a test sheet showing accuracy at min, max and mid point settings. The spec gives a +/- 3 or 4% depending on product range but the test sheet I got was well within 3%.
This matches my philosophy in practice.
I dont do much precision work myself, and I always set my tq to mid-range of the spec
I figure my wrenches should be within spec tolerance if I aim for the middle.
I store them unloaded.
I wont bother to ever recalibrate them unless they are dropped, or I suspect them to be inaccurate enough they cant be trusted for tightening a set of lug nuts.
At which point I would probably just replace it and get a new cert anyway.😉
Adding another vote (and user) of Tekton torque wrenches, I also have all four--1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4"--from Tekton. Very pleased with ease of use and reliability. No, I've never calibrated them, but I stick to the book values for torque ranges and have yet to have an issue.
I was doing my forks yesterday on my trike and the torque was something like 35-40 ft/lbs I set my HF wrench at 30 it clicked about normal then I set it at 37 and re did it. . I then unscrew it to zero and store it. I compared them to more expensive ones my SIL has and they are close enough.
I believe a inch/lbs 1/4 & a foot/lbs 3/8 should be sufficient. You can get them everywhere, dont overthink it too much.
Last edited by Notgrownup; Mar 16, 2024 at 06:07 AM.
I asked a harley trained mechanic why the range in the manual. He said because they vary. His are all snap on, but mine are not. I may try a tectron because I hear it mentioned a bit. My favorite got ran over by a truck. The test I did on jam nut done by another wrench had it still on.
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