When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
General Topics/Tech TipsDiscussion on break in periods, rider comfort, seats and pad suggestions. Tech tips as they become available will be posted here.
I've been watching YouTube videos of guys replacing their intake seals. Many times I'll hear them say they don't have the tool to remove the back capscrews so they'll use a sawed off 1/4" Allen & a ratcheting wrench.
I could do the same, but maybe I'd like to buy this tool. Does anyone have a pn, or a link, or maybe the name i could google?
I have no idea what tool they refer to, so it's hard to give that information. I use a wrench from Yost Performance, does a great job. I also use a short section of cut off allen wrench and a boxed end wrench.
Is the HD "Special Tool' listed in the FSM in that section? Also, whatever tool you end up with, bought or homemade, you'll want to be able to attach it to a torque wrench at some point. Gaking the bolts out is one thing, getting them back in properly is another.....
I have a Bondhus stubby Allen wrench with a ball end, or you can use a garbage disposal wrench. The bolts don't need to be that tight, as they just retain the seals, and the manifold slides in and out slightly as the cylinders/heads heat and expand away from each other. You can swap those bolts out for hex head, or some even say 12 point head bolts are easy to get at. I kept the Allens up top, but changed to hex on the lower two. The bolts only need 5-8 lbs/ft so basically hand tight (snug) and you're fine. Don't overthink it.
John
Last edited by John Harper; Jan 5, 2025 at 05:09 PM.
I used a allen bit in the correct dimension with a 1/4" ring end wrench to get the screws out.
Then replaced them with normal hex head screws to make it easier next time. In my case they were included with my S&S heads, but any hardware store should have them. Stainless would be nice.
Slideshow: Jason Momoa's latest restoration project blends 1920s Harley-Davidsons with modern electric technology, creating some of the most unusual hybrid motorcycles ever built.
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom
Slideshow: Killer Custom's latest build relies on styling changes rather than performance upgrades, giving the cruiser an entirely different personality.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Intake, special tool
