I'm trying to remove the stock rear shocks on my fatboy. Having discovered that the "rear shock bolts" seemed to be a "bit tight", I took a look at the service manual. I see they are meant to be set at 121-136 ft-lbs, which explained their reluctance to loosen.

You can't get a socket on them, so I bought a torque adapter as suggested in the manual. The longest socket wrench I have is my torque wrench, so I popped that on and have tried using it to loosen them. No luck.

I've also got a foot-long 3/4" ring-end spanner, so I've tried using that and a mallet. Again, no dice.

There's limited access when the bike is on the ground, and given the force that is evidentially going to be required, I'm reluctant to jack it up without getting these bolts a little looser first.

How have others tackled this problem?

I think I've tried all the advice I've read so far, short of applying heat. The service manual says the bolts should be fitted using blue loctite. Is there a chance they have used red instead? If so, should I try applying heat? If so, how much, for how long and where -- and are we talking a gas soldering iron or kitchen blowtorch kind of level?

Thanks for your help

 

Use heat. Used a heat gun on mine for about 5 min a side and they came right out. Used the high setting and applied it where the shoulder bolt threads in, but in a continueus motion. JD recommended this when I ordered mine. Good luck

 

Thanks, but where do you apply the heat? Onto the bolt end or onto the frame tube they go into? If the latter, doesn't it damage the paint?

 

I torched mine. It was the only way they were gonna budge and they did once heat was applied...

 

Heat on the bolts.

 

Used a breaker bar on mine. I got a 4' long pipe I put over the end of my wrench and it broke free.

 

Leverage is your friend

 

Get the bike off the ground!! It will make removal much easier.Sounds like you have a jack. If its an atv jack, use some boards under the tires to keep the bike from rocking. Used a pipe as a wrench extension to get them off.

 

If you use heat, focus the heat on the nut making it expand.
I agree with KUMA, get it off the ground and strap it down to your lift to give yourself some room to work.

 

I used a spanner & 8lb sledge.. about 5 good raps and she broke free.