So, I was torqueing down my rocker box and a rocker arm bolt broke before I reached torque. It was the last one I was finalizing torque. Talk about a bunch of doo doo! It never got to the torque.
I was just wondering if anyone else has ever had this problem. I'm sure my torque wrench is good, and my service manual calls for 18-22ft lbs for the rocker bolts...

 

u sure its not inch lbs? i thought those rockers bolts had inch lbs settings.

 

it looks like you had the right torque setting for the box cover bolts. some of the others are inch lbs.

I changed mine out a while back and seem to remember that they might be different lengths. is it possible you put one in that was too long?

 

thx....they are all the same lengths on mine...2003, i just had bad luck i think

 

I just had the same issue with my 04 FXST. As I was putting everything back together, I was torquing down the Rocker Arm Bolts and broke one right off before I even reached the required torque. It says in the manual 18-22 foot pounds, not inch pounds.

 

If that were the case the torque wrench would of indicated.

 

How exactly would it have "indicated"?

 

The thought is they would have still hit torque with the wrench before it broke if the bolt bottomed out. That may, or may not, be true depending in the bolt. This is an old thread but the the OP was not using the correct bolts if they were all the same length on a 2003.

 

Are you familiar with torque wrenches? Gonna take more than 22 Ft lbs to ring a 5/16 grade 8. If his torque wrench didn't indicate he reached 22 Ft lbs he was not bottomed out. If he were bottomed out the torque wrench would have indicated the setting was met and he would have stopped applying addition torque. The too long bolt would not be properly doing its prescribed function, but it would be in one piece.

 

I’ve broke one. Old craftsman 3/8 tq wrench, skipped and missed the click. I stopped and left it over torqued on the initial install, The box leaked after a bit with the super tighty.

Pulled the box again and when reinstalling the over torqued bolt let go. I was able to feel and see it with the new Quinn torque wrench. Pulled it out and replaced the all the bolts with this kit Colony.

It happens.