How screwed am I?
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 90
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From: Columbus, OH
How screwed am I?
So I was replacing rocker gaskets today. Was down to tightening one of the last screws on the rear lower rocker and i guess my torque wrench malfunctioned because it never clicked and I snapped the screw. Wasn't even applying much pressure I thought. Here's a picture of the screw and where it is located. It's the one I'm pointing at with the screwdriver.
Am I completely screwed? I can't even think how I would go about getting the broke off piece out so I could put a new screw in...
Am I completely screwed? I can't even think how I would go about getting the broke off piece out so I could put a new screw in...
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,845
Likes: 1,997
From: Eastern,North Carolina
sense you just put the screw in and over torqued it, the stud thats left might be loose and you might be able to work it around with a small screw driver or a pick. It will take patience but if you could unscrew it then you can lift it out with a magnet.
Ive done than many times but it takes a while.
Ive done than many times but it takes a while.
Last edited by awilson40; Mar 22, 2014 at 08:12 PM.
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 90
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From: Columbus, OH
Woohoo. Was able to get the stud out barely. I tend to overreact when I break things! Crisis averted. Off to HD tomorrow to see if they have a screw for me. I'm surprised how little torque it took to snap this. Must be made out of tinfoil!
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 67
From: Saint Amant, Acadiana
Never use clicking torque wrenches (unless they are Snap-On and cost $500+), they are completely unreliable, I'm dead serious. If you cannot trust your arm use a torsion torque wrench. They are cost effective and precise enough (5% or less).
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 27,097
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From: Frozelandia, Minnysota
Seems to be a problem sometimes:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/sport...-breaking.html
Bolt for a breather? Doesn't look like enough room to get a drill in there, if you can't expose the bottom of the bolt to get it out (I don't know if that one goes all the way through), might have to remove the inner rocker cover so you can drill and easy out the remainder of the bolt. Good new is, it shouldn't be tight with the head broken off. Unless it was tight turning it in - that could indicate it had been over torqued before, distorting the threads and possibly why it broke before reaching the proper torque this time.
If a new bolt turns hard in it, I'd consider running a tap through it before running it all the way down. Run the bolt down in it before putting the cover back on, so if you do put a tap through it, you can dump the shavings out without getting any in the motor.
If you can get straight on it with a drill, easy outting it would probably be the least effort, but you'd have to be very careful getting the right size hole and straight. Might be safest to pull the cover, and if you have one, use a drill press. Let us know how it turns out, I might run into this someday, too.
edit: saw you got it out without pulling the cover, good save.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/sport...-breaking.html
Bolt for a breather? Doesn't look like enough room to get a drill in there, if you can't expose the bottom of the bolt to get it out (I don't know if that one goes all the way through), might have to remove the inner rocker cover so you can drill and easy out the remainder of the bolt. Good new is, it shouldn't be tight with the head broken off. Unless it was tight turning it in - that could indicate it had been over torqued before, distorting the threads and possibly why it broke before reaching the proper torque this time.
If a new bolt turns hard in it, I'd consider running a tap through it before running it all the way down. Run the bolt down in it before putting the cover back on, so if you do put a tap through it, you can dump the shavings out without getting any in the motor.
If you can get straight on it with a drill, easy outting it would probably be the least effort, but you'd have to be very careful getting the right size hole and straight. Might be safest to pull the cover, and if you have one, use a drill press. Let us know how it turns out, I might run into this someday, too.
edit: saw you got it out without pulling the cover, good save.
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 90
Likes: 1
From: Columbus, OH
I'm starting to believe this. I guess if you under 20 ft lbs or so a snug hand-tight fit will do the trick.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,882
Likes: 83
Wrong.. The military has an still uses clicking torque wrenches on critical parts and they are not Snap-on or cost over 500+ they just require calibration every 90 days for verification.