Question about torque specifications
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 295
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From: blah
Question about torque specifications
That is, nuts 'n bolts torque, not rear wheel torque. Apologies if this post is in the wrong forum.
Bought an '06 RK last month, first "accessory" that I got was a service manual. One thing confuses me though; Pretty much all torque specs are given as ranges. 31-45 in/lbs., 20-30 ft./lbs., etc. These ranges seem to be pretty wide as well. This kind of puzzles me, every other service manual that I've ever seen (GM, Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW auto) have always given an exact amount that a bolt should be torqued to. That said, I'm not sure how to deal with a range. Do I tighten to the lower end? To the upper end? Somewhere in the middle? I searched the forums and the service manual itself, didn't find anything that addresses this.
Anyone have any insight?
Thanks
-Joe
Bought an '06 RK last month, first "accessory" that I got was a service manual. One thing confuses me though; Pretty much all torque specs are given as ranges. 31-45 in/lbs., 20-30 ft./lbs., etc. These ranges seem to be pretty wide as well. This kind of puzzles me, every other service manual that I've ever seen (GM, Volkswagen, Mercedes, BMW auto) have always given an exact amount that a bolt should be torqued to. That said, I'm not sure how to deal with a range. Do I tighten to the lower end? To the upper end? Somewhere in the middle? I searched the forums and the service manual itself, didn't find anything that addresses this.
Anyone have any insight?
Thanks
-Joe
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 9,335
Likes: 13
From: MA
RE: Question about torque specifications
I asked this same question a year ago. The general consensus was to shoot for the middle and better off going low if you have any concerns. Has worked for me.
Cruiser
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
From: Birmingham, AL
RE: Question about torque specifications
In general, I go towards the lower setting. When I reach that setting, if it doesn't feel sufficiently tight to me, I go to the middle setting. If that still feels loose, I go to the top, but no more. Normally I never have to go past the middle, so the middle is usually always the "good enough" setting.
Drel
Drel
Elite HDF Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,391
Likes: 10
From:
RE: Question about torque specifications
I would say it might depend on what you are torquing down. For the oil drain plug, I say the lower end, but for the primary drain I say the higher end. I tried the lower setting for the primary, it leaked. Went to middle ground, still leaked. Went to the top, no leak, so, depending on the specific application, I say it depends. LOL Doubt this helped any, but that is how I see it.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,753
Likes: 0
From: Greenwood, IN
RE: Question about torque specifications
I was always told "Everything in moderation". So I go with the middle of the range.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,336
Likes: 67
From: SW Minnesota
RE: Question about torque specifications
One of the things I noticed immediately when I started installing accessories on my '06, was the extremely high (tight) torque on any factory fastener I had to loosen, whether it be the little screws holding on the fairing wings, to the bolts holding on the saddlebag rails. I had to put a wrench on the shaft of my star driver to get enough leverage to loosen some of the star bolts.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,449
Likes: 46
From: Roswell, GA
RE: Question about torque specifications
The lower value is the minimum at which the fastener will not loosen by itself; the higher value is the maximum before the fastener will break/strip from tightening--I probably haven't expressed this in "engineer-speak", but that's the gist ofwhat my degreed mechanical engineer motorhead friend told me about a year ago--so, as others have said, go for the mid-range of the min and max values.