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torque wrench question

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Old Mar 11, 2010 | 11:08 AM
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Ok, you might tell someone later today how dumb my question is and have a good laugh, but here I go. I've never used a torque wrench before so I went out and bought a 3/8th socket wrench and am about to go around my RK and tighten everything down, but the lowest setting on the wrench says 80 lb/inch. My question is in the Harley manual there are man bolts that require torque less than 80. Did I buy the wrong torque wrench and need a wrench that goes to lower settings? Sorry, I must sound like an idiot.
 
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Old Mar 11, 2010 | 11:14 AM
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If that's the lowest setting, get a different one. Sears has good inch pound and foot pound torque wrenches. You will need both.
 
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Old Mar 11, 2010 | 11:16 AM
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ClayHarley,
Don't worry about the question, you made me realize I need to pay attention to those details when I go to purchase mine.
Thanks for the question.
 
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Old Mar 11, 2010 | 11:19 AM
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Man that stinks, we'll at least I have one for the Jep now. So what would be the lowest setting I need to look for when buying a new wrench?
 
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Old Mar 11, 2010 | 11:24 AM
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Really your going to need two torque wrenchs one that is a smaller one that is in the lower inch pounds ratting and one that is bigger and will go up to around 90 to 100 plus ft lbs for larger stuff.

Unless you can find a good one at sears that has both but id go for the two of them. And are you absolutely sure that the lowest it goes is 80 ft lbs. I have a nice 1/2 inch drive that goes all the way to like 0 ft lbs to way up over 100 ft lbs.

What brand and do you have a link to the one you bought.
 
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Old Mar 11, 2010 | 11:37 AM
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If you are going to check torque, you need to loosen and then tighten. Just putting a torque wrench on and clicking it, will give you a higher torque. That is why they tell you just to click it once. It will only matter on the smallest of fasteners, but it will matter.

The other thing that you will do is break the seal on the loctite if you turn them enough, you should reseal them with new locktite and put them back.

I'm just a computer guy today, so please don't flame me. (Used to be a federal helicopter mechanic, in the good old simpler days, though)
 
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Old Mar 11, 2010 | 11:43 AM
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I bought this bike with 7k miles on it over the winter so besides cracking the seal on every bolt are there any bolts I should pay the most attention to? Axle, calipers (Since I just did the brakes), header pipes (Since I just changed the clutch release cover) and anything else?
 
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Old Mar 11, 2010 | 01:06 PM
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I was also taught to zero them out after use I'm currious if anyone else told to do that?
 
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Old Mar 11, 2010 | 01:08 PM
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Harbor Freight also has an in-lb clicker type torque wrench that goes down to about 10 in-lb if I remember correctly. It's a 1/4" drive. (In addition to their 3/8" and 1/2" wrenches.) It's $19.95, or less if you find it on sale.
 
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Old Mar 11, 2010 | 01:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Badfinger
I was also taught to zero them out after use I'm currious if anyone else told to do that?
I do it too. Basically you want to unload the spring between uses, which is what zeroing them out does.
 
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