Checking Torques

[dt]

Below is a link to an article in webBikeWorld on torque wrenches and why it’s important to keep on top of the torques. Checking torques was something that I always kept after on dirt bikes ‘cuz stuff is always coming loose, but for some reason tend to lapse on after the first couple maintenances on street bikes. Then the stories started flowing on my Harley bike specific site about this part coming loose and that part falling off. Last week I read a report that someone’s freaking front caliper assembly popped off a brand new XTZ while riding on a highway. I’m going to make an effort to stay on top of it. All the torque specs are in either our owners or workshop manuals.

As for the type of torque wrench, I use the simple, less flexible and less accurate Craftsman beam type, but that’s what I’m used to. And as the article says, anything is better than Armstrong Torque Wrench.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/torque-wrench/

[v65infla]

I have had a Snap On click type for probably close to 17 years and love it.  Of course it cost me an arm and half a leg back then.  My neighbor at the time was a mechanic and got it off the Snap On truck for me and they let me pay $20 a week until it was paid off.  Didn't even ask for it, he just happened to be over one night when I snapped a clutch cover bolt on a CR250.  The next night he brought it over and said just to give him $20 a week until it was paid off. 

[dt]

Well, case in point…

This morning Dad’s roadside assistance was called. Although not related to the breakdown, as I was looking things over I found a left case bolt had worked its way out and it was right over the shift lever. I could see that the lever had been banging on it. I’ve been on all those bolts with the torque wrench so the next course of action will be some Loctite. I guess it may be a good idea to preempt this by applying some Loctite before something comes loose, although thought the factory actually did that on most critical bolts.

Loctite comes in Blue and Red which are in order of strength. Red will usually require being heated for removal. There’s also Green, Blue and Black for other applications, but the basic threaded bolt stuff is the Blue and Red. A tube of both in your shop is probably a good idea, although I think I only have red at the moment.

[v65infla]

I always used Honda-Loc on the dirt bikes.  Blue for item's that get removed periodically such as the seat (To clean the air filter) and Red for those that are seldom to never removed.  Never had to use heat on any of it. 

[dt]

Did all the case bolts with red last night. This is the KL. They were all clean so no Loctite or similar was applied at the factory on those. I've had lots of bikes where you could see the factory put loctite on the case bolts.

I've had some cases where I had to use heat and my awesome Harbor Freight impact driver. Also, some of the older cases had Philips head bolts that were prone to stripping. Those I always replaced with stainless allen bolts. There's a place called Stainless Cycle that sells kits if one doesn't feel like measuring and digging through bins at Ace Hardware. They'll also put kits together if they don't list a bike.