Author Topic: torque wrench question (Read 4985 times)

sloow · « **on:** June 06, 2005, 09:54:09 AM »

To get one or not to get one. That is the question. If I get one, is it worth the $100 tag, or just get the cheap model with the big pointer. Or maybe not at all, and just go by feel.

I want to check my valve clearances. Do I need one?

Thanks

txbanditrydr · « **Reply #1 on:** June 06, 2005, 10:11:10 AM »

Does not matter if you get one or not.... USE one for sure. It surprised me how quick the "click" came when doing my valves. I intend to buy one (hmmm.. birthday gift??) but have access to one when I need it. A must have tool for the valve job IMHO.

tacoman · « **Reply #2 on:** June 06, 2005, 01:13:15 PM »

This is a type of tool you don't use often but when you need it you need it. I have a large torque wrench for lug nuts, head bolts etc. If I need a small, extra accurate one there is a tool rental place that rents them cheap. They recalibrate it after each use.

sloow · « **Reply #3 on:** June 06, 2005, 02:58:48 PM »

Any suggestions on what model of torque wrench would be helpful.

Zhi · « **Reply #4 on:** June 06, 2005, 03:27:48 PM »

I just use a craftman beam type for the big bolts, and I have a clicker with small increments for the small bolts.Both hardly gets used during basically maintenance because oftentimes it is difficult to get the wrenchs into position. However, they have come in handy when I have had to tear things down and put them all together again.
Like someone has already mentioned, it is a good tool to have around when you need it.

Red01 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 06, 2005, 06:38:29 PM »

If you're going to do your own maintenance, use one. If you can't borrow or rent one handily, buy one. I prefer the click types with ratchet heads, though my big one is a click type w/o a ratchet. If you take good care of them, ie don't drop them or bang them around, they'll last a lifetime. I've had mine since 1978.

Bob Holland · « **Reply #6 on:** June 07, 2005, 07:40:31 PM »

I have a 3/8" drive inch lb, and 1/2" drive foot lb, and I use the inch ld more than the foot lb when working on bikes.

land_shark · « **Reply #7 on:** June 08, 2005, 12:03:51 AM »

Well, I should have read this thread before tackling my valves

....

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can deal with this short of paying the $825 + shipping at www.ronayers.com for a new head?

Red01 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 08, 2005, 01:07:55 AM »

OUCH!

That damage is in the cam bearing cap, right?

Talk to a machine shop and see if they can weld it up and rebore & tap the hole for you.

Slider · « **Reply #9 on:** June 08, 2005, 05:15:45 AM »

Fer gawd sake get one of 'em.
When I first started I got a cheap pointer one. Then I thought I had educated hands and worked freehand It worked... for awhile. Then I started stripping or shearing things. I don't do as much heavy duty anymore but... When I'm in doubt, 'ol pointer is still there for me.

By the by: If you have't got a cheap impact driver, get one. I mean the approx $10 kits that include various screwdriver bits and can work with modest size sockets. You smack 'em with a hammer which make the driver/wrench both press in and screw out, (or even in if you're nuts). VERY useful for seized screws in motor cases, even with WD40).

I'll tell you something else. I recall pointer torquing a leaking 2 stroke head to spec on an H2 750 Kaw, but No effect. I asked the dealer and he tossed off that the studs could easily take 2x that torque. Still no effect. I then knew there was another problem and didn't torque more to break the studs, (these break IN THE BLOCK = @!#$%^*& TROUBLE). A good friend showed me how to dial guage the head. Yep, it was warped. No wonder there was no seal. He had grinding compound, (cheap), and we ground the head within tolerances. It was as good as gold after that. Strangely, neither of the other heads warped, (a 3 holer, y'know).

Of all the bikes I have ever had, this one stands out as one of, or more likely, The best. Too bad a 4x4 decided to Mate with it... but that's another story.

PitterB4 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 08, 2005, 06:17:08 AM »

Quote from: "land_shark"

Well, I should have read this thread before tackling my valves ....

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can deal with this short of paying the $825 + shipping at www.ronayers.com for a new head?

OUCH! I just stripped mine last month. When the machinist said he might not be able to get a helicoil in time for me to go to the rally, I asked if he could just weld in a plug and retap it. He said no b/c it would warp that forged piece and it wouldn't sit on the head properly. Luckily thanks to Brown overnight delivery, I was ok with the helicoil.

On the subject of the wrench, the ratchet head is nice. It allows you to get in tight places more easily.

smooth operator · « **Reply #11 on:** June 08, 2005, 06:31:13 AM »

I borrowed a Snap-on when I rebuilt my Bandit. Now my buddy that I borrowed it from lives in Arizona. Looks like I need one now too. There are a couple at the bike shop,but bigger than I want.

land_shark · « **Reply #12 on:** June 08, 2005, 11:01:14 AM »

FYI, I continued my crack thread here: http://forums.banditalley.net/viewtopic.php?t=1498

As always, thanks for the help guys!

PitterB4 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 08, 2005, 11:17:24 AM »

Quote from: "land_shark"

FYI, I continued my crack thread here: http://forums.banditalley.net/viewtopic.php?t=1498

As always, thanks for the help guys!

My name is Jason and I have a crack problem...

(sorry - couldn't help myself!)

krusty kritter · « **Reply #14 on:** June 11, 2005, 06:22:50 PM »

Quote from: "land_shark"

Well, I should have read this thread before tackling my valves ....

Problem here was land_shark tried to torque oily bolts. That's not a good idea...

One thing that newbie home mechanics should realize is that bolts are called "friction fasteners" because the male thread on the bolt holds to the female threads in the bolt holes by friction between the metal parts...

There is always going to be friction between the bolt and the hole, you want enough friction so the bolt won't come loose under vibration...

When you torque a bolt, you are stretching it just a tiny amount, and the torque that it takes to stretch that bolt depends on the friction that is building up between the bolt and the hole as you turn the torque wrench...

When Suzuki assembled your engine at the factory, the mechanic was working with clean dry parts. If a part needed oil, he knew to put oil on it...

But the cam bearing bolts and the cam cover bolts were installed and torqued DRY. An amateur mechanic reading the Suzuki shop manual would never realize that he needed to clean all the oil off the cam cover bolts and use something like brake cleaner to blow all the oil out of the
holes in the cam bearing caps before attempting to torque the bolts...

Personally, I have adjusted the valves on my SACS Suzuki engine a few times but I was lucky I didn't have a torque wrench handy to screw myself up. I always just used a humble "torque stick", AKA box end wrench to torque the bolts by the feel of long experience...

When the threads are oiled, you can torque and torque and torque without the torque wrench ever measuring enough friction to "click"...

The reason I know that I use always degrease my fasteners was I tried to torque a head bolt in an old Suzuki and I thought I was doing a smart thing by lightly oiling the bolts. I broke a head bolt off doing that...