[geoffreyt]

I know you are going to laugh, but Id like to know. Im lining up the parts to do the stage one on my 2005 XL 883. I have been reading what I can and giving it thought. I put my bike in storage until spring and I cant put my hands on it easily. The service manual says that to remove the header pipe from the cylinder port that one needs a special tool (and Snap-on is the recomendation) to do it. The tool looks like a socket extension with a fixed swivel head. Do I really need a special tool to remove these bolts?

 

[Dynatherapy]

They are a real bitch to get at on some bikes.
I personally just went to sears and got a set of "Wobble end" extensions.
They accomplish the same result but you use your existing shallow or deep socket set that you shoould already have.

 

[geoffreyt]

They are a real bitch to get at on some bikes.
I personally just went to sears and got a set of "Wobble end" extensions.
They accomplish the same result but you use your existing shallow or deep socket set that you shoould already have.

I have purchased Asian cars ever since the mid eighties. Ford screwed me real well and I switched. Best thing I ever did. Now they are choking along with GM. Boneheads never learned how to compete and they got their asses whipped. Before that I drove English cars exclusively. All my tools are metric. When I bought a Harley I went out and treated me to a new toolbox and all the basic SAE wrenches and sockets and various attachments. How cool it is. I even made me an alignment tool and checked the alignment of my real wheel. I will go to Sears as I buy Craftsman as a rule and see about a swivel extensionws, especially in 1/2" as my larger torque wrench is 1/2". Thanks for your insight!

 

[petrock]

Be warry of the swivel heads when used with a torque wrench. They don't apply the amount of presure you would think when their bent. Its ok if the head is straight, but if its bent all bets are off. It should all be explained in your torque wrench manual (heh, yeah I read mine). Good luck...

--Rob

 

[Dynatherapy]

Very good point rock.
Final torque is applied with a torque extention using the proper formula for corrected torque when I do exhaust and out of position fasteners.

 

[petrock]

What's the formula? Please explain... Or is it a secret like Burger Kings Special Sauce?

 

[Seahag]

heres a nice calculator program to make it easier...
http://www.norbar.com/torquewrenchextensioncalculator.php

And here is a more in depth explanation with all the formulas:

http://www.akotorque.com/usefull.htm

 

[geoffreyt]

I was aware of the torque differences, but thanks for the links and for re-enforcing my need to pay attention to it. Sometimes Im lax in things like that and this is one application I would rather get correct.

 

[fatboyskip]

If you are just talking about changing your exhaust, I was able to change my wife's '04' 883 exhaust without any problems just using a standard socket set. All the specialty tools mentioned here would certainly come in handy though!!

r/ George