Head bolt wrench questions

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RI61Duoglide
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Head bolt wrench questions

#1

Post by RI61Duoglide »

Removed and cleaned my heads this week due to a small maintenance mishap in the shop. The engine was rebuilt this Feb. and head bolts are 6 month old. I have 2 questions for now.
A. Do I need to replace the head bolts with brand new ones even if they were new when torqued down just 6 months ago?
B. To reinstall the heads, will a torque wrench with a "torque adapter" reach the bolts and work if the engine is in the frame?
I'll have more later. Thank you. DS
1950Panhead
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Re: Head bolt wrench questions

#2

Post by 1950Panhead »

A. Do I need to replace the head bolts with brand new ones even if they were new when torqued down just 6 months ago?
Head bolts can be reused if not damaged.
B. To reinstall the heads, will a torque wrench with a "torque adapter" reach the bolts and work if the engine is in the frame?
It is easier to torque the head bolts out of the bike, can be retorqued in bike, some are hard to get at.
I use a curved manifold wrench between bolt and torque wrench.
I'll have more later
Oh goody
Little Stan
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Re: Head bolt wrench questions

#3

Post by Little Stan »

I took a long 3/8" drive socket extension and put a 90 degree bend in it, fits the bolts that are between the cylinders. Use a 12 point socket.

-'lil stan
RI61Duoglide
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Re: Head bolt wrench questions

#4

Post by RI61Duoglide »

Thank you 50pan.
I do have the curved 12 point wrench and breaker bar (tube)which is how I removed the heads while in the frame, and I just purchased the Snap On torque adjuster that arrives on friday.
I was really hoping not to remove the engine...
RI61Duoglide
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Re: Head bolt wrench questions

#5

Post by RI61Duoglide »

Thanks Stan.
Just heat with a torch and bend iton an anvil/vise?
Can't atach a torque wrench to it though. How did you get the proper torque?
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Re: Head bolt wrench questions

#6

Post by Little Stan »

R161Duoglide:

Yeah, I put it in my vise and got it red hot and put a 90 degree bend in it. Didn't use anything in the way of a torque wrench, just carefully tightened each one. I got each one snug by skipping every other one, gradually. Then I fired up the motor and let it run until it was hot and went back over the head bolts and base nuts. Be sure to put either Ledplate or Neverseize on the threads. Rode the bike for a few hours and went over the top end bolts and nuts a third time.

The socket extension tool I made won't fit all of the head bolts most notably the front cylinder by the circuit breaker. I just used a long offset box wrench.

The old HD manuals don't give much in the way of torque specs but just remember, tight is right too tight is broken.

-'lil stan
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Re: Head bolt wrench questions

#7

Post by VPH-D »

At one time, a tool was/is available called a starter and manifold wrench. It was a crescent shaped tool that fit onto the head bolts well.
VPH-D
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Re: Head bolt wrench questions

#8

Post by PanPal »

I've always used a obstruction wrench, a 1/2 drive allen socket on my torque wrench that fits the side of the obstruction wrench on the side that does not fit the head or base bolts. The two box ends should be at 90 degrees to the torque wrench. you can flip the wrench different directions and get on all the bolts. I torque head bolts to 65 ft lbs. and base bolts to 45 ft lbs. on my Panhead motors.
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Re: Head bolt wrench questions

#9

Post by Excalibur »

For this task, I made a wrench to fit my 3/8" drive torque wrench. I married a piece of 9/16" ring spanner with the square section of a 3/8" drive socket. I think I used a low hydrogen arc welding electrode. See pic (part way down the page).
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