Front fork upper pinch bolt, accessing with a torque wrench?

[iceaway]

I have a generation 1 FJR and I've been trying to access the upper of the two lower bracket pinch bolts on the front fork legs with a torque wrench. The problem is that I just can't find enough space in there to fit the torque wrench with an allen key socket. I tried removing the horn, but the bracket that the horn attaches to is still in the way and I didn't find any obvious way to remove it. Have anyone else had the same problem?

 

[kaitsdad]

Yep, that's a tight spot.

I took a dremel cut off and shortened the allen key so that only the last 4mm is there. It's still tight - but having it shortened really makes it easier. I use a Craftsman 3/8" drive torque wrench.

 

[Constant Mesh]

After I removed the horns on my '04 there was enough space to access those bolts with my torque wrench. It's a 3/8" 250 inch pound wrench.

 

[wfooshee]

I tightened it until it was tight, with a regular socket handle. Bike hasn't collapsed yet.

 

[RadioHowie]

23 newton/meters = 17 foot/pounds. That's hardly a snug with your hand on a 3 inch long allen wrench. Like 'foosh says, snug it up and you'll be fine. Unless you MUST justify that money you spent on the torque wrench.

 

[wfooshee]

Yeah, now that I think on it, I'm not sure I did use a socket handle!! Just a hex key.

But the point is the same. When it's tight, you know it's tight. Snug it down, it ain't goin' nowheres.

 

[RadioHowie]

...besides, you're gonna be REAL pissed if you tighten it too much and crack that $250 part!

"Snug Is Good!"

"Arbeit Macht Frei"

 

[iceaway]

Thanks for your advice I tightened it using the allen key and figured it should do until I managed to find a better suited alley key socket. But judging from what you say I will just leave it at that. Anyhow there are at least two more properly tightened bolts to keep it securely in place

 

[FJokeR07]

Did the same with my socketed allen....dremmeled enough off of the allen to just fit into the bolt

 

[LAF]

Yep snug is snug 17 ft lbs is pretty easy to achieve by hand with feel. I know the big debate on torquing to spec, but the only thing I really fuss with is brake calipers, and tire axles. Most every thing else is by hand. Oh I did torque my clutch cover when I installed the Barnett Pac and Scorpion Clutch Springs.

I mean 17 is a pretty light torque.