First service gone awry....

[Fightingpiper]

Well I am doing my first service on the bike and everything was going great...valves adjusted, oil changed, throttle synch, but when I changed the oil on the transmission the cheapo torque wrench that just worked on the oil plug and filter deceided to stop working and not click anymore. I thought it was getting pretty tight and then suddenly it started to turn way too easy....Yep stripped the threads on the drain plug. Now I gotta get it to the dealer and the money I saved by doing the service myself will still go to the dealer.

 

 

[smiller]

Now I gotta get it to the dealer and the money I saved by doing the service myself will still go to the dealer.

Or another way of looking at it is all the money you saved on the cheapo torque wrench will go to the dealer.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Could it be it clicked and you didn't feel it?

Once they click, they won't click again till you fall back below the torque threshold.

 

Not that it helps you but, I never use a torque wrench on things like oil drain plugs, spark plugs, tiny screws or BMW valve cover bolts. Simple feel and common sense have gotten me through lo these many years.

[smiller]

Yes, sometimes I wonder if torque wrenches (or at least their improper use) end up damaging more threads than they save.

[10ovr]

You could find a larger drain plug,Tape it out your self,,,If you do,Put grease on the tap so the metal stays on the tap,,

[Fightingpiper]

Could it be it clicked and you didn't feel it?

Once they click, they won't click again till you fall back below the torque threshold.

 

Not that it helps you but, I never use a torque wrench on things like oil drain plugs, spark plugs, tiny screws or BMW valve cover bolts. Simple feel and common sense have gotten me through lo these many years.

 

Its not working anymore. I tried turning it down and at few different settings and it still wouldn't click. Its found a new home in my trash can.

[Fightingpiper]

You could find a larger drain plug,Tape it out your self,,,If you do,Put grease on the tap so the metal stays on the tap,,

 

I was researching on putting in a Time-sert or a Heli-coil myself but I don't want to mess it up even more. I don't have a cycle lift so getting a good straight tap would be difficult working around the center stand.

[smiller]

I think you're being smart there. The drain plug is difficult to get at and unless you are very comfortable with such repairs it may be best left to a professional. It's not a difficult task for a pro at this point but a failed amateur repair attempt will surely make it so.

[Tony_K]

I never use a torque wrench on things like oil drain plugs, spark plugs, tiny screws or BMW valve cover bolts. Simple feel and common sense have gotten me through lo these many years.

 

Sadly many find comfort in perfectly matching "BMW specs" and over complicating things.

 

It's also a case of the haves and have nots when it comes to feel. Not everyone can feel what is right and wrong even if you try to teach them, they still can't do it.

 

Sorry for the mishap Jeff and I wont even go into the whole torque wrench thing again... or ever.

 

Oh and any decent machine shop can put in your insert for you and you may save quite a bit of cash... That of course can be put into proper tool selection...

[johnlt]

I agree with Ed. These torq setting requirements are just getting stupid

[Koop]

Reading this thread brings a couple of thoughts to mind...yes, some people do have a feel for things mechanical. I've been wrenching for 35+ years but I still believe in, and use torque wrenches. I've seen too many under torqued fasteners fall off - sometimes with catastrophic results. I've also seen stripped threads that sometimes don't reveal themselves until the next time the fastener is removed.

 

If it were my bike, I'd heli-coil it and move on. The heli-coil will be stronger than the original thread. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, then pay a pro to do it.

[johnlt]

I agree that a simple hilicoil (sp) is a simple solution to the problem without taking it to the dealer.

[Penforhire]

Some items, like flywheel and driveshaft bolts, are much more critical to torque exactly. Using a torque wrench all the time should give you a decent feel for how much torque you're delivering so later you won't always NEED a torque wrench.

 

Bet you never strip THAT particular drain again...

[Fightingpiper]

I grew up in farm country and have a farmers mentality and not an engineers. It's Use what's on hand and make it work. I guess I bought into the hype of torquing to spec. I have never done this with any auto I have owned and never had a problem so why did I start with this bike? Damn peer pressure..

 

 

[ericfoerster]

A quality beam type torque wrench will save you in the long run.

[rglassma]

I feel your pain ... The same thing happened to me with the final drive drain plug on my old LT. I was using the wrong torque value. We used a helicoil successfully and it wasn't a problem ever again.

 

Lesson learned.. It won't be that bad I am sure.. Good luck and put it behind you.

[Semper_Fi]

Sorry to hear about the mis-hap.

 

Lot's of good suggestions.

 

Good luck on the repair - let us know what you end up doing.

[RichEdwards]

At a local rally, they had a contest. Tighten three bolts to three different torques without using a torque wrench. Just feel. Good exercise. You'll never strip a drain plug if you know what 32 nm feels like.

[roadhome]

Ugh. What a sick feeling. Did anything in your shop get damaged due to mis directed anger management? I've made the same mistake before, and many since (managed to amass a fairly good collection of heli coils as a result). If you've never done one, or you're thinking of getting an oversized self tapper, my only advice is TAKE IT SLOW! Don't get in a rush. Start square and do 1/8 to 1/4 turns at a time, back it up a bit and go for more. Lots of lube too.

[bobbybob]

I feel your pain ... The same thing happened to me with the final drive drain plug on my old LT. I was using the wrong torque value. We used a helicoil successfully and it wasn't a problem ever again.

 

Lesson learned.. It won't be that bad I am sure.. Good luck and put it behind you.

 

 

I use a cheapo Harbor Freight torque wrench, and it's calibrated in Ft-Lbs. Once I caught myself setting the NM value into the wrench as Ft-Lbs (on rear wheel bolts). I didn't strip anything but immmediately loosened and re-tightened correctly. Easy mistake to make. Now I have a chart showing correct specs in both FtLbs and NM for every fastener that I might be tightening, and double-check when setting the values.

 

 

By any chance...was it an HF wrench that broke on you?

[Fightingpiper]

No it wasn't a HF wrench, it was from pepboys. It did have both Ft/lbs and NM and was set to NM.

 

 

[brick_haus]

I always thought that you only torque bolts/nuts that are either required to have exactly te same torque as other bolts/nuts (heads as an example)as to prevent leaks or warpage or bolts/nuts that have to be as tight as poss. without breaking.

[hopz]

Sorry to hear about your event... but just the other day I was at Pep Boys and saw a $20 Clicker Torque Wrench... Not trying to say anything about your experience, but I would not use that wrench to crack walnuts, much less work on my BMW...