Tight torx?
June 3, 2013 7:09 AM Subscribe
I need a tool to loosen torx screws (T27) in a space that has about an inch of clearance.
I've bought ratchets that are supposed to be for tight spaces, but they are too big. Have looked at page after page of torx tools online. There must be a tool for this, and if I knew the correct name, maybe I could find one. Does anyone know what I need?
What I am trying to do is get the sissy bar off of my 2004 Heritage Softail so I can add a rack and replace the sissy bar.
I've bought ratchets that are supposed to be for tight spaces, but they are too big. Have looked at page after page of torx tools online. There must be a tool for this, and if I knew the correct name, maybe I could find one. Does anyone know what I need?
What I am trying to do is get the sissy bar off of my 2004 Heritage Softail so I can add a rack and replace the sissy bar.
Wiha make ball-end angle Torx keys for low clearance jobs. Wiha stuff is usually extremely good.
posted by scruss at 7:18 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by scruss at 7:18 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Will something like a T-handle wrench with a long shank fit in there?
posted by backseatpilot at 7:19 AM on June 3, 2013
posted by backseatpilot at 7:19 AM on June 3, 2013
Response by poster: I thought about cutting down a bit and using vice grips, but I really doubt the Harley dealership is doing that, which means there is a proper tool. What is the point of having a good job if I can't buy more tools? The right tool means less of a chance of scraping up the paint on my fender. That is my last resort, though.
scruss, I did see those, and they might work. If I can't find something else, they are my next try. Good to know they are supposed to be quality.
backseatpilot, not a chance. Even low profile allan wrenches won't.
posted by QIbHom at 7:31 AM on June 3, 2013
scruss, I did see those, and they might work. If I can't find something else, they are my next try. Good to know they are supposed to be quality.
backseatpilot, not a chance. Even low profile allan wrenches won't.
posted by QIbHom at 7:31 AM on June 3, 2013
Are there shop manuals for motorcycles like there are with cars? If so, the specialized one-off tool will be specifically mentioned during the process. Toyota does this all the time...use Special Service Tool #99A to remove the frammenjammer bolt... and whatnot.
posted by jquinby at 7:37 AM on June 3, 2013
posted by jquinby at 7:37 AM on June 3, 2013
Better than a wrench for gripping your cut down (bits are pretty hard, I'd grind it down instead) torx bit is a box end gear wrench. The box end on these wrenches in 1/4" is less than a centimetre thick and they have a bit of a lip so the bit won't push through. I'd probably trim my bit so the business end was the only thing sticking out of the wrench and then I'd secure it in the end of the wrench with a little blue tack or a couple wraps of teflon tape on the bit.
On review: OK that particular gear wrench set doesn't have a 1/4" wrench but they are available and you might need a larger size for a t27.
posted by Mitheral at 7:50 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
On review: OK that particular gear wrench set doesn't have a 1/4" wrench but they are available and you might need a larger size for a t27.
posted by Mitheral at 7:50 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you'd share a photo of the problem area we might have other ideas. It is frequently the case that one must remove component X to get at the attachments for component Y, even if Y looks like it should be easy to remove otherwise. (Honda is horrible for this; they assume you're happy to disassemble your bike almost completely in order to, say, change a spark plug.)
What I am saying is maybe you need to remove the seat in order to get at the sissy bar bolt heads. Just a guess. But a photo might help.
posted by seanmpuckett at 7:58 AM on June 3, 2013
What I am saying is maybe you need to remove the seat in order to get at the sissy bar bolt heads. Just a guess. But a photo might help.
posted by seanmpuckett at 7:58 AM on June 3, 2013
It's hard to advise without a photo but I'd wager you need to remove something else to get clearance. What forms the gap? Is it the tire? The fender? Can you remove those?
posted by chairface at 8:16 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by chairface at 8:16 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
My Wadsworth Ratchet Set has saved the day several times. I measured the T27 bit... you'd need 1.037" of clearance above the fastener for the stock bit, .781" if you ground the back end of the bit flush to the wrench handle.
posted by tinker at 8:17 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by tinker at 8:17 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yes, a mini ratchet. I got a $7.99 kit from Radio Shack a dozen years ago, as well as a sweet, hardcase set from Chapman Tool a few years ago. (I actually got a much bigger Chapman set, and later expanded it with more speciality bits. They sell nice stuff!)
With either tool, you don't need much more clearance than the height of the bit itself.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:18 AM on June 3, 2013
With either tool, you don't need much more clearance than the height of the bit itself.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:18 AM on June 3, 2013
(On preview, tinker's set from Wadsworth is a lot like the bigger Chapman set I bought, with a flat ratchet handle, a screwdriver handle, and the optional screwdriver shank included.)
posted by wenestvedt at 8:19 AM on June 3, 2013
posted by wenestvedt at 8:19 AM on June 3, 2013
Note that the one from amazon that mrrisotto linked doesn't include torx bits.
posted by duckstab at 8:24 AM on June 3, 2013
posted by duckstab at 8:24 AM on June 3, 2013
Use a 1/4" hex ratcheting box wrench to turn 1/4" hex torx insert. You can keep it from sliding through by retaining it with a tight fitting o-ring on each side.
posted by 445supermag at 8:32 AM on June 3, 2013
posted by 445supermag at 8:32 AM on June 3, 2013
Response by poster: I'll get some pictures up in a couple hours, but I think in order to remove the fender, I'd have to remove the sissy bar.
posted by QIbHom at 8:42 AM on June 3, 2013
posted by QIbHom at 8:42 AM on June 3, 2013
If there is that little clearance to begin with, you are going to have even less clearance as the bolt is loosened. In fact, unless the bolt is only 1/2" long, you'll never be able to completely remove it.
Agree with other posters- there is another thing that needs to be removed before un-doing this bolt.
posted by gjc at 8:44 AM on June 3, 2013
Agree with other posters- there is another thing that needs to be removed before un-doing this bolt.
posted by gjc at 8:44 AM on June 3, 2013
I'd go the path 445supermag is suggesting. Get a ratcheting wrench (the snap on ones that can change direction is best*) and just use a torx bit in it. I'd just stop it falling out the ratchet with a flat bladed screwdriver behind it, though.
*The reason for this is that you can undo the bolt as much as possible while also still avoiding ratcheting the bolt out far enough that you can't get the tool out of the space and not have any way of putting the bolt back in to gain enough clearance. One way ratcheting wrenches/spanners can leave you stuck in all kinds of crappy, jammed up situations...
So as long as you can get the bolt out far enough to undo it with your fingers, this should work. If you can't you'll have to use pliers once it is out as far as possible with the torx/wrench combo.
posted by Brockles at 8:50 AM on June 3, 2013
*The reason for this is that you can undo the bolt as much as possible while also still avoiding ratcheting the bolt out far enough that you can't get the tool out of the space and not have any way of putting the bolt back in to gain enough clearance. One way ratcheting wrenches/spanners can leave you stuck in all kinds of crappy, jammed up situations...
So as long as you can get the bolt out far enough to undo it with your fingers, this should work. If you can't you'll have to use pliers once it is out as far as possible with the torx/wrench combo.
posted by Brockles at 8:50 AM on June 3, 2013
Googling around, it seems the trick is to jack up the bike so the wheel drops - this gives you more room to work.
posted by Slap*Happy at 9:23 AM on June 3, 2013
posted by Slap*Happy at 9:23 AM on June 3, 2013
Response by poster: Still trying to get one more pic up, but here is a start.
posted by QIbHom at 10:23 AM on June 3, 2013
posted by QIbHom at 10:23 AM on June 3, 2013
Best answer: Yeah, jack up the bike or remove the wheel, remove the mounting brackets from the fender, remove the sissy bar, install the rack, re-install the brackets. PITA, but I doubt the bolt will clear the fender, never mind the bit.
posted by Slap*Happy at 10:42 AM on June 3, 2013
posted by Slap*Happy at 10:42 AM on June 3, 2013
Upon seeing the pictures, that's not enough clearance and you probably screw paint up if you tried the way I suggested (My mental picture was WAY off!).
If jacking the bike doesn't make the fender go down enough, then could you loosen the piece of chromed steel that the bracket is bolted to to pivot the whole thing upwards to get more clearance?
posted by Brockles at 11:01 AM on June 3, 2013
If jacking the bike doesn't make the fender go down enough, then could you loosen the piece of chromed steel that the bracket is bolted to to pivot the whole thing upwards to get more clearance?
posted by Brockles at 11:01 AM on June 3, 2013
Response by poster: My description on the amount of space was way off, Brockles. I was raised half in metric and half in English, and every so often, I have a glitch.
What I'm thinking, since this bike is my every day transportation and my other bike is still in the shop from my attempt to fix a short, is that I should put down the tools and the duct tape, call my mechanic and make an appointment for him to do this. The last thing I need is for my rear wheel to go bouncing down the street.
Darn it, it looked like such a simple project when I read the instructions that came with the rack...
posted by QIbHom at 11:05 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
What I'm thinking, since this bike is my every day transportation and my other bike is still in the shop from my attempt to fix a short, is that I should put down the tools and the duct tape, call my mechanic and make an appointment for him to do this. The last thing I need is for my rear wheel to go bouncing down the street.
Darn it, it looked like such a simple project when I read the instructions that came with the rack...
posted by QIbHom at 11:05 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
A standard allen key will often fit into a torx head.
Not in any good way - you'll be likely to round out the head if you try and apply any torque. Besides, not enough room for that.
posted by Brockles at 1:33 PM on June 3, 2013
Not in any good way - you'll be likely to round out the head if you try and apply any torque. Besides, not enough room for that.
posted by Brockles at 1:33 PM on June 3, 2013
Best answer: Pull the saddle bags off, and then the bracket that the sissy bar mounts onto should be bolted onto the frame and easily removed. Install your thing, and then put it back the way it came off.
posted by gjc at 3:31 PM on June 3, 2013
posted by gjc at 3:31 PM on June 3, 2013
Response by poster: That looks like it'll work, gjc.
Thanks, everyone!
posted by QIbHom at 5:40 AM on June 5, 2013
Thanks, everyone!
posted by QIbHom at 5:40 AM on June 5, 2013
Response by poster: gjc had it. Unfortunately, a combination of torx screws (what kind of idiot engineer puts torx on a bike?) and locktite defeated me. I just didn't have the strength and a good enough torx bit to get them off without stripping them. The local chopper shop put the rack on for US$20.
posted by QIbHom at 8:22 AM on September 11, 2013
posted by QIbHom at 8:22 AM on September 11, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mindsound at 7:14 AM on June 3, 2013 [1 favorite]