Flex extension for head bolts?

Phil says he can re-torque head bolt #1 using a knuckle-type "wobble" socket on a 2" extension holding the 1/4 WW socket. I believe him of course, but personally can't seem to make this happen.
So I'm looking at this instead: https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-J5268-8- ... B001HWG8UG
Can anyone tell me (or tell me how to find out) the torque rating on this tool? One guys on Amazon answers this exact question with "pretty strong". Y'all can do better than that, right?
Thanks in advance--
Rick

Maybe ask the manufacturer?
Bill
http://www.protoindustrial.com/en/i...8"-Drive-Flexible-Extension-8"---Black-Oxide/

This looks like the Britool one I have had for years. It is next to useless. They are only any good for screwing bolts in or out of awkward places. If any load is applied they just buckle & are therefore no suitable for torquing head bolts.

That flexi extension is not a wobble bar , I can slacken my 750 wheel studs with a 10 '' wobble bar. You could probably get thirty pounds with it.

Jg

Thanks for the replies. It looks like the flex extension is not a solution, although I still intend to call the maker and see if I can find out the torque rating.
So, do you folks have a "trick" of some kind to check torque on that central #1 head bolt?
My bike has that spring thing pulling the head up and forward, and it prevents getting a straight shot down to the head bolt, but it's a fair amount of nonsense to loosen the spring tensioner locknut 1/6 of a turn at a time all the way up and then remove the bracket attached to the head steady, just to get a clear path.
In fact, removing the bracket is not the least bit friendly, it being fastened with 2 bolts deep in the head steady which are prone to turn as one loosens the nuts and there is no way to hold them still as the nuts come off (or go back on, for that matter).
Again, any tips will be appreciated, especially from those who have the spring thing to deal with.
Rick

Spoke to a friend 'in the trade' last night about why there should be an access problem to these 3 fixings. He told me he does not have a problem and employs slightly modified 3/8 drive Whitworth sockets on extensions and manages to get a torque wrench on tem with little trouble.
These 3 fixings were never a problem on my Dommy with the motor in and out of the frame......I even went out into the garage to check the tools I used......German made 3/8 drive Whitworth sockets turned down a tad on the end of extensions.
Personally I used one of these 1/4 inch flexy extensions for decades working on radar wave guides 4mm fixings . Unfortunately people in drawing offices only see the waveguide runs as they design them and never think that tey will be used in enclosures with little access to human hands and arms. Trouble is that as you apply torque they twist up..the socket flies off the bolt head / nut and the socket flies off the end of the flexy extension and can be heard dropping down to god only knows where. Luckily the radar heads not only went round in training but also up and down in elevation and eventually the lost items would fall out only to drop overthe side of the mount to be lost forever in the long grass....to the sound of great swearing........Happy days at the UK taxpayers exspence.

J. M. Leadbeater said:

Spoke to a friend 'in the trade' last night about why there should be an access problem to these 3 fixings.

Click to expand...

The original question was specifically referring to torquing head bolt No.1 (#1) with the head steady and suspensory spring components still in position.

J. M. Leadbeater said:

He told me he does not have a problem and employs slightly modified 3/8 drive Whitworth sockets on extensions and manages to get a torque wrench on tem with little trouble.

Click to expand...

But is this with or without the head steady and suspensory spring components remaining in situ, as I suspect it is without so perhaps you did not read what Mr Rick said and therefore did not ask "your friend in the trade" exactly the right question?


Obviously with those components removed there would not be a problem.

Thanks, L.A.B., for the clarification.
Yes, it's only that single bolt I'm struggling with. Parts book Group 2, plate #26, P/N NM25313, I think.
I'm now wondering if Phil is the only guy out there who has figured this out. And he said he "cheats" by going with the wobble. Obviously, if the wrench is at an angle with respect to the bolt head, the torque reading will be either vague or a trigonometry exercise.

I use a wobble extension for this, probably 3" long. For number 2 I use a 1/4 Whit combination wrench with the box end on the nut and the open end on the 3/8 drive of my torque wrench so that the torque wrench is at 90 degrees to the combination wrench.

For the sleeve nuts I use a short wrench that has a 3/8 box end on one end and a 7/16 box end on the other. The 7/16 end goes on the sleeve nut. I use a 3/8" hex key socket in the 3/8 end of the wrench. Again, I keep the short wrench at 90 degrees to the torque wrench.

Thanks, Eric.
My question for you (or anyone else) is: Do you have the spring suspension device attached to your head steady, and if so, do you remove it to get at the #1 bolt head?
Good tip for the sleeve nuts!

Maybe ask the manufacturer?
Pleasantly surprised to hear back from Proto/Stanley about the rating for that flex extension.
Not so pleasant: the rating is 35 inch pounds. So about 1/10 of the rating needed to pull up that bolt...
If I had an extra $30, I'd be tempted to buy one and see where on the scale it really gives up and breaks. Gotta be higher than 35.

I can retorque the head bolts with the iso spring in place and the tank fitted no worries.
I use a combination of 3/8" drive 1/4" king dick socket, 2" wobble extension and uni joint type adapter.
I put it down the tunnel and when it's on the head properly attach a torque wrench.
I'll take a photo later.

Extension is plain not wobble type.

Thank you, Mark!
This gives me hope that I can replicate your (and Phil's) procedure.
I was trying to use a 6-point socket, too, which limits my choices at the bolt head. Maybe a 12-point wd be better...

No worries Mr Rick.
I don't think a 6 point would make much difference as long as it's thin walled enough to fit around the bolt /nut head. It's as much about getting the length right as it is getting access down the hole.

I find that with most things commando.......time saving techniques have caused me more time.....and frustration.

I remove the tank and loosen the top iso, and have the bike on the side stand as to not load up the iso's in the rest of the cradle. All top bolts the centre and the two front ones done with a short 2.5" extension on the torque wrench. For all others I use the torque wrench an open ended wrench and one of these:
http://www.motionpro.com/product/08-0380

Never any problems, never any torque recalculations. Remember that if a bolt or nut is upside down, then the torque wrench must be reversed in direction. Not all torque wrench can set torque counter clock wise. Get one that does. Then again alot of members dont use a torque wrench at all. :lol:

A tip for the wobble extension: wrap the extension knuckle in black electrical tape, this keeps it from wobbling too much when your attempting to get into a blind hole.

Dave

Thanks, Dave!
That's a cool little adapter. I might have to buy another tool now!