Re torquing head.........

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JOHNO23

JOHNO23

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I’m guessing this has been discussed a great deal over the years,but just thought I’d ask any way. Bike is now running after rebuild. Hoping to get her out on the road over the next week or so. I will have to retorque head after a 100 or so miles,this I know. What I don’t know is how you guys actually do this. I have sockets , box spanner and normal spanner of correct size and funny shape etc etc.......... but how do you actually get to torque the bolts to the required torque? We have upside down nuts, deeply sunken nuts etc etc........... I can’t see any special tool available to do this accurately, but obviously and engine rebuilders must do it ................thanks.
 
Loads of threads on here, this is one of the latest. Using the "Search" function will bring up many more.

Rear Head Nut Tool

I've heard countless tales of grinding down standard wrenches although aren't they also too long to get at the nut when the bike is all together? The two options I can see are: https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-details/18702/combination-spanner-1-4-ww-obstruction-? Which is only $21...
www.accessnorton.com www.accessnorton.com

Cheers,

cliffa.
 
For the recessed nuts at the front and the bolts beside the spark plugs I use 3/8 drive sockets and extension.
For the others I use combination spanners and insert the square of the toque wrench into the open end of the combo spanner, this I do with keeping the torque wrench at 90 degrees to the spanner, that way no reduction calculation is needed with the torque figures.
Yes you can use the cranked spanner from AN or box sockets for the front three nuts, but if you want the fixings torqued ( and I know this will raise condemnation from some) without major modification using a torque wrench with these tools will be challenging
 
Some people make up fancy ends to their torque wrenches, which works well for them.

IMHO, its simpler, and at least as reliable to learn to use ‘feel’ on the hard to get at fasteners.

You don‘t need to be a guru trained by Tibetan monks in order to do this, it’s easy to get a calibration for what a given torque feels like by simply tightening a fastener in a vice to a given torque with your torque wrench, and then use your normal spanner / socket / etc to see how much force is required to just ‘crack’ it another smidgen. Then vice versa; try tightening to a target torque with your spanner, and check it with the torque wrench.

After a bit of practice, you’ll not be far out.
 
Re torquing head.........
 
Early (to 1972) NM24260 sleeve nuts are 1/4W hexagon.
www.rgmnorton.co.uk

CYLINDER HEAD SLEEVE NUT

USED ON ALL 750 ENGINES, 3/8" X 26TPI THREAD. FITS THE TWO FRONT STUDS LOCATED IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. 1/4" WHIT SPANNER SIZE. LSO SEE 063192S FOR
www.rgmnorton.co.uk

Late sleeve nuts 063192 are 7/16 AF (or 3/16W) hex.
andover-norton.co.uk

Motorcycle parts and spares for Norton motorbikes - Genuine Andover Norton Spare Parts - Andover Norton Motorcycles Parts - Original Andover Norton Parts

Motorcycle parts and spares for Andover Norton motorbikes: Andover Norton manufactures and supplies all Genuine Factory Spare Parts for Norton motorcycles built before 2002.
andover-norton.co.uk
 
In 45 years of working on my Norton as well as other mates Norton's I just use my torque wench on the bolts that it can be used on and the rest are just done with my hands on the spanners that I use, so far I have had no problems with doing it this way, you do get to know the feel of tension on bolts doing it this way, as long as the main bolts are torqued down, all the top bolts can be torqued and the nuts and upside down ones just get the hands on torqued, just remember to go click click when you think its right ;)

Ashley
 
Gotta have the double click or it just won't work. I do the feel method at times when the tools aren't readily within reach, or I've flat run out of patience making attempts to accomplish the near impossible and it is surprisingly easy to get things close enough to call it right and well done..... Never had it backfire as of yet.
 
For people who have mechanical experience, training or indeed aptitude using the feel up method is fine.... but for those who don't explaining the principle but more so putting it into practice doesn't happen overnight
And once the practice has been learned tightening clockwise fixings, it has to be learned again for counter clockwise fixings.
Yes lots have people have done this for years and haven't had any problems, but surely if the means are available to torque the head bolts/nuts, why wouldn't you do this??.....I kick my tyres and they feel OK...but you wouldn't go out without putting a gauge on them first
 
olympus said:
Yes lots have people have done this for years and haven't had any problems, but surely if the means are available to torque the head bolts/nuts, why wouldn't you do this??.....I kick my tyres and they feel OK...but you wouldn't go out without putting a gauge on them first
Click to expand...

A few reasons IMHO... firstly is that it doesn‘t take years to learn! It take very little and is a very useful skill for any motorcycle owner to have as it helps ‘feel’ for tightness of anything and everything that you ever put a spanner on, and thus helps to avoid over and under tightening.

Next is that it’s just simpler, and avoids buying more kit.

Finally, I don’t think these attachments are necessarily that simple, with very hard to get at fasteners, and having the torque wrench at the incorrect angle / not fully square on the fastener / etc / etc will yield false torque settings. So, even with all the gear, the actual torque may not automatically be any more accurate / reliable than a ‘trained elbow’.

I‘m NOT arguing against these things per se, but I am arguing that they‘re not needed.
 
Fast Eddie said:
A few reasons IMHO... firstly is that it doesn‘t take years to learn! It take very little and is a very useful skill for any motorcycle owner to have as it helps ‘feel’ for tightness of anything and everything that you ever put a spanner on, and thus helps to avoid over and under tightening.

Next is that it’s just simpler, and avoids buying more kit.

Finally, I don’t think these attachments are necessarily that simple, with very hard to get at fasteners, and having the torque wrench at the incorrect angle / not fully square on the fastener / etc / etc will yield false torque settings. So, even with all the gear, the actual torque may not automatically be any more accurate / reliable than a ‘trained elbow’.

I‘m NOT arguing against these things per se, but I am arguing that they‘re not needed.
Click to expand...
That is why Whitworth and British Standard spanners had different lengths. An average man pulling at 90deg wouldn't over torque the bolt.
Surprisingly the torque wrench at 90deg is quite accurate, try it check it directly against another held in a vice.
Dave
 
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