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In a pinch if you dont have the right size allen wrench, you can find a bolt that fits the allen heat and bend it or take that same bolt and double nut it, it will work in a pinch, Capital Jack:s
 
Here's another one:

Familiar with the situation that you've been screwed up by a non magnetic screw (like ss/copper) falling off your screwdriver and having too little space to hold it with your other hand?
Here's my solution: make yourself a screw holder out of a piece of copper/metal wire, grab them both and put it in place with one hand!

Good luck,

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Although I haven't figured it out yet I think I might have to make a tool here soon. I will be installing a set of chrome rocker covers. The manual calls for the use of two torque adapters to be used when installing the covers with the engine still mounted in the frame. The tools from snap on run $30 each! This is a tool I will use once and that's it. I am trying to come up with a creative solution to my problem and began thinking about making a torque adapter from an old standard wrench and a socket. I figured I could weld a socket onto the wrench to create the offset I need. The problem I have is the box end of the wrench has the angle on it. I might have to heat it up and bend it to make it flat. Has anybody ever tried to make a torque adapter in this fasion or should I just bite the bullet and put out the $60 bucks? If I were a professional mechanic I would definately buy the correct tool but it seems silly for somebody like myself. Anybody have any suggestions?
 
Although I haven't figured it out yet I think I might have to make a tool here soon. I will be installing a set of chrome rocker covers. The manual calls for the use of two torque adapters to be used when installing the covers with the engine still mounted in the frame. The tools from snap on run $30 each! This is a tool I will use once and that's it. I am trying to come up with a creative solution to my problem and began thinking about making a torque adapter from an old standard wrench and a socket. I figured I could weld a socket onto the wrench to create the offset I need. The problem I have is the box end of the wrench has the angle on it. I might have to heat it up and bend it to make it flat. Has anybody ever tried to make a torque adapter in this fasion or should I just bite the bullet and put out the $60 bucks? If I were a professional mechanic I would definately buy the correct tool but it seems silly for somebody like myself. Anybody have any suggestions?

Only thing I can come up with is looking into whether or not some place would rent you the tool. Have you checked prices on Ebay and/or Craigslist? Otherwise, I would spend the money on the proper tool and have the satisfaction of knowing the job was well done with the right equipment.
 
Although I haven't figured it out yet I think I might have to make a tool here soon. I will be installing a set of chrome rocker covers. The manual calls for the use of two torque adapters to be used when installing the covers with the engine still mounted in the frame. The tools from snap on run $30 each! This is a tool I will use once and that's it. I am trying to come up with a creative solution to my problem and began thinking about making a torque adapter from an old standard wrench and a socket. I figured I could weld a socket onto the wrench to create the offset I need. The problem I have is the box end of the wrench has the angle on it. I might have to heat it up and bend it to make it flat. Has anybody ever tried to make a torque adapter in this fasion or should I just bite the bullet and put out the $60 bucks? If I were a professional mechanic I would definately buy the correct tool but it seems silly for somebody like myself. Anybody have any suggestions?

What I did is ground down a 7/16 & 1/2" sockets to fit a 7/16 open/box end wrench. My torque wrench will fit the box end. The book says to keep the 2 wrenches at 90* to cancel out the torque multiplier effect.
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What I did is ground down a 7/16 & 1/2" sockets to fit a 7/16 open/box end wrench. My torque wrench will fit the box end. The book says to keep the 2 wrenches at 90* to cancel out the torque multiplier effect.
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Keeping them at 90* will minimize, but not eliminate the torque multiplier effect. The effective length of the torque wrench becomes the diagonal between the center of the handle and the socket. Assuming a 15" torque wrench and a 6" combination wrench, the torque multiplier will be approximately 1.08 at 90*, much better than the 1.4 it would be if left straight.
 
Keeping them at 90* will minimize, but not eliminate the torque multiplier effect. The effective length of the torque wrench becomes the diagonal between the center of the handle and the socket. Assuming a 15" torque wrench and a 6" combination wrench, the torque multiplier will be approximately 1.08 at 90*, much better than the 1.4 it would be if left straight.

The Harley manual says and I quote.."The 90* orientation between the tools cancels the multiplier effect and prevents the bolt from being over-tightened. If the adapter is kept inline with the torque wrench, the multiplier effect is in force and distortion of the rocker housing will occur". Are you saying the manual is in error?
 
Depends how it is looked at. What Jake says is absolutely true. A error does still exist but it is small (~10% in that example). If you want to be more accurate, just do the math and add/subtract it from the torque reading you are applying.

Think of an Extreme example. Applying 50 pounds of torque to a bolt that has a 10 foot 90* offset. Hardly any of that 50 pounds of torque will be applied to the bolt. Instead of turning the head of the bolt, torque is applied to the bolt forcing it to turn within an arc and not within itself.

When you start to factor in all the places where errors exist, don't forget the wrench itself can have a bunch of error depending on "point of set vs full range setting".

I really believe it is more important to have EQUAL torqued bolts than an exact amount of torque. Yes of course the absolute value is important but being 8% off on value is less important than all the bolts tighten to the same slightly off value.
 
What you are saying is torque multiplier effect @ 90* isn't enough to worry about as long as they are all torqued to the same value? I try to stay in the middle of the torque range given it the book. You say do the math...what is the math? Do you have some kind of formula you could share?
 
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