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Socket for stem nut for Wide Glide

Spade5

Spade5

Active Member
I am looking for a 1-1/2 inch socket to tighten the stem nut on my WG. The shortest one I have been able to find is Craftsman at 1-7/8 in tall but it is too tall to go under the handle bar.

I just seems like too much work to have to remove the handle bar to get to this nut.

I was riding and noticed the stem nut cover moving and it was turning due to vibration. I pulled over and tried to tighten it by hand only to have it do the same thing a couple of miles later. I pulled over and decided to remove it before it fell off and I noticed my stem nut was only finger tight. It had been serviced by the dealer 3,000 miles ago.

The manual says there is a locking tab on the washer but I do not have one. I know there is a service bulletin to help with the clunk so maybe the new washer does not have the locking tab.

I am hoping someone can point me to a socket that will go on without removing the bars.
 
My Amber front marker light was loose but the nut had wire leads coming out from the center making it impossible to get a standard socket on it. I took an old socket and cut a groove up the side so the wires could exit and I could still get an extension and rachet on it. It's in an ever growing collection of custom made tools I keep for such occasions.
I'm wondering if you could grind an old or inexpensive socket down to fit under the bars ? If you don't have a grinder I saw Northern tools had a handheld for $20 the other day. Good luck with it - Bob
 
Auto supply stores seem to have a better selection of sockets in the larger sizes than Lowes/Home Depot/ACE. I was looking for a 1 3/16 socket and the 3 "big box" places mentioned above had 1, 1 1/16, 1 1/8, and 1 1/4 but skipped right over the 1 3/16 I was looking for. Found it at an Autozone.
 
There are also plenty heavy duty standard and ratcheting open end wrenches, but you will pay a bit for the single wrench rather than a "set" as an alternative. You could use the low profile ratchet head with integral hex drive, but has interchangeable socket(s)...a rather specialized tool by MAC, SnapOn or others...!
 
Snap On Crowfoot Flare

I found a crowfoot flare on the Snap On site. It was $45 and the maximum recommended working load is 900 inch pounds which will cover the HD maximum torque of 70 ft lbs. The manual says 55 but this was revised with a service bulletin along with a new washer.

The socket is like a 12 point box end with 10-15% cut out so it can go over a pipe. I think the 12 point is an advantage over the standard crow foot because you have more options in positioning the socket. I use a bar and beam torque wrench and prefer to add torque in increments so repositioning the socket a couple of times fits my style.

The socket works great and the quality is excellent.
 
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