Obstruction using an open end wrench

[tearapin]

Hello,

I am trying to depict the issue I have through this picture. The red line represents an obstruction. The black box represents where the wrench will hit the obstruction. At times you can only put the wrench on where it will not allow rotation when tightening. In other words you run out of clearance room to turn it.

A thin wall socket will not clear. An open end ratchet wrench is designed for not having to take it off during rotation but does not reposition the end for better clearance. Any tool I could buy to get past this?

The bolt is a Harley Evo tappet screen plug. Obviously the stupid slotted bolt for the drag link tool is gone. I am thinking Harley did the slot because of the clearance issue, but hoping there is a tool to allow the use of the hex head.

 

[cjarvis]

Not being a smartass here, but have you looked for an obstruction wrench? There are multiple styles. Surely one of them will get you where you need to go.

 

[GeoBruin]

An angle wrench like this might get you there, not just because of the angle but also because they are slightly more low profile than a typical open end.

Other than that, I would just buy a single open end wrench from Harbor Freight, Hope Depot, or wherever, in the size you need and grind it down a little at a time until it works, but not so far that it breaks. Then you'll have a custom tool for that specific bolt.

Another option is a flare nut wrench. If there's enough space to get the wrench on the bolt, they are lower profile than the open end of an end wrench so it might allow you to get part of a turn before you have to reseat it.

Another alternative is to grind a slot in the head of the bolt so you can use a flathead screwdriver (or impact driver if necessary).

 

[RTM]

Grind down the open end to get more clearance. I'd use a cheap wrench, not a Snap on or a vintage one.

Oops, GeoBruin typed faster, or maybe thinks faster. Nah, couldn't be that.

 

[Firebrick43]

Maybe one of the "Speed" open end wrenches?

 

[no704]

Replace with a cap screw?

 

[Bad Eye Bill]

Cutting open a cheap box end wrench might work.

 

[tearapin]

Not being a smartass here, but have you looked for an obstruction wrench? There are multiple styles. Surely one of them will get you where you need to go.

I did. Did not really see anything that i thought would work.

 

[KnurledNut]

Turn/grind down a 12 point socket.

 

[Rusted Nut]

Several companies make special wrenches for EVO tappets. Google and you’ll probably find several.

 

[Schurkey]

Don't shove the open-end wrench so far onto the nut? Costs nothing to try. Downside will be that the open-end will tend to flex open and could round the corners. A "good" wrench is less-likely to do this than a Hazzard-Fraught or other bottom-feeder rubber wrench. A modified (ground-down) open end will be less flexible in this application.




Tell Harley to hire some competent engineers that understand what "Tool Clearance" means.

 

[mrbill55]

Don't shove the open-end wrench so far onto the nut? Costs nothing to try.

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner.

No reason to reinvent the wheel, might take a little longer one small turn at a time, but it will come off just the same.

Bill S.

 

[Pinemarten]

Don't shove the open-end wrench so far onto the nut? Costs nothing to try. Downside will be that the open-end will tend to flex open and could round the corners. A "good" wrench is less-likely to do this than a Hazzard-Fraught or other bottom-feeder rubber wrench. A modified (ground-down) open end will be less flexible in this application.

Good advice............I would add, you might have to flip the wrench over each time you twist it to get the swing you need.
You will get it, but it will be a slow process!

 

[whateg01]

Don't shove the open-end wrench so far onto the nut?

Why wasn't this the first suggestion made?

Tell Harley to hire some competent engineers that understand what "Tool Clearance" means.

Not just Harley. I've had to fight engineering on multiple occasions on stuff like this at work. It goes together just fine in production - WHEN IT ISN'T INSTALLED! But for the rest of the machine's life, somebody else is going to have to deal with it. Sometimes production wins because time and materials count against our margins and post sale all comes out of the customers pocket. But it sure feels good to win the battle occasionally.

 

[rockettauto]

Generally generically one would use angle head wrenches.

These however ( if I understand correctly) are also made specifically for your exact purpose.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UME9JEC/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[GeoBruin]

Why wasn't this the first suggestion made?

I think because we assume that a well-known member of this forum wrenching on their own Harley probably had enough common sense to have tried the most obvious solution that could be achieved using conventional tools prior to posting here on the forum.

Everyone is so quick to come down on every poster here but I think we need to at least assume 1) they're not completely clueless (unless they admit that they are) and 2) that they have more context about the issue than we do.

For example, I assume the OP posted an obviously exaggerated graphic to explain the issue, but that in reality, it's not as easy as just backing the wrench off the fastener a little.

 

[whateg01]

I think because we assume that a well-known member of this forum wrenching on their own Harley probably had enough common sense to have tried the most obvious solution that could be achieved using conventional tools prior to posting here on the forum.

Everyone is so quick to come down on every poster here but I think we need to at least assume 1) they're not completely clueless (unless they admit that they are) and 2) that they have more context about the issue than we do.

For example, I assume the OP posted an obviously exaggerated graphic to explain the issue, but that in reality, it's not as easy as just backing the wrench off the fastener a little.

There's another well known poster on this forum that, based on the questions he/she/they post, does not appear to have the sense or experience to just back the wrench off a little. It's not obvious to me that the drawing is exaggerated. I'm not sure how you are able to tell that. I encounter fasteners like that quite a bit. I also encounter fasteners where you can't even fit the nut into the space without pulling the bolt out of the hole and positioning the nut first. Of course, that means that a box end wrench won't fit either. So, yes, that should be the first suggestion. If op comes back and says the fastener is so tight that it spreads the jaws of the open and wrench, then my next suggestion might be to grind a little off the tip.

I'll add that if that's the case, cutting one side off a box end wrench will help with purchase and might help prevent rounding of the corners, but it's more likely to spread because of the thinner "jaws". Same goes for a flare nut wrench, which depending on which direction the fastener ends up facing at the end of the swing, might have the same problem as the socket or box end.

 

[Zeus36]

When you get the factory tappet plug off, you could go with this style to replace it:

 

[neophyte]

It should probably be mentioned that some open end wrench jaws are made with a shallower design just meant for hex nuts, and others have a deeper jaws made for also gripping square head nuts and bolts.
The deeper jawed wrenches are sometimes called “Lobster Clawed”.

 

[Copymutt]

Some open ends will get sloppy when not fully seated. I’ve had success scotch taping shim stock to the working face in those situations.

 

[tearapin]

Some open ends will get sloppy when not fully seated. I’ve had success scotch taping shim stock to the working face in those situations.

Yes it does get sloppy when you back it off. I will try a flare nut wrench and a shim.

The drawing is not exaggerated and in fact it is worse than the drawing depicts. The bolt or plug as it were is also backed up to the aluminum crankcase. An error in this area could be quite costly.

 

[tearapin]

When you get the factory tappet plug off, you could go with this style to replace it:

Already purchased

 

[tak1313]

Turn/grind down a 12 point socket.

This - I don't know how much torque is involved, but what about grinding a "slot" in a socket, such that the slot would give enough clearance as the socket is rotated, removed, reapplied, rotated, etc.

The slot would be similar to what one would find on an O2 socket like this:


but with a 12 point so there is more flexibility on positioning.

 

[Zeus36]

Already purchased

I have a 1999 Fatboy EVO with the drag link slot in the top of the plug. Can you post a picture of the current tappet plug you are trying to remove? I can't make sense of your statement: "...Obviously the stupid slotted bolt for the drag link tool is gone..." Do you mean it was redesigned by HD or a different style fastener was installed by someone else? Or is the slot there but damaged (as in "gone")?

EVOs were produced to year 2000 and I don't think the factory used anything other than this style plug:



There is interference with the tappet block for swinging a wrench, but it still looks do-able...

They also use the same plug in two locations on the oil pump, might as well convert those too:



As you already have the replacement plug with the Allen Hex key recess, grind a slot in whatever plug is currently installed there and use a screwdriver or drag link socket.

 

[tearapin]

I have a 1999 Fatboy EVO with the drag link slot in the top of the plug. Can you post a picture of the current tappet plug you are trying to remove? I can't make sense of your statement: "...Obviously the stupid slotted bolt for the drag link tool is gone..." Do you mean it was redesigned by HD or a different style fastener was installed by someone else? Or is the slot there but damaged (as in "gone")?

Thanks for asking. I bought a replacement several years ago for the slotted head. it is a standard hex head. It can stop in a place where the claerance is an issue. In other words you cannot tighten it anymore because the wrench will hit an obstruction on one side of the hex (Crankcase) and at the other there is not room for the handle to clear when you try to put the wrench on the next hex flat. In retrospect an Allen head might have been better.

 

[bcradio]

Thanks for asking. I bought a replacement several years ago for the slotted head. it is a standard hex head. It can stop in a place where the claerance is an issue. In other words you cannot tighten it anymore because the wrench will hit an obstruction on one side of the hex (Crankcase) and at the other there is not room for the handle to clear when you try to put the wrench on the next hex flat. In retrospect an Allen head might have been better.

Why did you do this? Why didn't you buy the correct slotted replacement?

 

[tearapin]

Why did you do this? Why didn't you buy the correct slotted replacement?

They tend to get stuck and the slot does not give enough surface area to get it out.

 

[lardy1]

Can you cut/file a slot in it to get a screwdriver or drag link socket on it then replace it with the proper one?

 

[Zeus36]

Can you cut/file a slot in it to get a screwdriver or drag link socket on it then replace it with the proper one?

That was my suggestion in post #24, last line.....

 

[Jim greengo]

Replace with a cap screw?

Looks like it's on a stud though.

 

[Zeus36]

For anyone that has the factory or even an aftermarket style plug with the factory design drag link slot, several companies make a tool to remove and install that plug:

 

[GeoBruin]

That was my suggestion in post #24, last line.....

No, that was my suggestion in post #3 (last line) , but we're long past reading prior posts here, and in many cases, the original post

 

[Zeus36]

No, that was my suggestion in post #3 (last line) , but we're long past reading prior posts here, and in many cases, the original post

Apologies, I missed it

 

[tearapin]

For anyone that has the factory or even an aftermarket style plug with the factory design drag link slot, several companies make a tool to remove and install that plug:

In my experience when you have to apply a decent amount of torque to get the slotted bolt of you wind up rounding the slot. Even with these tools. Who uses slotted screws anymore?

 

[lardy1]

There shouldn't be much torque on that plug. I have an Evo and I've had mine out without any struggle.

 

[tearapin]

There shouldn't be much torque on that plug. I have an Evo and I've had mine out without any struggle.

Well, the dude that put mine on must have used a tire impact gun. Agree i think the spec is 90 inch pounds.

 

[bonneyman]

Maybe one of the "Speed" open end wrenches?

Got something similar to that. Added it to my 1/2 x 9/16 wrench carry collection - i never know when I'll need it!

 

[tearapin]

Got something similar to that. Added it to my 1/2 x 9/16 wrench carry collection - i never know when I'll need it!

I thought about these but they seem to be for the purpose of not having to lift the wrench off the fastner. I need to have more clearance and I am not thinking this would help in that regard.

 

[DAustin]

I say go to a pawn shop buy a few cheap wrenches and grind them (like a lot of people have said) down until you find the right fit. You really can't get any torque with those open-end speed wrenches.

 

[ybnormal]

Who uses slotted screws anymore?

light switch wallcover plates