what do people do if they strip the head of the torx bolt in the clutch inspection cover.  Once you get them out,  do you replace them with allen head bolts or go down the torx bolt path again. just curious.

I havent done it as yet, but have been told that the "star" part where the torx bit goes in is esy to strip, or is this not the case

Ah,, the old dreaded torx bolt stripped head , and or stripped hole problem !!!!
Some will say they have never had a problem with them , torque correctly etc ,,, I have had only problems with them, re the derby cover..

My advice,, get srews/ bolts, in ALLEN HEAD ,, the same size and length as stock bolts,, (if you can only buy longer than you require , cut to length and file ends ), ,,, take bolt to hardware store and buy heli coil kit that fits the bolt ,, the heli coil kit will have included correct drill and tap to suite ,, cover derby access hole with cardboard and duct tape .. Drill and tap hole,, ( make sure not to drill through primary cover ),, insert heli coil in tapped hole, with a dab of red loctite ,, making sure the heli coil, is a touch below flush of hole ,,, There is a tang at the bottom of the heli coil, that says should be snapped off, with tool provided in the kit ,, if you have bought, or cut bolts the correct length , you can miss this step , and leave the tang there ,,,,

If you are going to do one hole,, I would do the lot ,, wont take long !!!!!

I had this problem recently,couldn't budge them. Broke the end of a torks socket (cheap set). I used a small cold chisel very carefully to get them moving. I think they mistook superglue for locktite when they put them in. I replaced them with stainless button head  screws with allen key fittings.. Spoke to a HD mechanic after and he said to give them a sharp tap if they won't move . Buy a good quality torks set is good advice............Ian

Got mine off and stuck allen key head bolts in - brilliant.

looks like I will be going stainless allen head bolts by the sounds of this

I wouldn't be useing SS bolts in a cast alloy case, SS loves picking up soft material threads and destroying them

Hey not my sled though

With you Ando

thanks for the advice, what sort to you recommend Ando

what you took out, I have never had an issue with the OEM bolts and have done Hundreds of them,

But if ya want to change the anything but SS

I have the torx at the moment Ando, but I think I will replace them with allen head bolts to be on the safe side

Just keep in mind, Some Torx bolts have what is called ÄntiTheft Torx heads, where there is a pimple in centre of head. With these you will need the Torx sockets that have a small Indentation in the base where the pimple fits. I bought a set of each.

got the torx bolts out with no issues, I will sleep better tonight

 

had heard some horror stories paulybronco, so have to admit was a bit worried. but will be going to allen head style bolts.

Torx head bolts! Why are they better than allen keys?

Just bought a 12 point quarter inch stupid fucken socket to change my rear brake pads. Talk about overcomplicate things!

Why do Harley make such ridiculous fittings.

Designed with a pencil in one hand.....and a crack pipe in the other.

Beats me.

Dont know if this helps,But I bought an inch pound and foot pound torque wrench,

When torquing especially inch pound bolts, without an inch pound torque wrench,

Reason being, without a torque wrench, especially inch pounds or lower foot pound values, you will find if you do up a steel bolt into an alloy casing, you will overtighten the bolt and near strip thread.

A mechanic may well get away with this due to experience but an average bloke will just naturally overtighten, I got caught the hard way on my primary casings on evos before a mechanic told me to buy the inch pound torque wrench so as to avoid overtightning.

Tightnen a bolt in a block of metal by hand then test it with a torque wrench, Youll be suprised at the natural tendancy to overtighten without a torque wrench. Especially with steel into alloy. A $200 inchpound torque wrench and a $200 foot pound torque wrench is far better than just one stripped bolt.

Best advice I was ever given.

 

Some good info in this thread.

I have never stripped any myself , but I have worked on many that were well fucked when they got to me !

I keep a packet of new originals on the shelf to use after the oldies have been carefully chiselled out.

They all go back in with Anti -sieze or "Copper grease", don't matter the brand

And they are torqued in Nm to the correct spec.I've owned my torque wrench since I was 19 and building go faster kawas and I'm coming up 56 so there you go !

Then you'll have no problems with the stock OEM derby cover bolts

I used to use stainless polished Allen bolts in all my Jappers , same deal , anti sieze grease and never a problem

Hi all. Ando , I was thinking about what you said about the SS bolts. Do you think it a case of two metals that dont like each other destroying the softer alum alloy or over tightening pulling the alloy treads and breaking them? The original bolts are steel , also harder than the alloy. Is it a chemical reaction or pressure from a too tight bolt? Hard metal breaks soft metal..............Ian

For the OP.

Being in the game I can tell you that an allen head bolt or a "socket head cap screw" is what they are referred to, or a "button head screw" for the rounded head ones.
These will get damaged and strip the hole, or round out the hole far easier, than the torx head ones, especially stainless ones. Stainless looks good, but is usually softer than the torx ones and this is why they round out cause we tend to over tighten them or use the wrong loctite. Torx have a larger contact surface area for tightening and loosening than regular socket head cap screws. They are by design better. Just use the correct size and get a quality tool on them. AND, use a torque wrench to the correct setting and you will never have an issue with Torx bolts.

I end up putting the torx back in with some anti sieze and used an inch pound torque wrench to tighten them. 

Thanks for all the input and advice that was given