Axle Nut Torque...

[primal]

...how the heck do you all get a torque wrench in there without removing the entire exhaust??

EDIT: Without spending a fortune on a special torque wrench with swappable open-end ends?

[primal]

BUMP!

No one? Come on...

[Easy Rider]

BUMP!

No one? Come on...

My answer is: I don't. With a cotter pin to hold it in, I don't worry about it too much.
Use a big wrench and gauge by feel (really tight). :)

[primal]

That's pretty much what I did, but I don't know if I got it "really tight." I know the tires on my car are torqued to 104 ft-lbs, so I sorta guessimated the 56.5 ft-lbs for the axle.

[Skinflint]

I recently guessed the torque on the fill and drain bolts on a scooters transmission and was lucky with an easyout and extreme patience to extract the broken bolt(due to an aluminum case expansion during use)Torque can be critical.2 hours of fear of having to disassemble the entire dang thing.Torque cautiously and practice the tension on something similar with a calibrated torque wrench several times first I would say to familarize ones self with the force necessary.

[music man]

But there is a lot of difference in the tensile strength of the drain bolt on your scooter transmission and the bolt holding the rear tire on a motorcycle.

[primal]

But there is a lot of difference in the tensile strength of the drain bolt on your scooter transmission and the bolt holding the rear tire on a motorcycle.

Indeed. The tranny casing was probably made of aluminum, correct? Yea, look at my thread a few months ago about stripping out my oil drain cap because I insisted on using a torque wrench. ;)

Plus the axle is made of steel. Much more difficult to strip than aluminum. Actually, the only reason I'd be worried about overtightening the axle nut is for fear of excessive wheel bearing wear.

[Water Warrior 2]

But there is a lot of difference in the tensile strength of the drain bolt on your scooter transmission and the bolt holding the rear tire on a motorcycle.

Indeed. The tranny casing was probably made of aluminum, correct? Yea, look at my thread a few months ago about stripping out my oil drain cap because I insisted on using a torque wrench. ;)

Plus the axle is made of steel. Much more difficult to strip than aluminum. Actually, the only reason I'd be worried about overtightening the axle nut is for fear of excessive wheel bearing wear.

Don't worry about wheel bearing wear. You will not put undue pressure on the bearings. You will collapse the swing arm first with too much force and that is pretty unlikely.

[primal]

Don't worry about wheel bearing wear. You will not put undue pressure on the bearings. You will collapse the swing arm first with too much force and that is pretty unlikely.

That's good to know, thanks.