Poll - Torque limiter failures on 449/511

I asked Husqvarna that question and I believe it is still possible. Their response was "There's only so much pressure an allen bolt can handle"...

Yeah, I guess so. It is a tiny part!
The more you look at it, the more it sucks....

The 10mm shouldered Allen head bolt used to assemble the torque limiter may not be very big and Husqvarna told Tinken "Theres only so much pressure the Allen bolt could handle".

The Torque Limiters Tinken has tested though at 280FT Lbs. (Not Newton Meters) are a testament to it being able to hold more break away pressure than it was designed to do. Or what each of the Torque Limiters are marked and rated at individually by the Factory Assembly Plant or its part supplier/vendor.

The bolt seems to hold a substantial increase in fact over stock. His is 328 Newton Meters, Kelly's tested at 280 Ft Lbs by Tinken as well yet it was marked in his own picture 227.3 Nm.

Tinken have you seen the 10mm bolts break yet ? Seriously, at what point has this happened (Ft.Lbs or NM?) if during testing? If so, was it during testing or in the bike and under what conditions. Race, Trail riding, Fast open desert, Sand washes, etc.?

I feel like I am on the witness stand here. I'm not sure when the bolt is at it's breaking point, you should test it. My New TL design does not require that much pressure, so there was no need to do that kind of testing

It is all good you guys. Its called progress.

Kelly, your own Torque Limiter as tested by Tinken on the fixture was as high as 280 Ft Lbs. Or 380.8 Newton Meters. That's more than his own at 328 NM. These test numbers are all relevant but lets forget the Factory Laser markings. As long as it doesn't slip and it doesn't break the transmission at the same time, that's good. The assembly bolt is still doing the job in your bikes as well, at tested numbers way higher than the Nominal value of a maximum 245 NM as is the range of factory replacements available to all of us. It was designed or intended for that range. If that's the case and the tested numbers are that high and the bolt is still holding up alright, I mean isn't it?

So what I'm getting at is, possibly Re-shimming a used Torque Limiter assembly back together again if the plates are prepped for reassembly. They aren't damaged to the point of being annealed or possibly even breaking open a new one perhaps and by shimming it tighter we could come up with some pretty high numbers even with its current design. I also realize that by increasing the shims thickness to tighten it up, it would or could effectively make it a bit wider externally. Who Knows? These outside external, behind the outer bearing shims are available from any dealer in a package of 3 thicknesses, I have a package of them myself.

I'm not trying to put Tinken on trial here. I am throwing some numbers out here because it breaks down to that in the end ultimately. I'm just throwing down some relevant thoughts for trying to come up with an option to increase it's breakaway point without really causing damage to the engines transmission. This is what we have to work with at this time. What else can we do to modify the offending part now and not have it tear things up by doing so? I am running a full recirculation set up myself. I also know I am hard on parts. I have the old ones to prove it. So why not try to do this. What do we as a group have to lose?

I have one that I replaced that has very low hours (like less than 30 hours total) and it hasn't been tested since removal. I just replaced it because the engine was out. I would volunteer it up for playing around with.

I also have a brand new one in the box here at my house in the garage and a few old worn out ones in a box somewhere at my shop. Tinken has about 40 of em'.

I could also build a holding fixture and socket myself in a few hours if necessary. If I wanted to do this for myself but being so skeptical myself, who would believe me? Besides that who would benefit? Mine in my bike is OK for now but an option towards a simple solution to the TL would be great for all of us.

Tinken, just hurry up and machine a solid fing gear and lets be done with this hubbaloo.

I wont be shock loading the gearbox with my supermoto anyways. But I will be running wide open for long periods.

hubbaloo? huh.

Thanks for your solution and open thoughts. That's an enormous contribution to this specific technical discussion. Many people spend hours of time thinking about things like this and asking questions and even more time posting actual thoughts that could at some point solve a problem for many. Possibly you, just so you could say later with your credit card in hand, "I'll take one please, just send me one of those solid fing gears".

That helps a lot, "huskylove" and I thank you. I figured you would ring in here.

If you don't like it, You don't need to read it.

People have told me and many others that same thing on here. So I guess it's alright if I tell you the same thing. So what? I'll get bashed for that too.

Why don't you put your brain to work and come up with a real contribution instead of knocking down everybody's thoughts or ideas. We could all do this together. I'm at least open to more ideas here and a willingness to try to do something. That's just one of the reasons I'm on here, like it or not. I am here hoping that collectively this TL subject can be worked out, maybe one could be rebuilt and reused and to hear some more real thoughts from everybody. Including you if you have any.

You go ahead and call that hubbaloo?

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Except for yours. Everyone of these posts is all good information.

*climbs into witness stand*

A couple of things to consider. I will use 9880's image, it's convenient.



In the image above, there are smooth plates with tabs on the outer edge and there are textured plates with a splined center. The whole TL is head-spaced off of those textured plates on their outer edge. I have seen only one of these completely fly apart and that was because the TL was worn to the point of the loss of the head spacing.

One of my ideas a while back was to laser cut the splined washers to have tabs at the top. This would effectively create a solid transfer gear. This was where Husky said no-no-no... Believe me, I spent countless, sleepless, nights staring at the ceiling trying to figure out a solution to this issue. Liability is a big thing here, so no solid units, but I did finally figure it out. I imagine we will manufacture them as soon as there is sufficient need. There is light at the end of this tunnel, just not sure how long the tunnel is yet.

Good info. Thanks.
The witness may now step down from the bench.

Let me be more useful.


Tinken, how much for a lightened solid unit. One off. I will be the guinea pig .

*trying to find an excuse to make one*... I got nothing. I'm doing you a favor by saying no. That is for sure a broken transmission, especially on the 6 speed.

my progress so far with that Limiter..

My old one is no good to use anymore. I do understand how they could explode or just break.
With the limiter spinning to often , it also wears the Center Brass Bush and outer friction disc . This allows the Limiter to be out of center . In my case around 1mm.
That 1mm is way to much when we talk precision Gears . I nstalled my Li miter and it was slightly not center torqued up, i could't even spin that engine. If this happens on a hill that thing will jam up and give way.


I got the tool from Husky to check the torque.
Min torque is 100nm as per dealer instruction. My Limiter is down to 90 Nm on the bench.



Then i installed a second shim 0.3mm and got it up to 135NM . Another shim 0.6mm brought it only to 150NM.
So out of this testing, it showed me that the Limiter is no good anymore. Once that course coating is off , nothing really can help you.

Therefore NEW ONLY for me. I dont want to Sandblast anf install that thing back in with a risk of jamming up.

Now the New One from Dangermousse. ( Big thanks to David for sending me his new one) I know you would love to experiment yourself with it.
The New one is Laser marked with 228 NM plus a second mark with 238nm. I assume and as per Husky information it should perform at min 225Nm.
And it does not !!! It is a brand new new one. No marks what so ever are on it.

Ok. i thought it must be the torque wrench. I took the New Wurth wrench , and Yes it was slightly 10nm different. Still i did not believe that and went for the old stye precision one. No clicking noise and turning the handle to its setting.
We are talking the one with a needle and a little stop on it.

This one gave me 160nm just like the New Wurth one. How is that possible. Its supposed to be 225NM ????



So i called my dealer up to check if he still got his. He is pretty interested to test the same with his.

But i didnt stop and checked The New one from David with one additional shim 0.3mm .. And bang there it is 240 strong NM. Thats what i like. It feels firm and right too. I will not go less then 230NM.
That limiter is not supposed to spin sveral turns. More like a dampener when you shift gears . Only turns maybe 20 - 40mm just to slightly soften that gear engaging in case you kick it in to harsh.

So Davids turns with 240Nm or starts to move. I assume this will soften up within a few km. And stay near 200. And for longer then my old one.

I will let put an update in after Dealer test.

Thanks so much 9880sts. Awesome job buddy. Very much appreciated.

Now this my friends is an example of real progress.

It didn't hurt too bad either did it?

Some times the wound just won't heal if you don't pull that arrow after you break it off. It may be a bit painful but it sure feels better later.

I will only use a dial type Torque Wrench. Mine all have a follow up needle as well just in case they are out of position when used and you can't look straight at it. I have mine Calibrated and tagged with a date of that calibration twice a year. Snap-On tools will do this for me right on the truck for free through the US Border Patrol. It it required when I turn wrenches with my A&P license on any Aircraft. If the calibration sticker isn't up to date the Torque Wrench has to stay in the box..

Clicker type torque wrenches unless calibrated are a fricken Joke and are not to be trusted IMHO. If you use one and trust it you are kidding yourself. They are toys not tools. I guess I'm old school and I'm over it.

By the way, This above post by "9880sts' has got to be the most useful information to a thread I have seen since I myself joined this forum earlier last year after viewing as a unregistered guest for about a year before that. I didn't myself join CH until I plunked my Husky Engine into my G450X Chassis. I didn't feel I was officially worthy until I had A Husky Emblem embedded into my actual side case. This is a tight group for sure. I guess being an old Maico Guy and a now a BMW rider doesn't help my position to much either but I have had a few early Huskys ( all big bore 2 strokes) in the years past when I was still riding my old Maico's.

It has taken quite a lot to simply get to this point on this subject and that's why I guess I have always come back.

I knew it could be done. Many thanks to those who made it actually happen.

Ok, so where can we obtain the shims?

Paw Paw

The problem was never the new torque limiters slipping. It is the durability of the torque limiter over time. It is a wear part worse than the clutch. Adding shims will slow it's slip down but its still a wear part.

The problem is the torque limiter is a bad design and wears out prematurely. Also the cost of them is rather high and they are difficult to find.


The solution is an aftermarket type of gear that cannot rotate a full 360 but close. This way it still slips under extreme load but could then have positive engagement. Now how to give it a ratcheting effect so it can then do it again after back torque is applied......hmmmm.....

I think we should be looking into a solution in the clutch, not the limiter.

Adler aptc clutches slip slightly under acceleration as the assembly must run down the ramps and apply torque to the plates. The weird affect of this is on takeoff it slips when you hammer it from a stop and works damn near like traction control for a split second. If they increased the angle of the ramps and made them longer then it would slip for a slightly longer amount of time. Every time it was hard on the throttle. We are talking milliseconds. But it works.


Solid gear but make us a custom slipper clutch tinken.

No solid design, but my new design is similar to what you described.

Shimming isn't progress or anything New and exciting, Wolfgang did all of this pre Dakar 2012. He promised this as a cure. They still blew the TL's and transmissions. The only way to fix this is design change.