Pretty sure his response means the clamp gives the extra grip to remove without tools, which has nothing to do with snarky replies that someone can't tighten a clamp.....but anyway PSA to all you buttholes....get a yellow, rubber dishwashing glove and never use a tool to install or remove a filter again! You're welcome!
Several issues are happening here... OE's state in the manuals to torque the filter using a "special tool" (cup wrench) and also state "Never tighten the filter by hand".... go check it out. Reason for this is because the OE filters utilize a P-ring style gasket and to achieve the proper sealing characteristics of the filter, they need to be tightened to the point where the filter base makes firm contact with the oil filter base on the motor... Difficult, if not impossible, to achieve by hand. K&N (AND other aftermarket filters) include the weld nut to remove the filter, but the outside of the filter canister is smooth and one cannot use a cup wrench to tighten the filter per the bikes owners manual. So... an un-informed person will use the weld nut to make sure the filter is torqued. Through this process they fatigue the welds on the filter and when the filter is pressurized there is a weak point that results in a major leak... and bad day at the track. As stated before, the weld nut is specifically for removal only. Next issue is that not all filters require the same installation method. Most, if not all, OE motorcycle filters come with a P-ring gasket and require tightening them to a certain torque setting. Some aftermarket motorcycle filters and almost all aftermarket automotive filters have a lathe-cut or square gasket. This type of gasket is taller in design and does not need to be tightened to a specific torque. On average, most need to be tightened 3/4 to 1 full turn past where the filter gasket makes contact with the mounting surface on the bike... that's it. Going beyond that can deform the base plate of the filter and actually reduce the sealing characteristic of the gasket. Points to make.... 1) Always, ALWAYS follow the installation instructions on the filter.... not necessarily what the service manual says. 2) Lube the gasket with fresh/clean oil prior to installation... this actually helps installation and removal of the filter. 3) Never tighten a filter with a wrench unless it has a specific torque spec on the filter and you're using a proper tool to do so 4) Be careful when installing hose clamps on any filter. Over tightening them can actually create weak points in the filter body which could lead to opportunities for failure and leakage over time. Hope this helps.
I'm guilty of using the nut to torque (yes i actually torque them) the filter. I oiled the track 2-3 times back in my rookie years, because i wasnt tightening the filter enough. Now i torque them to spec, but i use the nut on the top of the filter.
My rule of thumb is I hand tighten with oily hands, until I can't tighten anymore. Works for me. The slippery hands keeps from going too bonkers.
The nut is NOT meant to be used for tightening the filter! That is WHY they are failing and are getting banned by most race orgs. It's just to make LOOSENING easier. Please stop, you're doing it WAY wrong.
oh ill be, 17Nm in my R6 manual. no way im getting that by hand. looks like I gotta go buy a new filter wrench.
I’m guilty of using the nut to tighten many filters over the years since it the nut was “introduced”. I use hi flow now but I used to use K&N in everything truck, four wheelers, dirt bikes, side by side and all my motorcycles and never had an issue.
