UPDATE: Ok, I went through the toolbox and found I had a T-27 in a changeable nut driver tip. I found a 1/4" socket to fit that tip and went after it. It fit perfect and they all came out without a hitch. The new Joker Machine cover went on with the allen's provided and the Torx are now in the trash!!

Thanks everyone so much for the help. I love being able to ask questions here and get the answers quickly by people who have been there, done that. The service manual didn't even tell me the size, it just said remove.

Thanks again!!

 

the right tool can be more expensive the 2nd time around, glad you got some common sense in these uncommon times.

PS: love the ride real clean, never dropped I hope, happy trails.

 

What spring? Someone mentioned a spring behind the derby cover, and I just changed my derby cover with an HD live to ride gold, and didn't spot any spring. Normally I change my own oil but took it to the shop to swap all ois to syn3, so maybe they lost it???!?!?! Does an 09 XL883l even have one?

 

FWIW...I have had good luck with these screw removals by "tapping" the handle of the tool with a hammer into the screw to "shock" the screw before trying to loosen it.

 

It's a spring and locknut that sit inside the clutch. You have to pull it off to do the clutch adjustment. Looks Like This

 

Some of the Torx screws on a HD are actually Torx Plus.So even if you have a T27 you can still strip out a Torx Plus screw.It will seem like it fits right until it slips/cams out.I don't think you can get Torx Plus at Sears,Kmart or Walmart though.

 

Can you specify exactly where and on which Harley you found a Torx Plus?
I've never encountered one in my years of wrenching on Harleys.

 

+1 on everything already said. I've had to drill the heads off of those screws before. Not really a big deal other than being ticked off I had to do it. If you do have to drill them off use a drill bit about half the diameter of the head of the screw. A new set of screws at the Harley dealership is cheap unless you get the chrome ones. And, they're one of the few parts my local dealership actually keeps in stock.

As someone pointed out, make sure you have a good quality T-27 tool. I actually bent the splines on a cheap tool on these very screws. And, bent the splines on the T-40 socket from the same set (which is now in the trash).

 

Simply untrue. There are no Torx Plus on these bikes. I work on my bike with a $15 torx set from any big store.

 

I just ordered the Lisle 26550 Torx Bit Set - 9 Piece, which includes the T27. Sounds like the right size. Hopefully good quality.