| Author |
Message |
    
Keyser_soze
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 31, 2006 - 02:12 pm: | 
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Put my Drummer on last night. Then read in the service manual about the need to replace the front strap every time the exhaust is removed. My bike only has 50 miles on it but it does cause me some concern. I don't want it to drop off and get me killed. I even torqued it to the middle of the torque specs. After reading this post I am not quite certain torquing up was the best thing.
My thinking to is this clamp could fail, a new clamp could fail. So is it sixes?
The local Buell shop doesn't stock the clamps (surprise) but can order it in for the small entry fee of $25.25.
Do the mechanics here think I'm good or should I part with the 25 bucks and get a new strap? |
Lowflyer
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 31, 2006 - 02:20 pm: |
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Safety wire is cheap. I will use it to secure the can to the bike and replace my clamps when they break and/or leak. |
Ftd
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 31, 2006 - 03:40 pm: |
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I asked Kevin whether I should put a race ECM on my ULY when I add the Drummer and he said yes if i wanted the full benefit of the exhaust. So, I am going with the race ECM.
Frank |
Wyckedflesh
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 31, 2006 - 10:05 pm: |
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I am going to toss in my $.02 just as an FYI, since it is me that is being discussed as having wrecked.
1. The exhaust I used may not have been a Buell exhaust, however, the outcome on an XB of the stock or similar sized can is VERY different then the situation with a Tuber. Why? Because on a Tuber the exhaust sits to the side of centerline. Its a smaller canister that can easily deflect offline if it hits the rear wheel. Doesn't mean it won't go under the wheel, just more likely to glance off and go to the side. On an XB with a stock sized canister, it is MORE likely to go straight under the rear wheel. The canister is much broader in dimension and at speed your suddenly LOSING 17-19lbs of canister from the front weight bias that is popping the rear wheel off the ground and into the air...you do the math.
2. The front clamp that attaches to the bracket is there for 2 reasons. One is to hold the canister snuggly in place to help maintain the sealing of the header to canister seal. The second, is to hold the front of the canister UP. If you lose the front clamp on the road, the header to canister clamp will not hold the exhaust up on its own. This then transfers the stresses back to the rear clamps. These clamps will eventually fail if the front clamp is not replaced. How many of you would even notice at a glance if the front clamp was gone? Think about it for a bit.
Those clamps are a springsteel that takes a set the first time its torqued into place. Add in the heat the exhaust builds at that point. Now you release the tension on the clamp when you take it off, then retorque that clamp later after it has 'relaxed' in a sense. You then once again add heat. It will fail at some point. Whether its today, tomorrow or next year, no one can really say. The front clamp is more of an issue then the rear clamps due to the heat.
My exhaust was a custom fit that had the mount from the headpipe to the engine fail. What is not certain is if the clamp failed, the bolt failed, the bolt came loose or what since no one has found the missing clamp and bracket. There was enough flex in the exhaust for the head pipe to move out of the canister by an INCH AND A HALF once the tension was released. A 7lb exhaust canister had enough weight on the front with the pivot point being bolted to the stock rear mounting points to bend a 1/8" thick L bracket until the front of the canister touched the ground and acted like a pole vault. Its your choice...$73 vs $40K plus and still climbing. |
Rkc00
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 07, 2006 - 05:18 pm: |
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Just talked to my dealer about getting me a new muffler due to mine rusting. He said I will be getting a new muffler. I asked that all the clamps be changed and his answer was only the front torca clamp needs to be replaced. Is this correct? Do the strap clamps also need replacing?
Mike
Long Island, NY
06 XB12X Black of course |
Brotherbuell
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 07, 2006 - 07:05 pm: |
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Your dealer should do them all since that is what is called for in the service manual. |
Rkc00
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 08, 2006 - 10:29 am: |
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Just faxed over a copy of the pages in the service manuel to the service manager that insists that he checked and only the torca clamp needs replacing. I tried to use the (court) be nice method but that did not work. His answer to me when I asked him to check it out one more time was "I do not need to check it again I all ready did". I am sure this relationship is not going to last to long unless he starts to learn his job.
Mike
Long Island, NY
06 XB12X Black of course |
Lowflyer
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 08, 2006 - 05:36 pm: |
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You certainly have more patience than I. That sort of response would be enough to send me into orbit.  |
Brotherbuell
| | Posted on Thursday, February 09, 2006 - 09:30 am: |
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Mike,
I'd call Buell Customer Service on this one. Based on what I have read on this board about Buell CS, I'll bet the situation get rectified very quickly. |
Keyser_soze
| | Posted on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 12:31 am: |
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Tom,
Have you heard back from Five Star Clamps yet? |
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