| Author | Message | ||
     Jlnance |
I want to take the headers off the bike so I can have them coated. I got the service manual out and looked at the procedure for removing the headers. There is this step called "Rotate Engine Down," that looks fairly intimidating. I looked at the details of that step, and it starts off talking about a lift with a front wheel vice. I own a jack, but not a lift. I don't have a wheel vice. I've read through the first 23 steps of the procedure (seriously) and I've yet to see anything which would actually required the bike to be on a lift. I stopped reading at that point. I don't really want to take all that stuff off the bike. Is there a simpler way to get the headers off? | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Talk to Warbaby. He just did it: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/239493.html?1163421724 | ||
| Birdmanrh |
I did it as well, and the short answer is No. I used a rear wheel stand and a regular jack. You sort of have to go back and forth, but it is do-able. | ||
| Crusty |
My headers are currently at Jet-Hot being coated. I don't have a lift with a front wheel vise, and my rear stand doesn't fit the swingarm, so I used a bottle jack and 4x6" blocks on the back, and a cheapo floor jack to lower the engine. The front wheel is fine, and the rest of the bike is stable. It's time consuming, but the first time you do anything always is. I'm just happy that the Service Manual is so well written. | ||
| Warbaby |
Access to the rear header flange nuts at the exhaust port is the challenge. I've read that the shock and rear cooling fan can be removed to access the flange nuts from above (which I considered doing) but I stuck with the shop manual method because I didn't want to struggle through an undocumented procedure. I didn't use a front wheel vice either. If the bike is not lifted, there may not be sufficient ground clearance (with a jack beneath the engine) to lower the engine far enough to access the rear flange nuts. I hope this helps.     (Message edited by warbaby on January 17, 2007) | ||
| Steveshakeshaft |
Just a comment here. The piece of wood on the jack, under the front of the crankcase looks very precarious. It would be pretty easy to make a "U" shaped piece that fits with a bolt or long stud through the lug there at the front of the motor. Then jack under it. See the top most picture of the four above. Hope that helps. | ||
| Warbaby |
Your concern is understandable and... it might appear precarious but it wasn't. I put a dime-sized gob of epoxy on the wood block and jack-pressed it against the engine overnight. On the other side of the soft pine block, the jack bit solidly into the wood about 1/4" deep. It never moved during repeated jacking up and down. When the job was finished, the wood block had to be pried off the engine case with a large screw driver. There are surely other methods but this method worked with zero slippage. | ||
| Jlnance |
You know, when I bought my first bike I had no idea I was going to become a mechanic.  Thanks for all the info, this is a lot of help. I assume one of you has put the bike back together after doing this?  Does reassembly go well? Crusty - When you sent your headers off, did you remove the flanges or leave them on? I assume they have to come off? I remember fighting with that little ring that holds the flange on when I replaced the exhaust on the Blast. I assume there is some tool that makes it easy. I was using pliers. I finally managed to get the ring worked on, at which point I realized I should have put the flange on first.  | ||
| Warbaby |
Assembly is simply the reverse of disassembly. New exhaust gaskets and new flange retaining lock rings should be installed. I also installed a new front muffler clamp but re-used the two rear muffler clamps and have had no problems. Follow the recommended torque values in the manual religiously (even if some values seem too loose). The proper pliers for removing and installing the exhaust flange retaining lock rings make life M-U-C-H easier also. I used Craftsman Lock Ring Pliers #47386 (about $15) which were a perfect fit with the Buell/HD lock rings:  | ||
| Jlnance |
I love badweb. I'm getting a set of those pliers. | ||
| Chadhargis |
I've always wanted to have my headers Jet Hot coated. I think it looks sweet and if it really does make the bike run cooler too, then it's a win/win. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
I'll bet that if you could run the engine in that down position that the head temps would rarely if ever cause the fan to turn on. The other night it was -12 F degrees in Omaha and -22 in Wayne, NE. I wonder if the Buell would even start a -12. The fan probably would never turn on. I'll never test that though. | ||
| Warbaby |
Minus 22...? Yikes!  | ||
| Smcnamara |
Crusty, I'd love to see a photo of your re-assembled Uly with the coated headers. Did you opt for the silver (with optimal thermal efficiency), or one of the color options? I'm considering coating mine, but am wondering how it will look. I actually think the gold/bronze color of the uncoated pipes is beautiful, but unfortunately, nobody seems to do a gold colored thermal coating... | ||
| Crusty |
I'm getting mine done in black. I'm getting both the headers and the muffler done. It should look good, and hopefully, the coating will be a lot more durable than the paint on the muffler was. | ||
| Buellish |
Did anyone else go with silver?Pics? |
