| Author | Message | ||
     Portero72 |
Needing some ideas on how to expand the inner diameter of my muffler. Sent it out for mods and it came back seemingly smaller. No matter how hard I bang on it with a mallet, it won't sit flush against the front mount support, and I have broken two front straps running it as is. Suggestions? And please do not suggest I "send it back" or some such nonsense. That is not an option. | ||
| Ourdee |
There are expanders that are put in a tube then expanded with an impact driver. Muffler shops use them. | ||
| Phelan |
Pipe spreader. You can get them online pretty cheap or maybe Harbor Freight or AutoZone, O'Reilly, Advance Auto. | ||
| Ourdee |
Check the headers to make sure you don't have a bolt broke on the heads. | ||
| Buellmoose |
If it is the inlet, I would think a muffler shop could flare the end slightly | ||
| Ourdee |
$20.00 at harbor freight.  | ||
| Teeps |
Portero72 Posted on Friday, December 11, 2015 -Sent it out for mods and it came back seemingly smaller. Were you sent a XB9 muffler? | ||
| Sagehawk |
Measure that muffler n head pipe out. Post above suggests wrong muffler for your headpipe. I had no clue 9 mufflers are different. But if muffler n pipe are same size, diameters could be egged. I know spigots on throttle bodies or manifolds being egged can wreak havoc on your day. | ||
| Al_lighton |
Wouldn't matter if they had sent an XB9 muffler, the inlet is the same size. | ||
| Teeps |
Thanks Al, I wasn't sure. But figured it couldn't hurt to ask the question. | ||
| Advoutlander |
I had the exact same problem, I banged mine on also using hi temp rtv and have had no leaks. That tool above though, if it works is well worth it. | ||
| Al_lighton |
I'll radius the outside corner of the header outlet and the inside corner of the muffler inlet the first time I have the header and muffler separated. The muffler is done with a dremel tool or even a hand file. The header is easiest to do on the grinding wheel/scotchbright wheel when it's off the bike, but it can be hand done in situ as well. They slide together so much easier when there aren't sharp corners digging into the other part. And if those sharp corners have raised a burr, you certainly need to grind those away. I'll smooth the edges on the bracket where the straps go over them as well. Note that the stepped bushings in the engine chin are a wear item. They get loose after a while, especially if it's been bolted together not quite square. That looseness can cause other failures. The design of the front muffler joint leaves a little to be desired. Too many failures, and too difficult to install. The combination of the strap not fitting through the slot when the bracket is mounted, and the muffler bracket needing to seat vertically onto the engine chin while the header slides onto the header at an angle sure doesn't seem optimized for ease of assembly and repair. Too many get put together not quite right, and lots of broken straps (followed by cracked headers and broken studs) are the result. But if everything is smooth and not forced, it will install squarely and failures are few. It does kinda suck that you can't reuse a front strap without it almost certainly failing. I've had very little rear strap failures and re-use those all the time. | ||
| Teeps |
I'm sure to regret saying this, Al, but my '06 Ulysses is still sporting the original front strap. The muffler has been off and back on at least a dozen times over the last 9 years. The front strap and its hanger has never been off the bike. I realized the first time installing the muffler. That the header could not be preloaded in any way. And, that the muffler had to be aligned and seated perfectly in the hangers, before the straps were tightened. | ||
| Al_lighton |
That's pretty impressive, Tom. You must be very careful about aligning it. I know of WAY too many front strap failures after even one re-use to recommend that. I think the FSM says to replace as well. If I were you, I'd carry a spare now.  | ||
| Teeps |
Yes. I have a gentle touch with all things mechanical that has served me well for over 50 years. It is that "touch", I guess, that has allowed me to cheat the odds. | ||
| Portero72 |
Thanks for all the input, gents. HF needs more of my money, it seems! | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Just so you know, I've had bad luck with those expanding pipe things. I would instead suggest taking it to a muffler shop and having them use the real machine. That's what I did with a pipe that was dented out of round in shipping. I lost my mind with one of those expanding things and got nowhere. They guy in the muffler shop said "lemme see dat." Put it in the machine and made it perfectly round is literally 2 seconds and didn't even charge me. I offered him $10 and he just laughed and told me to beat it and have a nice day. |
