| Author | Message | ||
     Xbniner |
Ever since I had the harley shop work on my bike I've had trouble with the front exhaust clamp. The stock one broke a while ago and it was taking forever to get the part in so I have been using what are essentially 6" hose clamps from lowe's. Well I break one of those every few days. I have the right part now, but it looks like I'll have to take the whole exhaust off to install it, because it won't slide thru like the other ones will. Any tips from you guys who've changed exhaust once or more? I have the shop manual but it doesn't seem to go into much detail. I have the Buell race can if that matters. | ||
| Odie |
Buy a new one or find one in the classifieds and tighten it just enough to make it snug. DO NOT use the torque values in the manual. You will either crush the pipe or snap the clamp. In my OPINION the values are too high in the book. | ||
| Reepicheep |
The factory manual says that clamp gets replaced every time that pipe comes off. I have (perhaps unwisely) reused that clamp for up to two times before replacing it, and it did not break. It will bend the pipe though. Somebody found those clamps aftermarket at either a marine store, or McMaster Carr or something... it's probably in the archives. | ||
| Odie |
I have reused these clamps countless times. I feel the key is too not over torque them. I use a front clamp to hold pipes together as I weld them. The aluminum nut wears out before anything else ever does. I think over torquing them stresses them to point of failure just like anything else would. | ||
| Xbniner |
I have a brand new front clamp that finally came in from buell, the problem is you can't just slide it on due to the bracketing. It looks like I will have to pull the whole pipe off to get the bracket completely off the bottom of the motor, then loop the T-band clamp thru that bracket before bolting it back to the motor and then tightening all four clamps again. (including the one going to the header) Seems like a real pain and I don't want to stop riding. | ||
| 2008xb12scg |
I had mine brake as well. As far as getting the part, american sport bike had them in stock and to me very fast. | ||
| Boney95 |
Xbniner, that's what you've got to do man, take the pipe off to get to the bracket. I thought it was going to be a 5min job replacing my front clamp, turned out to be a half hr+. Tightening that bracket back up is a biznitch too. I actually left mine a bit loose, because I just couldn't tighten it anymore. Its not going anywhere. | ||
| Iamarchangel |
Somebody posted elsewhere that, if you have to replace the clamps, revers them to make them easier to access. Haven't done it, don't really know if it's workable. | ||
| Zatco81 |
+1 on reversing the rear clamps. When I took my can off I removed the belt tensioner to access the rear clamps but reversed them when reinstalling. | ||
| Odie |
Definitely reverse them. Makes removal down the road a 5 minute job. | ||
| Xbniner |
So it's as easy as taking off the two rear t-band clamps, loosening the one going to the header and pull the whole thing straight down? What kind of torque do you use on the brackets on reinstall if the recommended is too high? | ||
| Odie |
After you reverse the rear clamps all you have to do to remove the pipe is: remove chin fairing loosen header Torca clamp remove nut from front muffler clamp remove nuts from rear muffler clamps gently move the pipe side to side while pushing down on the front remove the cable from the exhaust valve on the 12's When tightening I always tighten to the point to where there is a fair amount or resistance in the nut but not enough to strain yourself while you are doing it. The split nuts on the clamps are easy to strip out. Hope that made sense! |
