| Author | Message | ||
     Grovskopa |
Problem nr... 8, 9? this month.... I went for a rather hard ride today with some Jap-bike friends.. Suddenly my X1 started sounding like a 1942 Fighter Plane.. This is why: http://bayimg.com/cAJJLAAbi http://bayimg.com/caJJmAabi Both the holders of the muffler had broke off! Bad welding!! Hahahaha crazy, but atleast I am happy that finally it is something I can fix easily on my own. Will just weld it together on thursday. PS: After it broke the bike felt slightly more aggressive! Like it had more power at low RPMs, easier to wheelie.. Is that even possible? Should be the other way around no? I mean without muffler bike should lose power nay? | ||
| Djkaplan |
Looks like an old V&H. They were notorious for cracking at the front tab and rear hanger on some bikes (I never had the problem with mine). Perhaps the muffler had gone too long without a repack. You might want to check this. | ||
| Grovskopa |
What is a repack? What about my "PS"? | ||
| Djkaplan |
The V&H muffler uses fiberglass insulation wrapped around a perforated core as a sound damping media. The fiberglass eventually degrades and needs to be replaced. This is what a repack is. There are a number of vendors that sell a repack kit, but you can do the job without one if you have access to suitable materials youself. I've used fiberglass and rock wool in the past, but the repack kit from American Sport Bike comes with a material much easier to work with. If you don't keep the muffler repacked, the increased vibration from the un-damped sound waves will shake the muffler from it's mounts. P.S. I don't know why your bike would run better with a bad muffler; perhaps it hasn't been tuned properly or maybe your butt dyno is being influenced by your ear dyno. What is the history of this troubled motorcycle you have? | ||
| Jos51700 |
Wow. You're lucky you didn't end up driving over your own muffler! IMO, The V+H = a POS. | ||
| Djkaplan |
Oh... and the front mounting bracket you are currently using was superceded by an improved Y-shaped mount that's supposed to help with the problem. I never got the Y-mount and still use the stock single leg mount like yours, but I've never had the weld cracking problem with my V&H. | ||
| Jos51700 |
Do you do pre-ride inspections? If not, it may be a good time to start..... | ||
| Jstfrfun |
Hard ride?+ VnH, bad combo. You are for sure having a lot of fun(when your bike's running), but feeling the pain of failure, maybe a little less hammering, and a little more inspecting and grooming. It's too expensive there to be breaking stuff,Ya think? | ||
| Grovskopa |
Yeah this is getting ridiculous.. And I won't ride the bike easy.. I am a hooligan and the bike's supposed to be one as well! | ||
| Jayvee |
Hooligans would need to know how to weld, that sounds about right to me... | ||
| Grovskopa |
I'll just weld the shit together and strenghten them up a bit with some extra material. I wonder if rear mount is weldable though, looks like cast iron or aluminium or something =I | ||
| Phat_j |
dj hit it on the head, your brain is playing a trick on you.. you think it has more power cuz your brain hears it being louder and thinks it must be more powerful.... i can be 99 percent sure.... | ||
| Grovskopa |
Yes like I though Maybe I should always ride without muffler ha ha ha my neighbours would LOVE IT | ||
| Langperf |
The rear "Z" mount is weldable, mild steel, I strengthened and welded mine after it stressed cracked. There is also updated bushings and sleeves for that mount | ||
| Langperf |
Javee "Hooligans would need to know how to weld" LOL...A real Hooligan is a welder and a machinist...LOL | ||
| Grovskopa |
I am a blacksmith/welder so it seems perfect | ||
| Buellisticx1 |
I also had this problem with my V&H on my X1 and I welded an steel plate on front muffler Bracket and never I have had again this trouble (at least for now and I hope it lasts for ever ),so it is much thicker now. At the moment it is still on (8.400 km).  | ||
| Grovskopa |
Yup that's exactly the solution I was going for! Did you TIG it with normal stainless electrode? I am worried about rear mount though, looks like some strange composite material =I | ||
| Kyrocket |
I made a rear mount after my stock one broke. Made it out of a single piece of steel I bought from Lowes and added some extra material. I'll try and post some pics from the home computer. So far it seems to be holding up well. | ||
| Grovskopa |
OK then! That is a bullet proof idea.. I think the workshoppe I will go to tomorrow has all the necessary machines for cutting and bending etc.. If yes then no prob. | ||
| Kyrocket |
  Just a couple of pics of my rear bracket after it broke and of the new one. Basically I just laid the old one on a piece of flat steel and traced around it, then used a dotted line to beef it up a little and cut along the dotted line. Next I put it in a vice, bent it and then drilled the holes. Take a little free advice if you do this and drill the holes while it's still flat, it's much, much easier. I then painted it with high temp paint and it's all good. | ||
| Buellisticx1 |
Hey Grovskopa, the welder made it with normal stainless electrode it is much thicker now, Good Luck!! | ||
| Grovskopa |
OK!! Going at it tomorrow | ||
| Jos51700 |
The rear mount is just plain old steel. | ||
| Grovskopa |
 It should be OK now! Maybe not the most beautiful welding but who is looking down there anyways haha | ||
| Buellsrule |
Get the updated front mount. That will definitely help. BR. | ||
| Grovskopa |
What mount? The black one where my homemade is bolted? | ||
| Djkaplan |
Hey Grovskopa, I noticed you have the 2" collector header on your X1. This was a Euro-only header and can easily be replaced with a standard US-spec 2.5" collector. You'll have to update (replace) the muffler to do it. The 2" inlet V&H you have now was notorious for shaking itslef apart... later models had beefed up front mounts (never had a problem with mine). You should be able to get more power with the US-spec header. There is also a factory race kit header (and muffler) that was made for the bike. These are much harder to find and more expensive, however. Just a thought... | ||
| Djkaplan |
Oh, those welds look great, btw. | ||
| Djkaplan |
What mount? The black one where my homemade is bolted? Yeah, it was superceded by the Y-mount. I talked about it a little further up on this thread. |
