| Author | Message | ||
     2002carbon |
My race muffler on my 2002 X1 is starting to get very loud. I just purchased a repacking kit from American Sport Bike. Any tips for doing this? | ||
| Ratbuell |
I'd be surprised if Al and Joanne didn't include some good instructions with the kit... | ||
| Sloppy |
1st tip - the original stainless steel rivets are very hard (literally), so you'll need a tough drill bit designed for stainless steel. A drill press will be VERY helpful to provide the force required. 2nd. I recommend removing the outlet side as it is easier to knock off the endcap. 3rd. Replace the ss rivets with aluminum ones. Not only will they be easier to remove next time, but more importantly, it takes a lot of force to use a manual rivet gun on stainless rivets. It's very easy to do with aluminum rivets... 4th. You can get ALL the supplies you need to repack at your local hardware store... 5th. You'll probably find very little of the original packing (if it's never been repacked). Your repack will last MUCH longer than the job at the factory. Best for last... SAFETY ALERT WEAR A SIMPLE RESPIRATOR AND NITRiLE GLOVES WHEN HANDLING THE PACKING MATERIAL. DO NOT START THE BIKE BACK UP INSIDE YOUR GARAGE AFTER A REPACK!!! Park the bike at the end of the driveway as glass fibers will be ejected upon startup. For a cool effect, do it at night and bring a flashlight or laser pointer... | ||
| Xl1200r |
Sloppy has some good tips, though I can say I was successful and didn't follow any of them. I did remove the outlet end, but only because there were two loose rivets on it compared to just one on the front. Get a drill that plugs into the wall if you don't have a drill press. A battery one will run out of steam very quick. Be prepared for the drill bit that Al includes in his kit to break. Be prepared for whatever bit you replace it with to break as well. Maybe I'm just really hard on my bits, but I'm inpatient, lol. Chuck the bit down in the drill as far as you can, you don't need much sticking out. There's no need to wear any protection with Al's kit as the fibers are all packed inside that pillow. You'll need to squeeze it pretty good to get it to fit. It won't seem like it will, but it does. I used a wooden shim to help me slide everything in there. I didn't replace the RTV silicone and have no leaks that I can see. Removing the old packing, even though there's hardly any left, isn't particularly easy. Take your time and get it all out. Use a file to take down the burrs on the holes you drilled or you'll tear the pillow trying to stuff it in. SS rivets are a PITA, but can be done with a manual rivet gun just fine. | ||
| Babired |
don't waste your time with retail drill bits you want something that will go thru stainless steel or hardened get carbide drill bits they work great on old safes. I drill the old black label GSA safes once in a while and the carbides are the best. http://www.strongarmdrills.com/carbide.html | ||
| Dave |
I repacked mine with the fiberglass stuff a few times but nothing works like the ceramic packing from American Sport Bike. If I recall, I used some masking tape to wrap it around the insert while I got it in place. I tossed the steel rivets and went with aluminum pop-rivets -outlet side of course. DAve | ||
| Jramsey |
Any quality U.S. made 135 degree split point drill bit will remove the rivets, Aluminum,Steel,Stainless makes little difference. Non split points(118degree bits) will workharden the material/rivet being drilled. | ||
| Sloppy |
Whether or not you see the packing fibers, they are there... Hey, it's your lungs. Spend a $1.50 on a mask or take advantage of Obamacare!!! (LOL) The choice (and consequences) are yours... Everybody here has suggestions - let us know what suggestions you have for the rest of us. | ||
| 2002carbon |
I had nothing to do so today I decided to start working on the muffler before I got the kit. It was rather easy, so I hope I did not jinx myself. I think it took about 15 minutes to take it off and drill out the rivets. I now understand why it was starting to get loud. There was hardly any packing in it. I think it was done before since I found copper RTV on the end cap. Also it is a little dented.  | ||
| Ebutch |
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/476 23/579507.html | ||
| Fahren |
This sounds really weird, but then again, it comes from someone on a sportster forum..... he swears by using Saran wrap around his packing material to keep it tight to the core for re-assembly. He says that rather than melt onto the interior of the can, it "dries out" and becomes brittle. I'd love to think that would work, but I'm not sure I want to be the guinea pig on that one. |
