Fitting sliencers the downpipes

Just bught new silencers and they are very tight on the header pipes. I chopped the the headers so i only had an inch inside but then found the headers were cracked. Just renewed those as well and these are just the same v tight. Should I shorthen the headers again or any tips other than a big hammer?

Are there any friendly garages or exhaust fitting centres nearby, as they should have sets of pipe expanders?

Example:
http://www.rapidonline.com/Tools-Equipm ... 3pc-306953

I've seen slit muffler snouts for some expansion then clamping effect. As stated fractures are too prone and expanders tend to split so might have to compromise by both minimal muffler expansion and enough length of slight header necking down to allow the slippage that protects the header bend and the muffler Lords mounts. I got forced into the slip fits on Trixie as no matter the clamp force it don't really clamp. Rattles at times on rough stuff but not on pavement idle or blips and so far no fractures over a year. My buddy Wes's did clamp on tight so had to give him the mate of a set that cracked on ole Peel's nicely clamped on peashooters. Its not good for show rigs as there is some carbon soot collecting outside the slip seam. Some exhausts are made to be loose fit cold but higher heated header swells up to nip up on the fly.

Hobot

Thanks but I couldn't understand a word of that. Could you translate in English or American please? I tlooked quite useful.

L.A.B. Thanks, never seen those before. Are they basicay just a expanding ring with a bolt and taper such that you wind it up and it plastcally deforms the steel?

Cheers

FastFred said:

L.A.B. Thanks, never seen those before. Are they basicay just a expanding ring with a bolt and taper such that you wind it up and it plastcally deforms the steel?

Click to expand...

Yes. So it ought to work to open the silencers a little, but I've never tried it-so it's up to you. An alternative would be to use a half round file or a small flap wheel inside the tube to open up the diameter slightly, or reduce the pipe diameter with emery cloth.

Some muffler have a slot cut across their entry faces to divide the tube-snout in half which allows some flex of the flaps to go around header then a clamp can squeal the flaps together.

Its not uncommon to spread a tube till it cracks, so might not be able or should not expand the muffler snout enough to slip on w/o weakening it, so might also crush down the head end somewhat too, so neither gets weakened much to matter.

Thanks Hobot.

Hi-temp silicone sealer works both as a gas tight seal & vibration deadener.
Why do Englanders apply roof drainage terminology- "down-pipes" to bikes?
Would a Commando 'S' have to have a different term for its headers - "gutters", perhaps?

The Olde ' Copper coat ' = Kopperkote . etc copper graphite anti seize pressure sealing compound , stuff . from engineers supplies .
Coat Both surfaces . Really you want a few inches or more engauged . For Alignment .

The olde half round file , or Emery on a dowl ?

Youre looking for raised whelts or burrs in there . IF theres a ' SEAM ' Down One Side , internally ., its great fun :lol: removeing it with a Rat Tail File .
on / in the muffler .

A phycho coud hone the internal diameter .Or Apply Heat ( Gas Torch ) briefly . And not a lot .The Olde 100 / 120 degree max. To expand the muffler nose
NOT the header pipe .

The copper coat insures theres a possibility that you may remove them some day . :lol: Actually , leaveing the clamps off for a number of runs would help there to.As the alignment tangentally to the muffler mounts is involved . A few pencil or chalk lines may help .
Headers aligned , bike on mainstand ( level ) Spirit level ? to mark dead on the outer edge , corresponding line on muffler . For Whacking it on with a bit of
4 x 2 aft and a big heavy Thing . Gently . Always freaks me putting the load through the head fitting fitting like that .
Another 4x2 across the front low and beeer crates and props , nose on to a wall if youre anticipateing violence there .

Ugh, I can't imagine a more nasty bodge than some sort of goop in the joint,juk. They do have to come apart time to time and to refit with gobs of sooty snot to remove repels my lazy innards. I don't judge anyone doing this, in fact admire it to ride on elegantly sealed as can be. I just know I'd not like the extra hassle every now and again and won't be satisfied till re-newed some how to assemble as the 'good book' states. All the fit issues I've had were all too loose kind, eventually gave up with just slip fit good enough and non-issue the about stripped clamp nuts don't have to be touched for on/off tasks.

The best solution I can think of would be a flexy dual clamp that clamps on header and muffler independently. Seen this in plumbing but would melt on exhaust.

Could use [expensive showy] hi-temp silicone tubing as per turbo installations, however, careful application of sealant does allow for easy splitting & no nasty exhaust stains/leaks, sans unsightly goop over everything.

Re:

Why do Englanders apply roof drainage terminology- "down-pipes" to bikes?

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Because we invented the language and because they are pipes that come down from the engine, the power unit.

That advice on sealing up a gap would be invaluable in a thread that was concerned with downpipes and silencers with a gap!

Commando 'S' pipes dont go down, they run along the side, but they are still header pipes, which is the more accurate terminology, or are you planning a trip to the down-waters of the Amazon? L.O.L.

There should always be enough header length to go up inside the slotted section of the muffler, agree with Steve, try and avoild any 'gloop' in there .
Anti seeze, as Matt has suggested for sure. or even a product like WD 40 when you first fit them up, makes for an easier slide fit, and will burn off with the heat.
Regards mike

Homer sez, mmmmm...gloop...ahhhhggghh...[L.O.L.]

J.A.W. said:

Hi-temp silicone sealer works both as a gas tight seal & vibration deadener.
Why do Englanders apply roof drainage terminology- "down-pipes" to bikes?
Would a Commando 'S' have to have a different term for its headers - "gutters", perhaps?

Click to expand...

Maybe a holdover from when internal combustion engines were in their infancy, for real water pipes were used for intake/exhaust plumbing. Pipe threads, flanges, etc. "manifold"...

FastFred said:

Because we invented the language

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I don't think so. It mostly came from unwritten West German, evolved into German, Dutch, Low German, and Frisian where the Anglo-Saxons picked it up, it turned into middle English and evolved into Modern English. Then the Americans got hold of it and perfected it, or was it the Aussies? But I would have to give most of the credit to the early germanic tribes.

Just kidding of course. But as a semi-German speaker, when I hear Dutch or plat Deutsch, it sounds like both English and German to me, I can hear the derivatives of both.

Dave
69S

Just how much tight are we talking here? Take measure of header OD and muffler ID so we got ID of efficient solution. Lube don't help much on rough mating sections of exhaust but the best stuff to lube tight fits is Caster bean oil, really. I've been known to take a grinder and sand paper to ease tubing fits. Not much load on the over lap sections as its got all the leverage advantage against the forward bend area or the rubber hangers.

i'm too familiar with hi temp silly-con for exhaust sealing, so my recoil to resort to that again. I found its function decays by hot jets making escape channels to lose sealing effect then the adhesion goes too to lose gluing effect, then the tough clinging left overs has to be removed pretty well to replace when loss of both effects brings ya back to square one again. RTV is never to be used below water line sealing or bye bye dream boat.

Along these lines ,[& with due respect to originality vs practicality] has anyone developed a push-fit-silicon-collar exhaust of the MX type held by springs but accomodating of the resonant vibes that invariably cause screw-in-collar problems?

J.A.W. said:

Along these lines ,[& with due respect to originality vs practicality] has anyone developed a push-fit-silicon-collar exhaust of the MX type held by springs but accomodating of the resonant vibes that invariably cause screw-in-collar problems?

Click to expand...

Yes , But its compulsary to ride in this manner , if you do .