Mk3 header pipe position
- Thread starter GRM 450
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Don't worry about that frame to pipe dimension, different brands, in my experience, line up differently depending on the manufacturing angle at the head. I've had three sets of header pipes and none of them aligned the same way. My current set - can't remember the brand but I got them from OB - are the best of the ones I've had. OTOH, I've never had a set that couldn't fit in the mufflers. If that's a problem, one way to do it is to unbolt the mufflers, install the new headpipes very loosely, slide the muffs/clamp onto the pipes, align the muff mounts and LOOSELY attach the mounting bolts (just attach the nuts enough to keep them from falling off). Then tighten down the head pipes, followed by the muffler mounting nuts, followed by the muffler to headpipe clamp. There will be sufficient "flex" in the muffler shock mounts to accommodate any mis-alignment.
Pea shooters. The headers run parallel to the lower frame tubes but seem to me to stick out too far and touch down very easily.
If the rear of the headers (just after the turn up) were bent out a little that would allow them to fit closer to the frame and not touch down so easy.
On other Mk3's how far away from the lower frame rails do the header pipes sit?
Graeme
If the rear of the headers (just after the turn up) were bent out a little that would allow them to fit closer to the frame and not touch down so easy.
On other Mk3's how far away from the lower frame rails do the header pipes sit?
Graeme
ashman
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Hi Graeme
The best thing I ever done on my Norton was to find someone that has a mandle bender and get a set of headers made for your bike, a good bender will make them that will tuck right close to your frame and bring them out to fit your mufflers, I got mind made up by Ian Toy at Redcliffe 32 years ago it took him 1/2 hour to bend just by using his site and looking at the bike, I still have these headers to this day, he also made a set of S/S headers for my old Triumph, but he has pasted away and they got rid of the mandle bender, but if you look around you will find someone that still does it, mine at the time cost $20 to make and another $20 to get them chromed, but they will cost a bit more these days, but if you go down this road make them out of S/S and it will be the same if not cheaper to get them made than buying headers that mite not fit properly.
There is a bloke out at Lawton that does bike exhaust, I have his card somewhere if you are intrested I can find it.
Ashley
The best thing I ever done on my Norton was to find someone that has a mandle bender and get a set of headers made for your bike, a good bender will make them that will tuck right close to your frame and bring them out to fit your mufflers, I got mind made up by Ian Toy at Redcliffe 32 years ago it took him 1/2 hour to bend just by using his site and looking at the bike, I still have these headers to this day, he also made a set of S/S headers for my old Triumph, but he has pasted away and they got rid of the mandle bender, but if you look around you will find someone that still does it, mine at the time cost $20 to make and another $20 to get them chromed, but they will cost a bit more these days, but if you go down this road make them out of S/S and it will be the same if not cheaper to get them made than buying headers that mite not fit properly.
There is a bloke out at Lawton that does bike exhaust, I have his card somewhere if you are intrested I can find it.
Ashley
ashman
VIP MEMBER
Hi Graeme
I have had a set of pipes made by Tranzac for my Sporster in 91, what he does is make up a set of dummy pipes first then bend the new pipes using the dummy pipes as a guide, a good mandle bender shouldn't have to make up dummy pipes and is very time consuming, he charged me $500 for the pipes and to get chromed, which I found a bit high priced at the time.
I spent 2 years on a mandle bender at a furnish factory in the 80s once set up right you can take the pipe out to chect which way you need to bend the next bend, but like I said a good mandle bender should be able to make them without dummy pipes.
Ashley
I have had a set of pipes made by Tranzac for my Sporster in 91, what he does is make up a set of dummy pipes first then bend the new pipes using the dummy pipes as a guide, a good mandle bender shouldn't have to make up dummy pipes and is very time consuming, he charged me $500 for the pipes and to get chromed, which I found a bit high priced at the time.
I spent 2 years on a mandle bender at a furnish factory in the 80s once set up right you can take the pipe out to chect which way you need to bend the next bend, but like I said a good mandle bender should be able to make them without dummy pipes.
Ashley
" If the headers are closer to the frame the mufflers don't line up. " . :shock:
A/. Discard the Mufflers . 8)
The Sidestand lugs actually the fly in the ointment where L.H. pipe is concerned .
If you dont cut that off :wink: you can have the pipes futher out , to act as crash bars so you dont drag the primary case . :?
' Certain ' pipes fit up inside the lip at the case joint O ring . And fit in rather close to the frame tubes . Without the side stand lug .
A/. Discard the Mufflers . 8)
The Sidestand lugs actually the fly in the ointment where L.H. pipe is concerned .
If you dont cut that off :wink: you can have the pipes futher out , to act as crash bars so you dont drag the primary case . :?
' Certain ' pipes fit up inside the lip at the case joint O ring . And fit in rather close to the frame tubes . Without the side stand lug .
"The Sidestand lugs actually the fly in the ointment where L.H. pipe is concerned ."
Yes the side stand lug touches down on the left and there's not much can be done about apart from removing the lug.
The reason I'm asking is the right header touches down and it seems to me to stick out too far.
I'd really like to hear from someone with a Mk3 to find out if other mk3's have the same "corner cripple" disease. (To use a common term here)
Graeme
Yes the side stand lug touches down on the left and there's not much can be done about apart from removing the lug.
The reason I'm asking is the right header touches down and it seems to me to stick out too far.
I'd really like to hear from someone with a Mk3 to find out if other mk3's have the same "corner cripple" disease. (To use a common term here)
Graeme
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