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Exhaust Springs


imagineer

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Is there something special or unique to the little springs that hold sport bike exhaust together, or are they just stainless tension springs?

 

After installing the links to lower the rear suspension, I took it for a test ride.    At 60 mph or so on Rt. 30, the “muffler” fell off.      I’m certain I had the clamp plenty tight, but it must have vibrated loose.    

 

I circled around to go look for it, and to make matters worse, there was a state trooper pulled over, lights on, right behind my muffler.   He was understanding and didn’t hassle me (he did run my license and registration though).      He even sacrificed a bottle of his water to cool the muffler to where I could pick it up, pocket it and ride home.

 

So, to not have to look for my muffler alongside the road again, I’m going to install a pair of those springs.

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+1 on vice grips, plus have a back stop. Was putting them on one time one slipped off the pliers with the garage door open. It went flying like a missile out into the tall grass, took me a hour to findi it.

Edited by 2talltim
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I'm not worried about installing the springs.    My question is are these springs something special (i.e. a special alloy, have a special spring rate or that they have to swivel), or can basic stainless tension springs be used?

The trickier part regarding this is getting the small wire loops TIG welded to the thin wall pipes (I'm not the best TIG welder out there).

 

Also, FWIW, and old mechanic once told me to drape a shop rag over the hooked end of drum brake springs when trying to install them.    If the pliers slip and the spring takes off, it will get caught up in the rag and be easier to find.    I suppose the same idea would work on these exhaust springs.

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Also, facilitating this with the header off the bike will make things much easier.   Since I've not removed this header pipe yet, are the any caveats or potential problems to expect in removing the header bolts?   Should I do this with the engine hot, warm or dead cold?   I'll put some PB blaster on the header bolts tonight.      I've pulled the exhaust off my V-twin cruiser several times and have not replaced the crush gaskets, and had no leaks.    Any chance I can reuse the existing gaskets?

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Bonus points for Yoshimura.  I called their CS line needing some exhaust springs for a second hand system I purchased.  Even though I explained my situation they still sent them to me free of charge.

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Stay muffler stay . . . good muffler.

 

How sad is it that it takes me 9 days to find the time to do an hour of tinkering?    Last night, I practiced TIG welding different types and gauges of wire to some scrap pipe. but wasn’t able to duplicate the same weld beads as on the stock pipe without melting the wire away to nothing.    Because I’m a total pack-rat and rarely throw anything away, I had a handful of these small 301 stainless spring clips that had been abandoned from a project at work; and they already had the correct size holes.     After cutting them to length and making one small bend, I was able to TIG these to the header pipe and the muffler.    The springs are 9mm BikeMaster brand.      The tabs are positioned such that the spring extends only about 3/16”.    The welded tab material is harder than the spring material so the spring should wear before the tabs.

 

tig%20muffler_zpsctokwoyj.jpg

 

Here’s  close up of one of the better welds.    One of these days, I’ll learn to TIG weld properly (as long as I don’t have to give up coffee).

 

tig%20close_zpsmo6rhwqk.jpg

 

Next is to media blast both the header and muffler, then hit each with VHT primer, silver paint and semi gloss clear.  

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