| Author | Message | ||
     Seanp |
While waiting for the ferry across Lake Michigan on the way home from Homecoming, another rider noticed the ability to see the sky between my front muffler clamp and my muffler. The clamp was broken, and just kind of sitting there loose. I bought a new clamp from Danbury HD/Buell for $11, thinking I would change it out myself. I did a search on here, and found the stories of the muffler launching a guy off his bike, and the stories about the torque needing to be just right, etc. or else the strap is useless. I'm worried that if I try to fix it myself, I may break the clamp, and I think it's the only one the dealer had. Would I be better off bringing the bike to them to replace it or just trying it myself? I hate having the dealer do stupid little jobs that I could do myself, as I don't want to overstay my welcome with warranty work, especially since they worked their tails off to hook me up with a warranty cooling fan repair so I could ride out to Homecoming. At the same time, this is my ride back to Florida in a couple of weeks, and I need it to be tip-top. | ||
| Xbimmer |
According to the Official Service Manual there is a proper sequence to the installation of the muffler and various clamps. I can understand that, since you wouldn't want to install a muffler improperly and put stresses where they don't belong. I've personally found it impossible to replace the front strap without dropping the muffler. The front muffler mount has to be dropped also in order to get the strap threaded through it. And the dimensions are so tight for the strap that unless you pre-form it close to the tightened shape then it's a bitch to get the clamping end together. It's not actually difficult, just tedious! According to the book, you have to snug everything into place first, then after snugging front strap to muffler, rear straps 48-60 in/lbs, front mount (to engine) 16-18 ft/lbs, front strap 108-120 in/lbs back off two turns then 108-120 in/lbs again, Torca clamp (muffler to header) 28-30 ft/lbs, then front mount to engine 16-18 ft/lbs. Aside from the fact that the book has been wrong before for my '06, the techs working on my bike have been wronger. Just do it yerself. If you have any doubts, loop a bunch of baling wire up through the mount and around the muffler and make sure everything else is secure. That's what I'd do, but that's just me.  Any suggestions undertaken by any party are under the sole discretion of said party and said party therefore accepts full responsibility for any and all actions as a result of said undertakings. | ||
| Seanp |
Hmm. I don't have a torque wrench, nor do I have the Torca clamp, (the one which, from my searches through here, is not supposed to be re-used). (Message edited by seanp on July 11, 2008) | ||
| Red_chili |
I must confess I have done none of this... it would not have occurred to me to consult the FSM to R&R a stinking muffler! Threading the clamps into place, certain words DID occur to me. I still got it on repeatedly. My muffler has never strayed from home. YMMV. DIY. |
