| Author | Message | ||
     Thefleshrocket |
I ordered a repack kit from Barker after finding that my ~10K-mile muffler was completely free of any packing whatsoever. I had just lost the end cap so I'm not sure if the last of the packing blew out after the end cap fell off, or if it was already gone and I just noticed it because of the missing end cap. (The exhaust didn't seem significantly louder with the end cap gone--I noticed a slight change in tone--but I do ride with ear plugs.) I bought a set of drill bits from the local hardware store--a titanium nitride Master Mechanic set of 17 bits. Nothing fancy, but not crap either, as far as I can tell. I've been having at two of the rivets with both the 3/16 (same size as the rivet) and 5/16 (recommended in a '10 thread by Tim Barker himself) and in probably 5 total minutes of drilling with a 110v Skil drill, I am maybe halfway through two rivets. I am new to rivets (bought a gun just for this job) but am mind-boggled that the rivets are so hard to get through. Even if I had the "wrong" kind of bit (these are supposedly for going through metal--I didn't buy bits designed for wood or rock or whatever), I can't believe I'm making so little progress. The drill isn't professional grade, but it's plenty beefy for this job. Do I just need different bits? If so, what should I get? (Here's a link to what I've got now: http://www.truevalue.com/product/17-Piece-Titanium -Nitride-Drill-Bit-Set/15792.uts?keyword=master%20 mechanic%20drill ) | ||
| Mhpalin |
Use a slow speed and lots of oil the rivets are more then likely stainless don't get the drill bits to hot.  Mike | ||
| Torquehd |
my barker has around 9 k on it... a few weeks ago, fiberglass started spitting out the tailpipe. I tried to pull it out, but more just kept coming, and coming, and coming. Before I knew it, I had fiberglass dust all up my sleeves. Stupid me, I should have turned the bike off before messing with the exhaust. I parked the bike and have yet to have the time and money to fix it... You might try a carbide, or carbide tipped bit. Carbide usually does an extremely good job of cutting through metal. | ||
| Bigblock |
You need a cobalt bit for stainless steel. They are readily available at any "good" hardware store, although quite a bit more for each bit, just get the size you need, they are well worth the price as it should drill right through. | ||
| Nuts4mc |
all above, good advice...Stainless Steel has a nasty habit of "Work Hardening"...the hotter you get it (too fast of a spindle speed)... the harder it gets...here's a link to McMaster-Carr's selection of Cobalt drill bits: order them online and they'll ship them from their nearest warehouse: http://www.mcmaster.com/#twist-drill-bits/=tqxm59 | ||
| Stevel |
+1 on the cobalt bits. Stainless work hardens when it is rubbed. Do not exceed 350 rpm on the bit. Don't let it slip......push the drill into the rivet, but not so much that the delivered torque caused the rivet to spin. The drill bit must be sharp. If the rivet hardens or spins, you must use a small mounted stone in a tool grinder and don't let the rivet get too hot or you will trash the fiberglass/carbon fiber it is mounted in. Keep it cool with water. | ||
| Stevel |
One more thing............this takes good tool skills. If you don't have them, give the task to someone that does. This is a very easy task to screw up, in which case, you buy a new system. Also, when packing the silencer, tight packing is bad, loose long fibers works best. To reduce noise the packing must be loose to extract the energy from the high velocity exhaust pulse. If the packing is tight, no damping will take place. | ||
| Glide |
Just had some of the same problem, lost the tail pipe during a track day slicing the rear tire. Fortunately the tire did not fail and finished the session. Several lessons learned such as thermal expansion of SS bolts and aluminum will continue to loosen the bolts over time. They had all been tightened the previous track day. Figure on several drill bits to get the SS rivets out turning slowly using water as coolant since oil smoke is very bad for your lungs. Replace the button head bolts with an allen head so they can be drilled and safety wired to avoid the problem in the future. I was very fortunate since this just cost only a tire and lost lunch to change the tire and be ready for the afternoon sessions. | ||
| Reepicheep |
A bullet shaped tungsten carbide bit on a dremel tool will cut like going through butter also. Heck, it can go through a broken tap. (Message edited by reepicheep on September 16, 2014) | ||
| Badgerbueller1125 |
I would recommend getting a Keda RT-3 from Dean Adams. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Just a LITTLE extreme doncha think? But I am interested in the results/solution as my Barker will need re-packing soon as well. | ||
| Al_lighton |
Another tip on drilling pop rivets.... Too many times, folk grab a bit that is the size of the mandrel in the center. You don't want to use a bit that small. One, you'll have to drill way to far and long. Two, once you get part of the way through, it'll start spinning the pop rivet and then you'll get nowhere. Instead, grab a much larger bit that is the size of the exposed rivet head. Then drill ONLY until the head pops off. Once that happens, you can then punch it through to the inside and fetch it once you're inside. Al | ||
| D_adams |
Now why would you say that? Sounded perfectly logical to me... | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Thanks Al, that makes complete sense. Great tip! | ||
| Fresnobuell |
LOL | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
I bought 3/16 and 5/16 cobalt bits. The 5/16 got the head off of the two that I had previously started, and then got the heads off two more pretty easily. Then I overheated it while working on the last two (I got impatient--well, more impatient) and finished them off with the 3/16. The cylinder in the center had its edges curled up on both ends, so I straightened them with plyers. I wrapped the pillow around the cylinder and tried stuffing it back in. It got hung up on the two rivets holding on the Barker name plate. Not the least bit interested in drilling out any more rivets, I used a hammer and screwdriver to bend them downward a bit. I was able to get the pillow and cylinder installed, but it was a pain in the ass and I tore up the pillow in several places--fortunately on the outside so hopefully it won't blow out too quickly. The pillow also didn't make it all the way to the other end of the muffler. Even though the cylinder went the whole way, the pillow must have gotten hung up and only made it about 3/4 of the way. I got the end cap reinstalled and riveted. Barker included the 3/16 rivets and they must be some heavy duty mofos, because I had to put the muffler on the ground with a screwdriver handle acting as a spacer between the rivet tool and the muffler body so I could push down on the tool with both hands. That was the only way I was able to exert enough force to snap the rivets. I used blue Loctite when reinstalling the bolts--don't want to lose another end cap. This job was a big pain in the ass--not something I plan on doing again. If Barker offers a repacking service, I'm just going to mail in my muffler next time and have their guys take care of it. On a side note, considering what it costs to repack, I'd strongly consider a muffler that doesn't require packing. I've always liked the looks of Dean's RT3, but it's even louder than the Barker, which is on the far end of what I consider tolerable. | ||
| Dennis_c |
Thefleshrocket did you try a quite core from Barkers when I got one last they were about $25 he had a 1"- 1 1/2"-1 5/8" | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
Dennis, I bought the largest quiet core available a few years back. Probably the 1 5/8. It didn't make enough of a reduction in noise for me to consider it worthwhile so I pulled it. Do the smaller ones have a more significant quieting effect? | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
I rode my 1125 to work today and the difference in exhaust noise is huge. It's got a healthy thump to it now without being too raspy or loud. I can't recall the last time my 1125 has been this quiet (except back when it had the stock exhaust). I've got 10K on this Barker, and I don't even know if it was this quiet when new. Given that my Barker was shedding ribbons of packing past the tip at a very young age, I wonder if it was even packed properly at the factory. The exhaust is quiet enough that I could probably ride without earplugs--except that the wind noise is still excessively loud. In fact, that's my only significant complaint about the 1125--I can ride my Speed Triple and my VFR (and even my ridiculously loud Vmax) without earplugs because the wind noise is tolerable on them, but not on the 1125. The worst thing is that there's no relief--no matter where I put my head or how low I tuck, it's persistent. Oh well, that's another story. | ||
| Nuts4mc |
ear plugs... the purple ones from Walmart work well: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Flents-Quiet-Contour-Foa m-Ear-Plugs-80ct/17324932 | ||
| Thefleshrocket |
LOL, I'm good on earplugs--I just buy the foam ones that come in a pack of 20 or 30. | ||
| Malott442 |
I didn't think about the aluminum rivet/ss can expansion (and vice versa) Reminded me I need to get SS rivets for my SS can. | ||
| Dennis_c |
the 1" and 1 1/2" are not to bad the 1" is a lot quieter and still sounds good. |
