| Author | Message | ||
     Foximus |
Broken, or broken? Whats your preference? I cannot keep my headers in one piece. Though they are thin walled, and rusted on the inside it seems, I do expect more. C'mon boys keep it together. lol. Anyone have opinions on headers? Are the newer style center split headers better all arond? I like the crude look of the early wide S headers... | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
Different headers fit different frames. The older 98- style looks much better imo, but only fits the matching 98- "straight" frames and come at the cost of a lot of heat on the rider's right leg. The newer 99+ style will only fit matching "stepped" frames and will keep heat a little further away from your leg. Note that all 99+ headers had 2.5" collectors while most of the 98- were 2" with a few 2.5" race units still floating around. If you're not familiar with the frame differences, look at the right side of the frame just above and forward of the rear isolator. X1's all have a step in the frame and S1's are all straight. | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
Forgot to mention, if you're breaking headers on a regular basis, consider changing your installation procedure. The entire exhaust system should be installed, tightened, and torqued starting at the heads and following the path of flow all the way to the muffler. Header-> collector-> front mount-> rear mount. | ||
| Someday |
All Buell headers are stainless steel so rust shouldn't be an issue. | ||
| Guell |
Not all buell headers were stainless, the m2 had mild steel headers for a while. Those would fit his bike, so i dont know if he has those or not. You can fit the 99+ headers to your bike but will have to beat the crap out of the rear pipe to make it fit with the frame. And the s headers will fit the 99+ frames. The s1w and s3t had the s headers with the 2.5 collector in the front of the engine, the s race system had the 2.5 collector under the engine. What front hanger are you using? The old straight one or the updated y hanger? Im still using the old style on my m2 and havnt had any issues. I try to get everything finger tight on the exhaust system, making sure i didnt have to force anything to fit. Then once everything is on i start torquing the bolts from the heads downwards and finishing at the muffler. | ||
| Foximus |
Hmm... Yea thats the problem as well, I cant find any of the older style for sale either? Mines obviously mild steel, no questions about that. And it keeps breaking in the middle of the U bend on the front cylinder tubing. This time about a 1.25" diameter hole has shown up. immediately under where my last crack was. I do tighten in this procedure. HOwever my exhaust has been made by someone. It turns down after the collecter into a straight pipe back. The front hanger is just a piece of plate that goes up and bolts with a isolator to the frame, the rear is just like a car hanger almost. Clamp around the pipe, then up to another bracket which then bolts to the frame, You can change the angle with that bracket. I'll take pictures, however I have a feeling that the mild steel might have just about met its useable life span. Damn stress fatigue as well as inside rust, and exhaust wrapping over that... | ||
| Guell |
If i had to take a wild guess, with the limited pics ive seen, you might have a kt pipe. | ||
| Foximus |
 [imghttp://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/180 929_10100198379881972_5115131_55746924_6547688_n.j pg[/img]  Front hanger  Rear Hanger Whats a KT pipe? I do love it, Ive only seen another one like it and that man doesnt respond to my PM's about buying it. lol. | ||
| Mtkawboy |
Regular steel exhaust pipe will not hold up when wrapped , it cant dissapate the heat. I have stainless pipes on my Fat Boy and they are only wrapped where they would contact my legs when the bike is stopped | ||
| Littlebuggles |
I don't know if they've still got it now, it's been a long while since I saw it... but the dealership in Lincoln, NE had a brand new S1 header last year. I thought about buying it for the general cool Buell parts collection but skipped it. I didn't measure the collector, so can't say whether it was to S1W 2.5" or just a stock S1. I just tried to call the Buell guy there but he's on lunch.I'll send you a pm with the contact info once I know if they've still got it. Hopefully in the next hour. If you update your front exhaust hanger you'll take some stress out of the system. | ||
| Foximus |
Well I just took my exhaust down to weld it and noticed I had aligned the rear hanger completely wrong. So that was probably the source. Welded it back up and realigned the rear hanger correctly. We'll see now. Anyway to see sent PM's on this board? I want to find out who I had asked about his exhaust. He has the same thing as I, and complained about it being too loud... | ||
| Jramsey |
"Anyway to see sent PM's on this board?" Check the box that says "send copy to myself" | ||
| Someday |
I stand corrected! My apologies! | ||
| Brinnutz |
You just missed an early style race header and muffler. May have been the whole kit. Went for $1035, brand new! | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
Guell, I'm glad you posted the specifics about the older header design and the S1W/S3T specific collector sizes. I didn't know much of that information before now. If you ask me though, beating the crap out of a part to make it fit means it doesn't fit  But now I'm curious.. if I understand your first post here correctly, then I have a 98- header that will fit my X1 with no modification required. That would be SWEET! | ||
| Guell |
Wilson, it was the whole kit, NIB race exhaust system, ign, and intake. No problem Pk, i have seen the later headers on the straight framed bikes, but you do have to beat the rear pipe a bit. My aftermarket system that goes over the headers isnt bad on my legs at all since the bends in the rear pipe keep it away from the leg. Oh and i wouldnt wrap a mild steel exhaust, they become brittle and will crack eventually. (Message edited by Guell on February 26, 2011) | ||
| Littlebuggles |
Okay, since you were able to fix it I'll post here instead of the PM for everyone's info. I guess the pipe I saw sold last year on e-bay. So just for general knowledge there are five dealers that have a new S1 pipe (PN 65247-96Y). I didn't ask Jared to check for the S1W pipe. (He's an occasional poster here but I believe he only uses the XB board as he's got a 9S). I have no idea if any of these dealerships are good dealers, or turd dealers. Can I put this up here? I don't want to violate any sponsor support or anything. Can a sponsoring dealer get the part transfered maybe if we'd rather use them? Blake? Dudley HD (San Fransisco) 650 737 5467 The rest I only have state and # N. Carolina 919 832 2261 Ohio 614 228 6353 Texas 903 597 1488 Knoxville, TN 865 689 2454 | ||
| Foximus |
I did fix it however I would never turn down a header that was in better shape for the right price. "Oh and i wouldnt wrap a mild steel exhaust, they become brittle and will crack eventually. " Very true. However there is a lack of validity in your statement due to relativity. Stainless is actually far more susceptible to becoming brittle through stress fatigue and heat cycles than mild steel ever is. So actually your almost always better off wrapping mild steel than stainless, especially if its a cheap stainless. The only exception being if the stainless is thicker walled. | ||
| Foximus |
By the way... Thanks for all the posts. I do appreciate it. | ||
| Jramsey |
"Very true. However there is a lack of validity in your statement due to relativity. Stainless is actually far more susceptible to becoming brittle through stress fatigue and heat cycles than mild steel ever is. So actually your almost always better off wrapping mild steel than stainless, especially if its a cheap stainless. The only exception being if the stainless is thicker walled." Wow what a response after you ask this question. "Broken, or broken? Whats your preference? I cannot keep my headers in one piece.Though they are thin walled, and rusted on the inside it seems, I do expect more. C'mon boys keep it together. lol. Anyone have opinions on headers? Are the newer style center split headers better all arond? I like the crude look of the early wide S headers... Why did you even ask since you must have a degree in metallurgy. You must be a mechanical engineer also since you posted this...... "Well I just took my exhaust down to weld it and noticed I had aligned the rear hanger completely wrong." People here are trying to help you, quit questioning their knowledge, experience and intelligence . | ||
| Foximus |
It wasn't meant as a smart ass comment, just stating. Mild steel is far more resilient to heat cycling and vibration. If I came across as a dick it was not meant to be. But what i said is true none the less.... | ||
| Guell |
lol from what ive seen on motorcycle pipes, the stainless hold up with the wrap while the mild steel crumbles and cracks. YMMV Of course the stainless might be a thicker walled pipe. Just look at all the force exhausts that have been wrapped and fall apart. | ||
| Jramsey |
"just stating. Mild steel is far more resilient to heat cycling and vibration." If that were true then why have almost every car/truck made since '89 been equipped with a Stainless exhaust system. Seriously, go to your local automotive muffler shop and ask the owner what has hurt their business the most in the last 15-20 years.... I'll bet both my nuts that they tell you its because the oem Stainless system damn near last forever. | ||
| Brinnutz |
Another note....might want to upgrade that front exhaust hanger to the updated style. Might help with your problems too. | ||
| Foximus |
I thought it was the rear hanger that was updated not the front? | ||
| Pkforbes87 |
Nope, front was updated. American Sport Bike pn# 17036 I just happened to look it up for another Bueller last night. |
