| Author | Message | ||
     Stormfool |
Is it just me or does everybody have a Buell with an insatiable appetite for destruction of exhaust brackets? Let's hear it--they all always break--that's my guess at this point from perusing the Vault. Or is it just those pesky technicians masquerading as Buell mechanics just failing to install the stuff like God and Erik Buell intended? No engineer here but the eyeball takes one look at the band clamps and speedwelded braketry and starts rolling. Just because it's monikered "race" doesn't mean it should only last ONE race. Please Respond with your impressions on this topic--three months and three exhaust systems later any info about increasing the longevity of the Buell Race Header and Can (mine's on an X1) would be very useful. | ||
| Littledog1 |
Stormfool, I AM knocking on wood as I write this but my '98 S-1 has 9K miles with the Buell Race Header and Race Muffler with no breakage. I regularlly check the header bolts (have never found them loose) and the updated front hanger was fitted about 5K ago. I have repacked the can twice, the last time with Tat's long lasting stuff. 2K on that and it still sounds slightly muffled. Mickey | ||
| X1glider |
I worry about that front bracket too. The fact that the bracket is a separate entity from the header and utilizes a band clamp seems cheap and flimsy. Any flexing or movement could cause fatigue and failure. I thought about welding the braket to the header and throwing the band clamp away. | ||
| Stormfool |
Like that idea about welding the bracket on...the "cone" shape of the collector forces the clamp loose anyway...--but have concerns about future removal of the header. Where from can I order the good repacking? Not sure how to contact Tats | ||
| Josh |
I use the huge clamp that held the stock muffler to the stock header. Much stronger and takes a lot more torque. | ||
| Al_Lighton |
The front shoe for the race header is a bad design. The concept of a clamp-on shoe is good for taking out tolerances, but the U-hanger implementation sucks. With the U-hanger, the only freedom is vertical up and down, and pivot around the hanger bolt. When my second one broke, I looked at it a bit and it became clear that the design is over-constrained. So I took my broken U-hanger and had the outer hanger that broke off welded to the stub of the broken-off inner hanger, as such:  It's now twice as thick at the base where maximum bending stress is, and it allows for some lateral movement on the front bracket so that the shoe falls where it naturally wants to due to the location of the race header laterally on the bike. It's held up for a few thousand miles like this. It definitely is a much less "forced" fit. Any stresses in the system when mounted static WILL result in a fatigue fracture. Note I use two clamps: one to hold the shoe to the header, and a second to prevent the first from slidng off the shoe (due to the somewhat conical shape). | ||
| Blake |
Strongly advise against welding the bracket to your header. Too much residual stress and vibration. It will fracture and ruin your header. If you are worried about the T-clamp's integrity, get yourself one of these Heavy Duty T-Bolt Clamps from McMaster Carr's online store.   McMaster-Carr Heavy Duty T-Bolt Clamp - Part Number 5443K29 403 Stainless Steel Band with zinc plated T-Bolt 63/64" Band Width 1/32" Band Thickness 2 11/16" to 2 7/8" (68mm-73mm) diameter 166 in-lbs make up torque Click on pic to go to McMaster-Carr Type in part number 5443K29. Best $6 you can spend on your race header's mounting integrity.  | ||
| Josh |
Hey Blake, why don't you ask the Moderator if he can add that part# to the top of the exhaust page? Thanks, Josh | ||
| Duck |
The "shoe" on mine snapped last night. Anyone know the part number on this?? Thanks, Duck | ||
| Court |
Explain what you mean by "shoe" and I'll get you the part number ASAP....want to make sure I am chasing the right thing. | ||
| José_Quiñones |
Header Support "Shoe": S1121.G Duck, get a new one and get the other one rewelded as a backup. | ||
| Duck |
Thanks guys. Sorry about the vague description. That was one of those situations where the right signals didn't reach the hands working the keyboard. What are the odds of my dealer having this in stock?? lol Hopefully it won't take too long to get it in. Thanks again, Duck | ||
| Duck |
$39 Freaking dollars for this part!!!!!!!! (S1121.G) I need one of you to come down here and shoot me. I would ride up there to get it done, but my exhaust might not make it. This sucks. Actually, it's criminal......and it sucks. Let me know if you can make it down here to put me out of my misery. | ||
| José_Quiñones |
As soon as I fix my S3T's broken exhaust stud....... If you want it done right away, I can get on my SV after the snow melts, but I need a gun.... | ||
| Henrik |
yep, quite pricey for a mild steel piece that looks like a shop project - I've been there recently as well. Modesto usually have them in stock. Danny Darkside is taking good care of us Henrik | ||
| Duck |
My new one (S1121.G) broke and now they are telling me that it has been superseded and that the new part cost $90 plus dollars. ANyone have any experience with this new part? | ||
| Al_lighton |
FYI, that modified one I made now has over 10K on it with no issues. A single unstressed hanger is better than two prestressed ones. | ||
| Jmartz |
Al: Weren't you also making a rear hanger? | ||
| Al_lighton |
Jose, You bet, your rear hanger is shipping out tomorrow. See http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/3842/25669.html?1061221020 I'm guesing that you meant to write FRONT hanger. I have a design for a new front hanger, but it's too expensive to produce. See http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/3842/34655.html?1060795158. I'm going to revamp the design to pull cost out and see if there's any interest in it. I'm very interested in seeing what this $90 Buell part is. Al | ||
| Jmartz |
Al: I want one of those rear hangers. Let me know where to send the money. For the front one my method has been to have spares and replace it when they crack. I must have 1/2 dozen in pieces in my tool box. One problem I see is that the collector is changing shape from oval to circular and the bracket does not properly follow the contour. failure is not related to that (I don't think) but to the rear lip design that fatigues. | ||
| Al_lighton |
Jose, Payment details are in the other thread, and I've got mail from you at home, I'll respond to that tonight with detailed payment info. You definitely have one of the 15 rear hangers I made reserved for you, and your bracket and clamps are all boxed up and will go out tomorrow. That front shoe is truly a POS. It has two failure modes: fatigue failure of the dual hangers due to pre-stressed installation condition, or fatigue failure of the shoe because the cantilever is so great. And even if the shoe itself doesn't fail, it overconstrains the header position and contributes to either rear bracket failures, header cracking, and/or exhaust port stud breakage. 1/2 dozen broken ones in your toolbox? Man, that sucks at $39 a pop. Have you tried modifying one from the pieces as I did above (i.e. one hanger instead of two)? Or have all yours been cracked cantilevers instead of cracked hangers? The idea of clamping it to the collector instead of welding it is good because it can take out tolerances in the system that a welded tab can't. That said, it's a difficult thing to do, because the collector is partially conical, and the transition from header tube to collector occurs right where you'd ideally want to clamp it. I haven't thought of an easy solution yet... Al | ||
| Jmartz |
One would be to weld a leveling "bump" on the bottom of the collector so that the tendency of clamp to run down would be eliminated. A triangular shape for the "shoe" portion sort of covers the comopound curving. Mine always looses the cantilever hanger and one "ear". With a $75 minimum at my local machine shop, a new part is cheaper and looks a lot better. Its always a bitch to get those as there is no easy to find part #. | ||
| Duck |
FYI: Went over to the local Buell shop to pick up the new part as mentioned above. No such animal........yet. The person at the counter gave me a box that contained the Y frount mount and all associated hardware. Not what I ordered of course so I showed her a picture (and part number.....again) of the actual part and she ordered it. Ugh. | ||
| Rookie |
Just bought the pro series race kit for my 99M2, does anyone know if it comes with the mounting brackets and so forth for the muffler ? | ||
| V2win |
Adam, The answer is yes. I would suggest that you make sure you have the updated "Y" bracket on your bike if you dont already have it. It helps a lot. John | ||
| Rick_a |
13,000 miles and my front race bracket breaks! Damn it all! |
