I have a question regarding my new 10 wide glide stock exhaust which is my first harley.
for all you riders that actually know what you are talking about with these engines and bikes can i remove the baffles without causing engine problems? it appears i can just drill out the three rivets holding each one in and pull 'em but don't know about back pressure problems or exhaust speed prob. does the cat provide enough restriction?

 

Depends what you care most about. If you just want it to sound loud then go for it. However, as you probably know, there's more to exhaust design than it being a bit of bent pipe; removing the baffles could add reversion (a pulse bouncing back from the rear of the pipe) that will rob you of some power.

You will likely be better just modding the mufflers by drilling holes in the backplate. Have a search for this around here.

 

get some cycle shack slip-ons, they sound really good.

 

Do the slip-ons. You can get them for anywhere from $150 up to $400. You start drilling holes in your stock pipes and all you're gonna get is lousy pipes that don't do their job very well. IOW, junk. Worth nothing to anybody.

At least, if you leave them alone they might be worth something some day. Doubtful, but you never know. Somebody may need them if they live in an area where the smog police are seriously on patrol -- Inspections, etc.

I paid $250 for my V&H slip ons, total. They're a little more these days, but not enough to get excited about. Little bit of a PITA to hammer off but, hey! You are now the proud owner of a new Harley. Deal with it.

I'm also (fairly) confident that both pipes flow the same. You get out your handy-dandy Black & Decker drill and start punching random holes in your OEM pipes, God only knows how they're gonna flow from one side to the other.

The Torca clamps? Tricky little devils. I re-used mine. If you can't get them back on the new pipes, there's a little piece between the two clamping ends that the clamping bolt goes through. Put it in a vise and hammer the bolt through, then they'll stretch enough to fit over your new pipes. You'll see what I mean when you get around to it.

edit:

I thought the '10 WG had the cats in the muffler bodies like the Super Glide does. If they're in the collecter and slip-ons won't eliminate them -- All bets are off. I'd give serious thought to saving up my bread and doing the whole exhaust if the cats are in the header or collecter. Wait until you're 99.99% confident the motor is solid and doesn't have to go back to the dealer for anything.

 

thanks for the replys fellas. i am going to get v&h big shots in the spring but have been itching for more sound. guess i am just going to keep itching untill spring and do it right.

 

You can do it by removing those 3 rivets and taking them out, you can also put them back in the same way with pop rivets or small bolts, you will need a tuner to make it run right tho.
I did it on my Fat Bob and PCIII, it took some fooling around to get it right, they dont really make a map for no baffles I dont think, mine ran fine for about 8 months till I put on my Thunderheader.
For just a small increase you can pull the baffles, remove the batting and punch a hole in the center plate on the baffle and it will sound pretty good, not real loud but better than stock.

 

My 06 Street Bob I recently purchased is bone stock but the baffles have been removed, it sounds pretty good and runs great. I will be getting a new exhaust come tax return but for now I'm happy with the sound and the power.

 

If you want to remove the baffles, do it, it is easy. Remove the rivets, pull the baffle out. At the back of the baffle it is smooth, if you cut it there the blocking plate will come out. There is a smaller piece of pipe behind that. Keep the small piece of pipe in and weld everything back together, the small piece of pipe will give you your back pressure. On this model bike the cat is before the pipes. It is a closed loop system so you don't need any type of fuel management module, in fact you could change the entire pipes and still not have to use a fuel pak, it is a closed loop so the ECM will only allow so much air or fuel regardless. Take the packing out too, they sound great after this mod

 

I can't believe how a "little" information can be turned around!

"removing the baffles could add reversion" THIS IS WRONG

First, removing the baffle "decreases" reversion, it does not increase reversion! Reversion acts to increase low to midrange torque. Therefore if reversion is reduces ( less backpressure by definition equals less reversion!) you may feel less torque at low to mid throttle.
Less backpressure can lead to more Max. Hp. at wide open throttle, IF!!
BIG IF you can get enough fuel to take advantage of that decrease in backpressure!

" it is a closed loop so the ECM will only allow so much air or fuel regardless" This is also technically wrong!

Second! The ECM has no control over AIR into an engine ( except in the case of drive by wire where the throttle is opened by the ECM software but opening the throttle is not part of close loop control ECM control during closed loop is a fuel only correction! Not AIR). But even then the restriction to airflow is the intake ( aircleaner and exhaust) not THE ECM software control.
The ECM only attempts to maintain the correct air/fuel ratio through closed loop operation! ( by changing delivered FUEL, the ECM cannot change airflow! That is a function of restrition in the air cleaner!)

The "ECM" or more correctly the ecm software the controls fuel, can modify fuel slightly. And if you only open the exhaust, there should be enough "learning" to compensate for a little less backpressure. If you also open the intake ( aircleaner) you then would need to have fuel modified through either re-programing or an add on device!

Even with "just an open exhaust" there is a possiblity that during open loop operation at Wide Open Throttle(WOT) you can still have an overly lean condition! Some closed loop "learning" affects "open loop" fuel delivery.
But it may not account for every "speed and load" point during WOT operation! And without proper A/F ratio at WOT, you will not gain any Max. Hp. by the decrease in backpressure!

Bottom line, you will most likey not need a "fueling" device for just an open exhaust. You will most likely loss some low and mid-range torque. Without adding fuel you will not gain HP. at WOT!

I hope that allow you to make a more informed choice!

 

+1 They are much lighter and do what they are designed to do.
And that way you can keep the stock ones in case you want to use them later or sell them.