Just got my hooker troublemakers in the mail. Love the looks. Was thinking of installing them. The bike has 500 miles on it (still new) but I don't want to risk reusing the stock gaskets. My hooker pipes came with a set of gaskets. My question is, are the hooker gaskets decent or should I buy a new set of harley gaskets?

Thanks!

 

well, the HD ones are like $7.95 so if you just want the HD ones and its close, why not. Im sure the Hooker gaskets are fine though. Never heard anything about them.

 

I take my pipes off at least five times a year, and I change the gaskets once a year. I would say, put the new pipes on and if there are no leaks, you're good to go. I also have Hookers on my Duece.

 

U prob dont need them. But mine did so i used the ones from hooker and no leaks

 

Yea. I just bought new HD gaskets, need to take the pipes off and install those ones on when I get a free day and the war weather comes along.

 

whats the best way to determine you have a leak..bike seems fine..no black or anything around the exhaust...

 

with the bike running throw a rag over the tips. If you have leak you will hear it at the jugs.

 

When I ordered my Fat Cat from Eastern Performance. They asked if I needed new gaskets, so I ordered them also. They sent the stock woven HD gaskets. When I took the Rip Saws off, the old gaskets looked okay, but since I had the new gaskets sitting there I figured I might as well use them.
It was probably just as hard to get the gaskets, to nest in the ports, as to install the new exhaust. If I hadn't read that sometimes they are a booger to fit in place, I would have sworn they were too big to fit. I was trying to be patient and gently push them in place without distorting them, but all I could get was about 80% of it to seat and then I would have to start over again. I finally put some grease on them and tried to form them the best I could with a set of needle nose pliers. I tried to barely compress it by going around the approximate 1/4" thickness of the gasket. Then they seemed to fit. I don't know if it was because of my messing with them.
I did manage to get a bunch of punctures in my finger tips from the wire, that makes up the gasket.
Tom

 

Gaskets are cheap. You might as well slap a couple in there. It's a lot easier than taking the pipes off again.

 

If the bike is fairly new I dont see why you have to. Just my opinion though.