Thunder headers
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 6,850
Likes: 1,389
From: Florida
Meant to say tapered like the picture. AS far as the bracket.....mine bolts to the transmission side and then has two holes for the muffler to bolt to it. In the front of the bracket is a separate mount for the rear pipe. Wen my pipes is tightened down it is off of the bracket by less than eighth of an inch. Leave everything loose until you tighten down the exhaust and then move stuff as needed to a happy place. If necessary a screamin eagle style exhaust gasket could be used to give you a little more wiggle room
Last edited by misfitJason; Jul 16, 2017 at 01:21 PM.
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 10,734
Likes: 3,755
From: SWFL
Well, enough said...or rather not said. I'll be going back to singles. I'd be willing to bet most of you guys running the T Headers have cracks but haven't noticed it yet. Like I said, you have an aluminum motor and steel pipes, so there will always be a lot of heat induced stress where the pipes come together. I also don't follow the idea of 2-1 increasing power, since the firing order is so irregular on these bikes. If you time the pulses for one firing pulse, it would necessarily be off for the opposite firing pulse. Singles can be optimized for the displacement and RPM range desired.
At least that's where I'm coming from.
At least that's where I'm coming from.
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 227
Likes: 32
From: ok
Well, enough said...or rather not said. I'll be going back to singles. I'd be willing to bet most of you guys running the T Headers have cracks but haven't noticed it yet. Like I said, you have an aluminum motor and steel pipes, so there will always be a lot of heat induced stress where the pipes come together. I also don't follow the idea of 2-1 increasing power, since the firing order is so irregular on these bikes. If you time the pulses for one firing pulse, it would necessarily be off for the opposite firing pulse. Singles can be optimized for the displacement and RPM range desired.
At least that's where I'm coming from.
At least that's where I'm coming from.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 309
Likes: 39
From: Southlake Texas
Thanks for the responses, guys.
Jason, I appreciate the pics. That is the bracket I have and the gaskets I'm using too. Does your bracket hard mount to the pipe? Mine uses a rubber isolator. If you guys are hard mounting, then that may be where my cracks are coming from...vibration from the rubber isolator.
Kraken, (your screen name is a nice pun for my problem!?!) I can usually tell when the pipes are cracked as the engine starts popping on deceleration. When it gets constant, I remove them to find the crack on the inside, invisible until you remove the pipe. I run the bike hard and downshift regularly to stops, so my popping is pronounced when the RPM comes down off 5k. If you used wheel instead of engine braking, you would never notice the popping.
Jason, I appreciate the pics. That is the bracket I have and the gaskets I'm using too. Does your bracket hard mount to the pipe? Mine uses a rubber isolator. If you guys are hard mounting, then that may be where my cracks are coming from...vibration from the rubber isolator.
Kraken, (your screen name is a nice pun for my problem!?!) I can usually tell when the pipes are cracked as the engine starts popping on deceleration. When it gets constant, I remove them to find the crack on the inside, invisible until you remove the pipe. I run the bike hard and downshift regularly to stops, so my popping is pronounced when the RPM comes down off 5k. If you used wheel instead of engine braking, you would never notice the popping.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 9,254
Likes: 283
From: Lake City, Florida (Native)
My Problem as well on the FXR4 .. Had they sat a bit higher would have loved them .. But Scraped them up every time got Serious in the Twisties ..
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 309
Likes: 39
From: Southlake Texas
Thanks, Jason...exactly the pic I needed. I have the exact same mount, only it does have the rubber mount between it and the pipe.
I'm still at a loss why I seem to be the only one having issues!?! Oh well, I keep a stack of gaskets on hand and the welding is just time.
I'm still at a loss why I seem to be the only one having issues!?! Oh well, I keep a stack of gaskets on hand and the welding is just time.
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Stage I
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: oregon
2 into 1 high performance pipes come loose/crack
I run a 96 Super Glide with a 96 inch motor. Been 10, 15 years and i have had no cracks on my Thunder header. Use grade 8 exhaust bolts. Put your pipe on loose. Connect the pipe to the cylinder head first, jiggle the pipe to get it tight use lock washers and proper bolts they are oblong so they stay put. After you done ride for ten min and tighten them all again.
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 43
Likes: 15
I've had two different T-headers and a Supertrapp Supermeg on my 2000 FXD. I had fairly regular breakage of the original bracket but, once they added in some gusseting I no longer had any breaks. I wish I could attach some pictures to explain what I'm talking about. Anyway, it's not uncommon in my experience (and friends) to have cracks form in the bracket and I could usually tell by the seat of my pants when it did. The bracket that came with the Supertrapp is such a beefy and well designed piece I can't see it ever breaking. It's strength is in the up and down motion from rubber mounted engines. I might be able to round up some pics if you want.