I am pretty much finished with the install, but I have one question... On both the front and rear cylinders the bottom bolt has only maybe half a thread protruding from the nut while the top has a good 3 or so threads protruding from the nut (on the exuast clamps). Is this normal or did I put the exhaust on all jacked up?

Lastly I would like to thank the makers of thunderheader for giving me no possible way to install "bracket #6" over the rear exhaust tube. It only took me 45 damn minitues to sort that effing mess out.

Time for bed.

 

that pipe sucks to put on man make sure you put the header pipes in before you put the lower bracket on..... ive had mine off a couple of times now and im sure the pipe "stretches" a little after you have it on.... good luck

 

I definitely put the header pipes in and tightened them down before I did the brackets. I just want to make sure that its normal to have top bolts protrude more then the bottom. What a fun pipe to put on.

 

Loosen everything up, except the bolts holding the big bracket onto the transmission case.

Take your hand and smack everything around, especially the head pipes, you may even need a prybar (mine did) wrapped in TONS of blue tape, in between the head pipes and cylinders, to massage them evenly into the exhaust port spigot.

Your nuts should have equal thread protruding from them, and the head pipes should have an even small gap 360* around the exhaust flanges.

Check your lower pipe, make sure it isn't resting on the two mid-control bolt heads at the frame.

Slowly adjust everything until it is even, or you will have an exhaust leak.

After you have ridden the bike, the pipe will change shape and become "fitted" to your bike, and will be much easier to install next time.

The trick I have found:

Wrap everything (points cover, frame, mid controls, etc.) with blue masking tape, to prevent scratches.

Lift pipe up and let the rear of the pipe hang low, insert the front pipe into the front spigot, install two front nuts. Raise rear of pipe and insert & pull rear of pipe into the rear exhaust spigot. Install all nuts.

 

looks like Ill be heading to the garage to eff around with it I guess. I am to hung over for this right now! (at least the bills won. What a cold game!)

 

Looks like I am indeed far to hung over to be bent over that bike right now...

The top of the header is going into the port further then the bottom. What is going on here? Do I really just need to man handle the thing until it goes in evenly? Could I have messed up the new exhaust gaskets bad enough to do this?

 

i had to wrestle with mine quite a bit man it is really stiff going on .... i even take the battery box off to give my self some more room

 

I am going to take another crack at it tomorrow morning. I am pretty sure that I would have some major leaks if I left it like it was.

 

I am not sure if anyone is still reading this but Ill try anyways...

I tried again to install the header, I got the front cylinder to look pretty good, but the back one is still a bit cockeyed. My only other though is that when I put it on crooked the first time that I may have compressed the port gaskets the "wrong way" enough to the point that it would make it rather difficult to install the header the right way this time around. Does that make and sense?

It has never in my life taken this long to install an exhaust. Not like I do it all the time or anything... but damn!