How hard is it to install new pipes on my street bob. I was gonna get the vance and hines big radius and everybody wants a fortune to put them on? I was gonna also get a tuner. What would be the cheapest and easiest tuner to install?

Thanks

 

On a 1 to 5 scale with 1 being putting gas in and 5 being a full frame off restorations. I would give it a 2.

Take the O2 sensors out. Take the pipes off.

Put the pipes back on. Careful to not tighten anything fully until you have all the bolts started. Then screw everything down tight starting from the motor and moving to the tail. Put the O2 sesors back in.

Enjoy.

 

Buy two new exhaust port gaskets. Be sure to put anti-seize on O2 sensors before installing in new pipe if new pipe doesn't have it in there. It's a 2 hour job max from start to finish. Taking stock equipment off takes longer than putting new on.

 

dont get in a hurry .and becareful not to get carried away when you tighten things up.but you should be able to do it.

 

put the O2 sensors in before install!

 

It's not too hard. I installed mine in an evening.One key is having the right size combination wrench for the 02 sensor bungs. They're a bear to get off, but with the right wrench to get a good grip all the way around the nut, they'll come off much easier.

As far as tuning, you're gonna get a hundred different suggestions. I've got the screamin' eagle race tuner. I like it cuz nothing stays on the bike. Just temporarily connect the tuner between your bike and laptop, send a map to the bike, and you're done. (the map I use came from a member here, scott - powercobra98)

Wally

 

Also, an extra pair of hands are helpful. Wish I had them when I did my Python Straight Shot Staggards. Took me a couple of hours total.
Forgive me, I'm doing this off the top of my head, so if anyone has any amendments to this, please post them.

This should by no means replace the instructions in the manual or supplied by V&H. READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS VERY CAREFULLY. VERY VERY CAREFULLY.

You will need:

1) all of the usual harley wrenches and sockets
2) antisieze compound
3) ring pliers
4) the shop manual

1) Undo the bolts under the slip ons, and the bolts holding the headers.
2) Remove the slip ons. Set them aside.
3) Loosen the strap fittings behind the front half of the pipe. These hold on the heat shields. I undid them completly and the shields slipped off easily
4) Unplug the o2 sensors. One is under the seat, the other under the voltage regualtor at the front of the bike
6) Carefully remove the exhaust flange bolts on each pipe
6) Carefully remove the exhaust headers.
7) (On my pipes, I had to reuse my exhaust flanges. They're held on by an o-ring if that's not the case skip to step 10)
Remove the o-ring from the header
8) Carefully slide the exhaust flange from the pipe. Set it aside/
9) Repeat for the other pipe.
10) Remove the o2 sensor from each header. This is tricky- one of mine was totally seized. I replaced it with a new one, even though I'm using a PCIIIUSB and it comes with o2 sensor bypass modules.
11) With a wax pen or a pencil and masking tape, mark where the strap fittings will fit inside the heat shield.
12) Slide new pipes into the new heat shields
13) install the the new clamps (supplied with the pipe) loosly into their correct locations marked in step 11
14) install the o2 sensors into the ports. Remember to use antisieze compound here.
15) Install the mounting bracket to the bike- mine utilized the existing mounting brackets + one in on the tranny cover. I think.
16) loosly install the mounting bolts to the bracket you installed in step 1
17) Install the pipes, iirc rear cylinder first, then the front. This is where you'll need a second set of hands. Be really careful.
18) hand tighten the exhaust flange nuts
19) hand tighten the mounting bracket bolts
20) torque the exhaust flange nuts as indicated in the manual
21) tighten the mounting bracket nuts as indicated in the V&H instructions.

Should give you an idea of the difficulty. It's definitely not hard, it's not even that time consuming, really. Having a buddy around helps.

When you've chosen a ECM solution that fits your needs (I personally used a PowerCommander III USB), post back here and we can walk through the installation procedure for that too.

Cheers.

David

 

By the way, this is what the straight shots look like finished:

(lol)



[IMG]local://upfiles/10155/7AA0355C54274E949A2A450C4F8DB342.jpg[/IMG]

 

One thing you need to know though, the slip ons are a bear to remove and there is no way I can think of to make it easier.

 

Its not bad.
Take the stock exhaust off as as a complete assembly. Its heavy. Worked for me.
Take your time.
Cover anything that may scratch.
Again, New gaskets.
I put the heat shields on after the pipes were installed. Either way works.
Torque exhaults bolts evenly. Double check exhaust bolts after a pipes are heated.