The whole concept of the later evo ex gasket is to permit rotation of the pipe, while maintaining a good seal.
Shimming is not only completely unnecessary, but a completely wrong way of going about it.
The poor old OP will never get the pipes on correctly reading this thread.

 

Any time you install an exhaust system under stress something will give, be it the pipe or a mount. If you take your time and fit it by bending, or shimming the chances of cracking is a lot less. It's like the older two piece tanks, when people just put them on and tightened them down without shimming them they would crack and leak. You theory about bending them causing cracks just doesn'y hold water, remember the all where just straight pieces of pipe when they first were made !!!

The whole concept of the later evo ex gasket is to permit rotation of the pipe, while maintaining a good seal.

This is correct, however most people crank the nuts down as if they were diesel head bolts, that's why we get all the threads about broken studs.

 

I replaced my pipes 12 years ago, and I used shims where they were needed. No cracks, no leaks. You do it your way, I'll stick to the right way.

Bob
97 Heritage

 

Yes, thats right, only you know the right way.
HD have no idea at all.
Their 100 + years. and my 30+ years are nothing compared to your single pipe install.
Everything would qualify for shimming.
The reality is, they just need to be fitted correctly and intelligently, and without shims.
Feel free to live on in your dream world, but do not try to convince others to join you.

 

My Y pipe cracked last month coming out of the rear cylinder of my 96 EGC. I picked up a exhaust on Ebay for a less than a third of what it would have cost me just for the Y pipe. It came with the front pipe, Y pipe, left side pipe and all clamps and heat shields. It also looks alot better than my old exhaust did.

 

I did the same for my (now gone) 96 FLHT a couple of years ago. The whole kit minus slip ons came from a 02 or 03 Roadking as I recall.

skipc if you go this way make sure you get the head pipes, Y pipe, and crossover pipe complete. By trial I found that trying to mix and match didn't work. It had to be the whole kit--on my year model 1996.

The dealers here in Oz wanted $400 USD for the Y pipe only. I got the whole kit for $165 landed in Oz......and shipping was most of the cost. It came with clamps and heatshields, all in good condition.

 

In the real world, sometimes things need to be shimmed to work. In your dreamworld, everything fits perfect.

What a maroon.

Bob
97 Heritage

 

Bob, you're feeding the troll.

I'm running the exhaust from a 07 twinky FLHT(something - CDEIEIO?) on my bike. It fit perfect. I bought it on eBay for about a bill after getting home from the above mentioned trip. On that trip, I borrowed a MIG welder at the dealer (kinda don't look, don't ask, don't tell) and welded up the shattered crossover that I had good enough to get me home. The original one was literally shattered under the cover. I don't know how long it had been bad. Certainly something to inspect. The 07 exhaust looks to be better made than the 86.

 

Doc your right, my bad. It just pisses me off sometimes when no-names from Lord knows where can spout whatever crap they want with impunity.
Catch 'em in a bar and you would'nt hear a peep out of 'em


Bob
97 Heritage

 

This is a stupid question but how do you know if it is cracked. Is there a change in sound/performance?