I have a Hooker 2 into 1 exhaust on a 2002 Ultra, the pipe from the front cylinder has broken completely around about six inches before the merge. Can it be welded or am I going to have to bite the bullet and drop a grand on a new exhaust system? I haven't had much luck welding broken snowmobile and dirt bike exhaust, they seem to just crack again on one side or the other of the repair weld but those pipes were much thinner material.

I would appreciate any advice given.

 

A good TIG welder can fix it (a person that is a good welder with a TIG unit that is).

 

This ^^^^ any welder should be able to fix it no problem. Someone playing welder.....not so much.

 

The whole pipe system should be preheated to about 300*, and THEN TIG weld it. Less chance of cracking then, due to uneven cooling off of the large surface area. Plus, a good welder who has lots of experience at this would be a plus.

 

thank you, I called our local welding shop (owners are also riders) and they told me much the same. should be no problem!

thanks. unfortunately I am the latter type of welder you describe. I can weld decent enough to fill or repair some non critical stuff on our heavy equipment trailers but I lack finesse (ie: skill) for the precision work needed for lighter material.

 

Well, it appears the damage is terminal. once I got the heatshield off the rear pipe I found the header was badly cracked and split. took it down to the fellas at the welding shop and it was frowns all around. they said they could try but it would be impossible to guarantee anything.

the front pipe where it is broken is pretty tight even to tig weld it properly because of a welded strap that ties the two pipes together. to cut everything apart and re-weld it all together might be throwing money away in the end. so new exhaust it is. RIP Hooker 2 into 1...

 

Aw c'mon, Troy! A little metal tape, some JBWeld, and a spit shine and it'll be good as new!

 

LOL! believe me Greg, I thought of more than a few redneck fixes! when I took them to Tim and he shook his head, I knew it was over lol.

talked to the builder and he thinks that they are just old and brittle, mine is the third bike these pipes have been mounted on. he suggested replacing them with the Vance & Hines Pro Pipe 2 into 1. says they will flow about the same and I shouldn't have to take it back to the dyno for a re-tune.

I've got a set of Rinehart true duals I'll slap on to finish out the season.

 

you better check your front motor mount...

 

excessive engine movement was my first thought too. stabilizer and front mount all good, chassis and engine were done in the spring of 2014. hoping it was just old and brittle pipes, got my old set of Rineharts on today. heading out in the morning for a three day tour, catch a couple preseason hockey games in Edmonton tomorrow and saturday, and toodle back up north on sunday.