Ironhead A place to talk about Ironheads.

Torque cones or washers?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 7, 2010 | 11:07 AM
  #1  
Weed's Ironscoot's Avatar
Weed's Ironscoot
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: West Central Indiana
Default Torque cones or washers?

Switched out the 2" drag pipes with washer lollipops for a set of open 1 3/4" drag pipes yesterday and went for a ride. The flat spot between 3,000 and 4,000 rpm is back. It's not quite as bad as it was with open 2" pipes but it is definitely there.
Before I go drilling holes in the new pipes to put washers in 'em, is there any advantage to using the torque cones instead of the washers? From what I've read here and there it seems to be about 50/50 on whether or not they actually work. Anybody with real experience care to throw your two cents in here?
 
Reply
Old May 7, 2010 | 02:34 PM
  #2  
IronMick's Avatar
IronMick
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,179
Likes: 118
From: London, ON Canada
Default

I have no experience with torque cones. But i will ask, do they even make them for IronHead pipes? It seems to me that i have heard that they do not. From what i have heard i think they may be in the snake oil catagory.

I have used the bolt&washer baffles myself; i "have heard" that they were first used by the Honda racing team back in the day; i know that they work from my own and others' experiences.
 
Reply
Old May 7, 2010 | 05:15 PM
  #3  
shepdog's Avatar
shepdog
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 400
Likes: 1
From: se ohio
Default

dont know if they work or not but there is a guy on ebay that sells them for the ironhead
 
Reply
Old May 7, 2010 | 05:16 PM
  #4  
Weed's Ironscoot's Avatar
Weed's Ironscoot
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: West Central Indiana
Default

There's no doubt about it, the washers do work. It only takes about 10 minutes to switch the pipes out so I put the 2" with the washers back on today. It runs much better than with the open 1 3/4" pipes. I tried a cheap set of 4" long baffles in the 2" pipes but couldn't stand the woosh woosh sound they made so I didn't even ride the bike with them in. I really like the bigger pipes better. They look better and they're actually a little quieter than the 1 3/4" (maybe due to the washers) and have a deeper tone. But, in the end I'll go with whichever set works the best.
The hesitation problem I'm having doesn't seem to change at all with different size pipes and washers but they do make all the difference in the world in how it runs up through the rpm range.....once you get past the hiccup.
 
Reply
Old May 8, 2010 | 12:11 AM
  #5  
XLCR4GM's Avatar
XLCR4GM
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 990
Likes: 10
From: Redondo Beach, California
Default

To offer only my opinion, I can’t think of any form of motorsports, from motorcycles to cars to boats that use torque cones in any form. In fact, the only use of torque cones that I have ever heard of seems to be among the backyard mechanics. Just because someone makes and sells something doesn’t mean that it works. The phrase “A sucker born every minute” comes to mind. Go talk to people that race or build engines for racing or for land speed record attempts and say those two little words “Torque cones” and once they finally stop laughing, you will have your answer. Think about it for a minute. Almost everyone knows that an engine is just an air pump. The faster that you can jam air into the engine and the faster that you can release the exhausted gas the more horsepower you can create. After adding a more free flowing air intake system and a more free flowing exhaust system to your engine, why would you place something in the middle that would just slow everything up? If Torque cones were a “Magic bullet”, then everyone and their brother would have them and use them and tell all their friends about them and they don’t. All of the Harley dealers would want to sell them to you as soon as you bought a bike if they worked like they are advertized. Most people know that they have to pay the “Harley Tax” if they want improved performance out of their stock bikes, but you don’t hear the dealers telling them “Oh you can’t leave without a set of Torque cones for your bike!” Again, just my opinion, but please use the money that you want to spend on Torque cones and use it toward some tried and proven performance improvements for your engine. Take care and ride safe out there!
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
MaTcheS
Sportster Models
10
Mar 3, 2021 12:03 PM
Wakko47
Exhaust System Topics
3
Jun 16, 2013 11:45 AM
ato177
Exhaust System Topics
7
Jul 14, 2009 06:27 PM
gypise
Sportster Models
10
Nov 29, 2008 05:33 PM
wild hog
Sportster Models
8
Mar 16, 2008 12:10 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:39 PM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE