I'm going to swap out the head pipes on my '12 Ultra for some de-catted ones tomorrow. Before just jumping in and tearing everything apart I wanted to solicit input from someone that has done this particular job before. My main questions are whether the entire exhaust system must be removed, or if things can just be loosened to remove the head pipes, and does the right lower need to be removed. Any helpful suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Sir, thanks for serving first and all that you and your family have given. Yes, you'll need to remove the entire exhaust system. It's not difficult, just take your time. Get new exhaust gaskets from your HD shop; not the tapered version either. Use Anti-Seize lubricant on your head bolts and you'll probably need a swivel attachment for your socket unless you remove your lower fairings. Don't tighten any bolts down until everything is installed and then slowly tighten things so they go into the right place beginning at the cylinder heads. Your heat shields are extremely important to get right or you'll be amazed at the rattles they'll cause.


Are you having it tuned as well?? If not, it's highly recommended. They're many available, I prefer the Dyno Jet Power Vision because the flexibility and DTC reportability. If you have any specific questions, send me a PM. I don't get notifications for updates to threads but I'll try to check back later.

 

Thank you for your service and your sacrifices for the rest of us. I agree with the above. I haven't had any problems over the years with the tapered HD gaskets though. Also, make sure you follow the process in the manual regarding the torque procedure on the exhaust gasket bolts. I personally would recommend a TTS Mastertune for your tuning module and take it to a reputable tuner. You will want to have it tuned.

 

I did this job last Saturday. You will have to remove the exhaust system, the right floorboard, and right lower. Use the type gasket that your exhaust manufacturer recommends, which may not be the Harley OEM tapered gaskets. If your header has flat ends then you may need to use flat SE type gaskets. Visit your local dealer and purchase a new crossover gasket and have it on hand. Chances are you won't need it (I did), but it's cheap and nothing's worse than having to stop in the middle of a job just to pick up a minor part. Take your time and pay attention to the torque procedure in the service manual. An extra pair of hands will come in handy too.

 

Thanks to all for the advice and well wishes.

JTC

 

A 2012 bike, it being a Harley and you being retired leads me to believe you're probably as concerned with aesthetics as I am.

That said, the input I have is masking tape is your friend.

Tape off anything and everything that can potentially get dinged or scratched with wrenches or parts as you disassemble and reassemble.

Lesson I learned through payment to my local powder-coater.

If your heat shields are as close to the exhaust flanges as mine are, they'll stop the flanges from dropping down too far. This can result in your engine fins getting scratched to sh*t.

Not cool.

Take your time. Good luck. Post pics when you're done.

 

Excellent advice. If I discover any hints that might help others I'll surely post them.
JTC

 

Done this on 3 bikes myself.
- Put your exhaust gaskets in the freezer to shrink a little. Helps when putting them in....or atleast makes you think its easier
- Put a blanket over your fender because you'll be working near the back half of the front fender when handling the front cylinder exhaust.
- I was able to leave the O2 sensor wires plugged in and just remove them before taking the exhaust off with an open ended wrench. Then when reinstalling I spun the sensor backwards first 3-4 turns first so when they were installed the wires were not coiled and spun. Also make sure to mark them front cylinder/rear cylinder somehow. It will throw codes if you install them in the wrong cylinders.
- You don't need to remove the bolts on the rear of the left muffler. When you loosen the X-over pipe at both the clamp and the support under the bike, just put something under the pipe to hold it up so you don't ruin the rubber mount on the rear of the pipe. Saves an extra step.
- You will have to fight the exhaust when installing it. It's not you doing it wrong. It simply takes a little muscle and luck. Make sure you hold the bracket against the exhaust pipe flange that bolts to the cylinder and holds the exhaust on while you put the pipe in place. I have several times wrestled the pipe into place and once it was seated and felt good, realized the front cylinder bracket fell down and I had to start over because if won't fit to just slide up to the cylinder.
- There are torque specs and sequence for reinstalling the exhaust bolts if you care or have the tools. Don't over tighten.
- You might want some thread locker for reinstalling the footboard.
- The nut on the bolt at your transmission holding your exhaust on is a pain. The bolt itself is tapered making it hard to remove. Don't get frustrated or worried when you fight it all the way to the end of the threads.
- Enjoy it when your done. The last one I did was a friends 2015 SG and he has 3.5" VH Monster Rounds (I think)...he was so bummed with the sound when he got the bike. Now decatted it sounds exactly as it should. Couldn't be happier.


Good Luck

 

there are a couple good videos on youtube, if you search harley headpipe install, that you might want to watch.

 

I put an 09 headpipe on my 2010 Roadking last Saturday. Not real difficult, on the transmission bracket bolt you do not have to remove all the way, it's slotted. If using a jack losen that one before jacking up. The 09 pipe has the wide band 18mm bungs and the 2010 are 12mm. And the bungs are located right at the jugs instead of the cat converter. I bought the O2 sensor relocation kit from night rider. The kit came with two bushings to reduce the sensor bung size to 12mm, and a wire extension for the front sensor. If you disconnect the senor wires, behind the right side cover you can take the sensors out of the header without concern of twisting the wires. The connectors are colored blk and grey, blk goes to the back. As Bsnilloc said put the gaskets in the freezer, not a lot of tolerance. I have a stage one and this was in preperation for a cam install, changing the header i did not notice anything regarding performance so I did not require another map. If you think about it the cat should not be restricting the exhaust, if it was there would be no gain to changing the AC and pipes at least that's the case on my SE breather and Monster Rounds. Good luck and as stated by others thank you for your service