I am in the middle of putting a new head pipe on the bike. I was able to use the head pipe flanges to push in new head pipe exhaust gaskets into place no problem; but how do I get a new exhaust gasket into the cross over pipe with out crushing it and ruining it. I cant figure it out? I understand its supposed to be a tight fit but what do you guys use to press it in with out destroying it?

 

It's not easy but I used my thumbs...

 

with enough searching i found a thread where someone mentioned an exhaust tube spreader from harbor freight. 8 bucks. great little tool i dint know existed. Made the job cake.

 

Like Medic said, You have to re-expand the pipe, what I do is Take an appropriate size 3/4 drive socket, place an extension in the socket backwards, insert the socket into the pipe and beat it in the pipe to expand it. Just did this yesterday.

 

That's what I did.....

Made the it easy to install new gasket...