Last week I purchased the Trask Assault 2:1 pipe for the Street Glide. Trask has a good reputation and I can confirm, the quality of the pipe is incredible. I got the tune from Fuel Moto and after getting the pipe installed, started running through the heat cycles to set the gaskets and temper the steal. Get the color to set in. Always want to degrease before the first heat cycle.

After a 10 mile shake down run last Wednesday, I had to leave town. The bike sat undisturbed. Yesterday I go out to change the engine oil and button up some wiring. I run the engine for a few minutes to get the oil good and warm. During that run, I noticed the pipe had shifted a little and the bolts had backed out. I had to let it cool before I could touch it, so I did the engine oil. When I was done, I tackled the pipe.

The bolts have a 1/2" head, so you can imagine a short wrench. I start to loosen the bolt and it backs out half a turn then seizes in place. Before pushing it too far after it got stuck I used a penetrating oil. I attempted to get after it and the head snapped. It didn't take much. So I attempted to get the second bolt out and snapped that one too.

The fun has begun! I tried gripping what was left of the stud and snapped it again. I drilled into the bolt and used an extractor bit and snapped off the extractor. That was hard to do. Finally, I welded a nut onto the stub a tried to back it out and it snapped even further. The stainless was work hardened from the heat so I am not able to drill out the bung and tap new threads. At this point, all I can think to do is cut off the bungs, tap new bungs and weld them on to the plate. Tap before welding, stainless is a real pain. I don't weld stainless yet, but I have a good excuse to buy that TIG machine. But for now, I need to get this dang thing together.

I have contacted Trask and I am currently waiting for a response. This issue is not the fault of the pipe, so much as the cheap bolts that came with it. I didn't think to check the hardware to make sure it was graded but I did after, and it's cheap hardware store fasteners. So $@#% me for not thinking about checking.

So, currently the bike is REALLY loud without the muffler. Of course, I'm not running it that way. I'm hoping I can send the pipe in to Trask so they can repair it. This would be a worthless, albeit expensive, lesson if I learned nothing. I learned to check the hardware and I will use grade 5 or 8 for my exhaust needs moving forward.

 

If you’re wondering. Stainless is simple to weld. I love tig welding. Was a fabricator with food grade stainless for years. Hope they get back to you with a solution
I would cut them lugs off and weld some new ones. A torch will sometimes take the hardening out of the steel if you want to tap them again

 

I may send it to you lol. Heat can be problematic with the stainless, as the metal is heat sensitive and will change color. Straw to red brown to purple and blue. Blue is what I'm hoping to avoid on the muffler. The muffler doesn't typically exceed 400F, leaving the leading edge a dark yellow over time, but a torch will get it to well over 600F and up, turning blue quickly.

I guess the question really is then, what temp would it take to soften the metal enough to tap, and would that temp affect the color? If this were a steel pipe, I'd already have fixed this. I really think cutting off the bungs is the best solution.

As far as welding stainless, eventually I'll get the TIG machine and do it. I just don't have it now, or the means to buy it.

 

If you can get a fine enough tip on the torch to keep it inside the threaded area, I dont think the color will go any further than them studs. Have to get it nice and red and then let it cool. Cant tell on your pics where thats located or if it’s visible when installed.

If I still had a tig welder I would get it done for you. I have been wanting a new one

 

Any exhaust fastener gets Nickle Never Seize

 

Okay, two lessons learned. I have anti seize, but didn't think to use it there. Never had before. I used it on the manifold bolts, the o2 sensor bungs, the axles, but not there.

 

Anytime you put stainless fasteners in stainless steel it gets never sieze or as sure as the sun will rise in the east tomorrow they gaul up and do exactly what happened to you here. Pretty much you're going to have to cut them off and get new ones welded on. Gotta be a welding/fab shop around that'll help you out.

 

We use a lot of stainless hardware and this is 100% correct. Without anti sieze it is one time use hardware with any torque applied. It will almost always snap before you get it half way off.

 

This is of no surprise. The surprise was that the bolts were steel, not stainless. Had they been stainless, my first thought would have been anti seize. I have a Nighthawk that is stainless frame and slide. I learned a lot about metallurgy and galling of similar metals. In this instance the metals were dissimilar enough that I hadn't considered it. Still waiting to hear from Trask about a repair.

I took the pipe to a local shop. There are no fab shops that I'm aware that can do this. I'm well versed in the community and I'm sure somewhere one exists, just not sure where. I 'll try taking it to the hot rod shop and see if they know somewhere else I can take it.

 

The local exhaust shop can't help? If ya got a drill press and a proper way to secure the pipe I would get real cobalt bit and drill it out.