Drilling out exhaust!
Novice
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: SW Penna.
I ride with a guy who drove a piece of 1/2" sharpened rebar through his bagger mufflers, didn't sound too bad, and I was tempted to do it myself, but I chickened out and bought a set of Wild Pigs. For $180 delivered I got just the right sound (for me) and I keep the stockers in the garage in case they start jacking us around about noise.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 378
Likes: 0
Bought a set of OEM mufflers off ebay.... $35 SHIPPED!
Took original mufflers off.... stored them.
Took 1 inch hole saw, with extension bit, and drilled out the plugs on the "new" pipes.
it is an '02 carb'ed RK.
Sounds like a slightly louder "sewing machine" now.... lol!
gonna go back and cut out the entire inner core / baffle.... if it sucks big time, then I will spend some money on slip-ons.... or 1" hole saw my originals!
Took original mufflers off.... stored them.
Took 1 inch hole saw, with extension bit, and drilled out the plugs on the "new" pipes.
it is an '02 carb'ed RK.
Sounds like a slightly louder "sewing machine" now.... lol!
gonna go back and cut out the entire inner core / baffle.... if it sucks big time, then I will spend some money on slip-ons.... or 1" hole saw my originals!
Club Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,095
Likes: 4
From: Ponchatoula Louisiana
I know it wasn't a Harley, but I did it to my VTX1300S years ago. What a mistake! Lost low end torque and it sounded like crap. I wouldn't dare do it to my Super Glide. Get some proven aftermarket pipes cause if you want to sell your stock exhaust, drilling them makes them basically worthless to a potential buyer. Just my .02.
i own a '96 RK and I knocked off the inner "lids" of the stock mufflers. The result was superb : I have a kind of thundering tone which everyone likes, except for the car alarms that are triggered when the byke passes by.
The same result was not obtained in a fuel injection newer RK model...
loud pipes save lives!!!
The same result was not obtained in a fuel injection newer RK model...
loud pipes save lives!!!
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From:
LET'S MAKE THAT 20+. Many of my HD buddies said that I would not be happy but now they've all changed their minds. I drilled (9) 1/2 inch holes in the annulus on the right muffler and (6) 5/16 holes in the annulus on the left muffler. To do this work I didn't even have to remove the mufflers either. (The space at the end of the muffler between the inner pipe and the outside circle is what I refer to as the annulus; the "donut shaped" area.) The trick is to take a drill punch & hammer and place a dimple in the metal so that one can start the drill bit much like on a flat surface. Use about an 1/8 th inch bit for the starter hole, (don't forget the safety your safety glasses). Now we can talk about performance.
I've always been unhappy with the sound and power; now I am a happy camper. The bike rumbles like most Harleys. When I get on it it really barks. The guys that I ride with have all got 103's with flowed heads and cams, etc. They are always racing everywhere we go and would leave me at the traffic lights. Now I can hang with them alot better.
Now the other modification to please my "butt dyno". I added the XIED's that I found out about on this site to my stock bike. WOW! what an improvement in performance. No more pinping nor stalling, more power and, no more burnt legs. "Frankly my dear", I don't care about losing 3 or 4 mpg's nor closed/open loop operations; give me a better running bike!
Oh, and "I approve this message".
REALBOB 08 FLHTCU & lovin it
I've always been unhappy with the sound and power; now I am a happy camper. The bike rumbles like most Harleys. When I get on it it really barks. The guys that I ride with have all got 103's with flowed heads and cams, etc. They are always racing everywhere we go and would leave me at the traffic lights. Now I can hang with them alot better.
Now the other modification to please my "butt dyno". I added the XIED's that I found out about on this site to my stock bike. WOW! what an improvement in performance. No more pinping nor stalling, more power and, no more burnt legs. "Frankly my dear", I don't care about losing 3 or 4 mpg's nor closed/open loop operations; give me a better running bike!
Oh, and "I approve this message".
REALBOB 08 FLHTCU & lovin it
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
