Just Finished Cat Removal
 

So I removed the cat from my spare header yesterday. I used the coupon method and cut out a side of the mid chamber. Those cats are difficult to get out. I pried one side and worked a screw driver and a small pry bar under it until it eventually came off. Then I used an angle grinder and ground/polished the metal.

I have to say that the boring method will only remove 1/2 of the pipe. There is absolutely no way to remove the lower half of the cat material that covers the lower pipe without cutting it open.

Overall, the project took me about 2.5 hours total. I will be intalling the header onto my bike tomorrow along with the Fuel Moto tuned Power Vision.

I disagree - I'm in the process of boring mine out and it's removing the material well. The spade bit works a lot better than I expected in removing the material.

The chamber is much larger than the spade bit can get to. You can remove a good deal of material with it, but there will be a lot left.

I Just removed mine. I cut a window in the back side of the pipe which is easy to get wider than the actual cat material. I used the screw driver method to get it out (only busted one) then polished the area and welded it back together. Bike runs better, is cooler on the leg and sounds way better!!!

Overall I am very happy and would highly recommend doing it!

I'll post a picture when I'm finished - I can almost guarantee I can get 99% of it removed. Unless you've attempted the method, you can only speculate.

This is the method I used. Very easy, virtually cost free, and very effective. So glad I did it!

The easy way to get the Cat out is to buy a 2013 with the Cats in the muffler. Then all you have to do is remove the muffler, sweet! If the Cat is in the head pipe of the older models, try holding catnip up to the header pipe and the Cat should just jump out. Alot easier than all that cutting, and gutting.:icon_tinykitball:

A picture wouldn't be able to show the remaining material from the cat. I was going to drill it out at first too. I helped my buddy do it about a year ago (mostly watched and drank beer). I can see how you can get a good deal of the cat if you leverage and move the bit a bunch. However, I do not see how is physically possible to remove all of the material on the lower pipe.

Are you sure they are in the mufflers? That doesn't sound correct to me. I know international models come with the cats in the mufflers. If HD put the cats in the mufflers here in the United States it would be illegal for dealers to change slip-ons.

Softail, different animal.