Author Topic: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?  (Read 1116 times)

Offline bakerlonglegs

  • A's Good Friend
  • ***
  • Join Date: Feb 2015
  • Posts: 97
  • Karma: 1
Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« on: 29.03. 2020 22:49 »
Please may I ask for some advice?

I bought a new exhaust system for my A10 plunger project from an eBay seller, it’s a Wassel system. Unfortunately the fit is poor. The exits of both header pipes are angled slightly down at the silencer ends, which means the silencer brackets end up way below the frame mounts, see pic. I can’t send it back, as the pipes are marked from my attempts to fit them and it’s been 10 months since I bought them.

If I try and force the silencers up to meet the mounting points they just bend at the clamp, creasing the chrome. I have tried to bend the ends of the header pipes up, using a jack, but that didn’t work with moderate force and I’m very reluctant to use gorilla effort in case I damage the exhaust ports.

Should I just live with the creases at the clamps and be thankful that they fit (of a fashion), or is there another ruse?

Thanks!


Online KiwiGF

  • Last had an A10 in 1976, in 2011 it was time for my 2nd one. It was the project from HELL (but I learned a lot....)
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Feb 2011
  • Posts: 1940
  • Karma: 17
Re: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« Reply #1 on: 30.03. 2020 07:29 »
If the headers look ok I’d just cut a wedge out of the header very close to the end of the silencer, and mig weld it up, for ease of holding it together I’d not cut the pipe all the way through. With the weld right next to the silencer it should not show too much.

An automotive car exhaust place might be able to bend the header, but you’d have to take bike there I guess.
New Zealand

1956 A10 Golden Flash  (1st finished project)
1949 B31 rigid “400cc”  (2nd finished project)
1968 B44 Victor Special (3rd finished project)
2001 GL1800 Goldwing, well, the wife likes it
2009 KTM 990 Adventure, cos it’s 100% nuts

Offline Swarfcut

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Oct 2018
  • Posts: 2218
  • Karma: 54
Re: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« Reply #2 on: 30.03. 2020 08:43 »
  The supplier named in your post says it all. They don't make the pipes, but as an observation, appear deaf to the ears of their trade customers and end users. The same problems continue to appear.

 No surprise here, the pipes from any of the major factors rarely fit first time.

 Are they the correct pipes? Plunger mounting bracket "plunges DOWN", S/A pipes bracket points "UP"

  The problem can be two possibles. One will be in the sweep of the header. This will be impossible to bend to correct without damage using  backyard technology. Second possible is  simply the bracket is in the wrong place.

   Easy solution is to forget the lower front mounting bracket, see how the pipe lies, then adapt or amend the bracket for the best compromise. Any amendment here is less noticeable, and in fact may only require minor adjustment, as any error here in misalignment is magnified as it reaches the silencer.  The pipes should be a straight run to the silencer. S/A pipes have slight kink on the drive side pipe. Plunger pipe runs very close to the back of the brake pedal, silencer front end is very, very close to the frame, a gnat's knacker dimension.

 If they are too bad, then Kiwi's way is the next step. Surgery and/or major force. Avoid any force on the ports. Pipes are cheaper than cylinder heads.

 Swarfy.

Offline Butch (cb)

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Aug 2010
  • Posts: 1691
  • Karma: 16
Re: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« Reply #3 on: 30.03. 2020 09:21 »
  The supplier named in your post says it all. They don't make the pipes, but as an observation, appear deaf to the ears of their trade customers and end users. The same problems continue to appear.
 
 Swarfy.

I had no better luck with headers from Armours so there you go.
Warning - observations made by this member have a 93% unreliability rating.

Of Bikes; various, including ...
'58 S/Arm Iron Head Flash Bitza


Online Greybeard

  • Jack of all trades; master of none.
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Feb 2011
  • Posts: 9839
  • Karma: 49
Re: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« Reply #4 on: 30.03. 2020 09:59 »
On mine the brackets below the engine were too far away so need spacers. The silencer bracket is a little low so the silencer needs springing up. The front of the silencer touches the frame. All in all, not too bad and looks OK.
Greybeard (Neil)
2023 Gold Star
Supporter of THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE https://www.gentlemansride.com

Warwickshire UK


A Distinguished Gentleman Riding his 1955 Plunger Golden Flash

Offline RDfella

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Aug 2017
  • Posts: 2194
  • Karma: 15
Re: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« Reply #5 on: 30.03. 2020 14:14 »
I have got out of similar situations by easing the pipe's bend (in or out as necessary). Youl'll need a stoutish tree (not huge, say foot dia trunk) with a fork in it. Place pipe in fork and give it a heave. Best to measure it first so you can monitor progress. You'll need a bit of grunt - maybe two people if you're under 16st. Using a tree rarely leaves any evidence on the pipes. As mentioned above DO NOT bend the piped by levering them whilst in the cyl head.
'49 B31, '49 M21, '53 DOT, '58 Flash, '62 Flash special, '00 Firestorm, Weslake sprint bike.

Online Rex

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Apr 2017
  • Posts: 1566
  • Karma: 7
Re: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« Reply #6 on: 30.03. 2020 16:11 »
I had no better luck with headers from Armours so there you go.

While I've bought several from them over the years (the last being a complete stainless system for the A7) and all have fitted perfectly, I'm pleased to say.

Offline bakerlonglegs

  • A's Good Friend
  • ***
  • Join Date: Feb 2015
  • Posts: 97
  • Karma: 1
Re: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« Reply #7 on: 31.03. 2020 08:33 »
Thank you very much for all your replies, that’s really helpful! I thought I might have a dud set but it seems to be a common problem. I’m glad I stopped to ask for advice before doing something expensively stupid  *smile* . I’ll go and have another look, try some ideas and report back.

Offline Worty

  • The drayman's friend!
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Jul 2015
  • Posts: 2056
  • Karma: 7
  • Procrastination is the thief of time!
Re: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« Reply #8 on: 31.03. 2020 18:56 »
My problem was with the left hand front pipe that located so close to the footrest stud nut that I had to bash a dent in it (the pipe) in order to get it connected to the silencer.  The nut is slimmer than normal, but there was so little room the 'dent' was necessary.  The bottom half of the nut now sits in the 'recess I created in the pipe.  You can't see it because it's hidden by the primary case and l/h footrest.  Any ideas why the fitting was so tight, or is it just a manufacturing issue.

One other thing, anyone know where I can get bushes for the centre stand.  It's a bit slack so catches the l/h silencer  when I push it off the stand.

Cheers all.
Current Bikes😎
Kwaka W650
'61 Flash

Past Bikes👍
'49 B31
'59 BMW R60
Yam FS1-E, YB100, RS100, RD200DX,250DX,350B, XS750
MZ250

Online Rex

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Apr 2017
  • Posts: 1566
  • Karma: 7
Re: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« Reply #9 on: 01.04. 2020 09:37 »
If your stand is anything like mine the unwanted extra travel was because the frame lugs had worn egg-shaped and no bush was going to cure that. I used a MiG welder to weld the holes circular again. I put a length of aluminium round bar through the lugs in the position the stand ought to sit and welded up to the bar, then dressed with a grinder to clean it up. Worked well.

Offline morris

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Aug 2012
  • Posts: 1767
  • Karma: 27
  • Antwerp, Belgium
Re: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« Reply #10 on: 01.04. 2020 10:58 »
One other thing, anyone know where I can get bushes for the centre stand.  It's a bit slack so catches the l/h silencer  when I push it off the stand.

Getting tired of the bike behaving like a sideways rocking horse when on the centre stand I have just finished bushing the stand.
In my case it was not only the centre stand, but also the frame lugs that had worn oval.
I drilled out the frame lugs to 15mm and turned stainless steel bushes of 11mm inside diameter and a new shaft to a tight fit in the frame bushes so the shaft wouldn't move in the frame bushes.
For the stand I reamed out the holes to 13mm and turned a couple of bronze bushes with an inside diameter slightly over 11mm to a sliding fit over the shaft.
We'll see how that works out over time...
'58 BSA A 10 SA
'52 BSA A 10 Plunger
'55 MORRIS ISIS
The world looks better from a motorbike
Belgium

Offline berger

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Nov 2017
  • Posts: 2942
  • Karma: 20
  • keith.uk 500sscafe.norbsa JDM honda 750fz
Re: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« Reply #11 on: 01.04. 2020 11:20 »
^^like it morris, as my dad sometimes said, but not to me,  " your no shop egg *good3*

Offline bakerlonglegs

  • A's Good Friend
  • ***
  • Join Date: Feb 2015
  • Posts: 97
  • Karma: 1
Re: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« Reply #12 on: 03.05. 2020 14:33 »
Hi,
An update on how this worked out: both exhausts are now fitted and fixed at all points. After a lot of hmming and ahhhing the best way I could deal with it was to bend the front brackets forward to meet the engine and frame stud. It’s not pretty - the brackets were miles out and it took a lot of trial and error to get them this far but at least it’s on now. Hopefully pic attached. Thanks again all for your help  *good3*
 

Online Greybeard

  • Jack of all trades; master of none.
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Feb 2011
  • Posts: 9839
  • Karma: 49
Re: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« Reply #13 on: 04.05. 2020 10:52 »
Hi,
An update on how this worked out: both exhausts are now fitted and fixed at all points. After a lot of hmming and ahhhing the best way I could deal with it was to bend the front brackets forward to meet the engine and frame stud. It’s not pretty - the brackets were miles out and it took a lot of trial and error to get them this far but at least it’s on now. Hopefully pic attached. Thanks again all for your help  *good3*
I made a couple of spacers for those brackets. I cannot remember if I had to use a length of studding instead of the original item.
Greybeard (Neil)
2023 Gold Star
Supporter of THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE https://www.gentlemansride.com

Warwickshire UK


A Distinguished Gentleman Riding his 1955 Plunger Golden Flash

Offline ciderman

  • Moving Up
  • **
  • Join Date: Dec 2017
  • Posts: 38
  • Karma: 0
Re: Exhaust fit problem - suggestions?
« Reply #14 on: 10.05. 2020 17:35 »
hi, I have exactly the same problem with my ebay purchased wassel pipes , problem is I bought them long before my rebuild and have only just discovered this - way to late to send them back ! so going to have to sort them out ( possibly using one of the suggestions on here ) very annoying though  *sad2*

61 Super rocket
63 flash
77commando 850
VFR 750
XBR500
TDM 850 X2