exhaust 1955 A10 (swinging arm)

[ferret]

I've noticed that the nearside push fit exhaust pipe is a bit loose in the head.  I understand that the clamp is more cosmetic than anything else but the pipe vibrates in the head when warmed up and is rattlely and annoying.  Is there a fix to this.  The offside one is fine.

[RichardL]

Ferret,

I had the same problem on mine. The sweeping arc was a little too big in radius and the pipe wanted to kick itself loose in the head when the silencer was properlerly attached at the pillion loop. I decided that the only fixes would be, either, replace the pipe and hope the next is better, or, reduce the radius. Too much time had passed betwen purchase and installation, so return was not an option. I am not necessarily recommending my fix to others, but I wanted to get riding. I took the pipe to a local auto exhaust shop and asked if they could make just a litte bend at one point, even though their bending shoes were really too small in radius. As a fix for the basic problem, it worked great. For looks, the extra little bend shows a bit (see below; bend shows up where three bright spots from the flash occur). I will someday buy a new set, but no urgency right now.

Richard L.

[bsa-bill]

I have applied brute force with good effect but you need to be confident the silencer clamp is secure - I removed the pillion footrest so the exhaust pipe is held by the front bracket and the cylinder head then just heave up or push down on the end of the silencer, it does modify the run of the pipe (mostly the front bracket), not a lot but it was enough in my case

[morris]

Hi Ferret

You could try with a pipe expander (exhaust shops should have one) making the pipe diameter a little bigger where it enters the head.
Be careful not to make it to big though, or it won't enter any more, and there's no way back.
But there's a good side though; If that happens you can always join your local brass band with it. Just don't forget to wipe the inside before playing 

Have fun!!!
Patrick

[ferret]

Manosound and Bill.    Pipe bending. Of course.  Sort of obvious when someone else suggests it.  I haven't made up my mind yet whether I would use brute force or let someone more skilled than I do it. 
Morris, I laughed out loud at your brass band suggestion,  I was midway through a drink of tea, most of which came down my nose.  However,  increasing the pipe diameter is certainly (if a suitable tool can be found)  another way around the problem.
Anyway some alternatives for me to consider.  Many thanks gentlemen.

[morris]

Sorry for your tea spilled, but I couldn't resist the taught crossing my mind.

I had a similar experience the other day, when I put a pair of brand new pipes and silencers on my bike.
I first spend half an hour admiring the new look, then another half hour polishing away all my dirty fingerprints, and then wanted to start it to hear the sound, which I expected to be gorgeous.
I kicked it, but the kick didn't came back up.
Bugger, broken return spring was my first thought.
Then I looked down and found the kick stuck behind the silencer, and in the process it knocked a dent and a big scratch in my new silencer.

That makes two members now in our little brass band.......

By the way, it did sound gorgeous.

[RichardL]

I also tried a brute-force approach, trying to get the reduction in radius around the greatest part of the pipe curve as I could. I tried to rig a nylon rope from end-to end of the pipe and twist it to generate the force. Found it very difficult to stabilize the rope where it had to be and, also, broke a couple ropes before I decided that I wasn't going to get where I wanted to be. Other folks might might have better ideas than this, but when that idea failed, I decided that a little dimple in the pipe would be much better than an outright kink.

Richard L.

[duTch]

I had a similar too, bought a set of headers(new, but 'wrong' brackets), but one had a taper where it fits into the head, and slopped around,so I made a stretching tool to fix it, but have just realised the tool and doing was easy, but explanation is more involved so if need be, will explain as needed..?
  The muffler shop guys can mean well, but sometimes have a more heavy hand than we want!

 Cheers,duTch