A10 1954 exhaust stub question

[chaz]

getting the old girl ready for MOT fist time in 10 years!
just cleaned the carb as was gummed up after a few months non starting. now its started running its blowing the right hand down pipe
out,  the stub comes out with downpipe attached. its a 1954 Cast Iron head, presumably push in stubs as original any way of keeping them in or best to get new ones or screw in ones?
thoughts please

[trevinoz]

Chaz,
               The pipes don't have stubs in the port. The pipe just pushes in and hopefully stays there.
Someone in the past has modified the pipes.
Trev.

[Sparky]

The exhaust pipe should just slide an inch or so into the exhaust port.  If your pipe is properly secured (i.e. supported to the frame by the front motor mount and attched to the muffler) there shouldn't be enough play for it to go anywhere.  Also, the mufflers (er... I mean silencers) should be free from excessive back pressure, so make sure a family of rodents hasn't decided to make a home in your exhaust!

[chaz]

dont think back pressure will be much of a problem

sorry to the origianalites,
thanks for the info on the stubs, will have to look into it

[Sparky]

What you lack in mufflers, you make up for in BRAKES!

It looks like the one pipe bracket is located at just the right point to serve as a fulcrum for the pipe to pop out of the head.  Perhaps someone installed the stubs to try and help prevent that.

[chaz]

point taken, when it blows out, Only the right one, it pivots on the bracket...
back to the drawing board then...

the Aprilia RS125, where the ends come from, probably puts out as much power as the A10 , so brakes adequate.

[metalflake11]

This may sound daft, but assemble it with plenty of bathroom sealant of the silicone variety. Run the engine warm at low revs and then let it cool. It will not blow or fall out after that.

[muskrat]

In the words of an old tv show. " Oh you are naughty, but I like it"
Could have used those brakes a year ago when I ran up the back of a car. And recon it'd sound nice too.
Yes I've used the silicon fix too.
Cheers

[WozzA]

Looks like it would be a bugger to kickstart...   

[shuswapkev]

if your pipes arent supported by a strap that firmly holds it into the head...
one day you will have one of ,m pop out and drop down onto the road...
absolutly imperative that there is strap on the vertical part
of the ex pipe...

   but..if one pipe falls out drops down and starts dragging on the road...i have heard its like real exciting...the first few seconds anyway...

you may have the strap...if thats the case..bolted on securely....the ex pipe will stay stuck into the head...
as she is meant to...
using silly con...will seal it up real nice...(backfires and stuff) ...but silly con definetly will not keep it in there...

to seal it..better to make a hardwood carrot..bang it in the end of the pipe to flare it SLIGHTLY for a proper fit in the head... 

[shuswapkev]

had a better look at your picture....other than all that above...all looks pretty right to me...
i,m putting together something  very similar..in a 46 rigid frame  ...1951 small fin a10...
 i had a b33 in a plunger frame...just did,nt like that back wheel bounding around....fine for pleasant motoring...hard cornering...
 my rigid matchless and rigid harley ...both far better...and not real much of an improve in the comfort dept...all 3 had spring seats...and no passengers...
 one thing i have found with using "better, or best" brakes... the garden gate frame just cant take it... a good hard pull and whoa ho...she,s goin this way or that..  would like to know how yours works...
all bsa pipes are supported on the vertical part... most pipes only pop off when that bolt shakes itself out...pipe drops down to the road... then...you can only turn one way...a bit of a fright at 20mph...but a real heart stopper at 55mph...

[shuswapkev]

 putting your head steady on will likely improve your braking as well...

 the tab just below the steering head..

[muskrat]

 The brackets on a plungers header pipe are at the bottom. My '51 broke the LHS bracket last week. The pipe came away from the muffler. Lucky I had the cooling ring wired to the head and the center stand held the muffler up.
Fencing wire is such a wonderful thing, hope his cows didn't get out. Can't complain, the pipe has been on there 30 years. SS from Overlander SA.
Cheers

[chaz]

thanks, great answers again.

the kick start is a bit of a pain as you have to push it back , and over , to get to the compression stroke before kicking down.
the brakes are adequate to good, I try not to have to jam them on , its not a Gold star , 'bum in the air' racer, more laid back so a cruiser and also as the foot pegs are a bit long and the height low corners are fun.

I looked at the cost of restoring but things like Vokes air boxes at £450 ruled it out.

[Butch (cb)]

In fact Muskrat probably had the simplest answer right there ... Drill the cooling finned thingys and one of the head fins each side, then lockwire. Better than hitting the downpipes with a welding torch anyway.