Loose Exhaust Clamps

[Woody754]

I have Vance and Hines exhaust on my Triglide. The exhaust clamp between the head pipe and muffler regularly vibrates loose, particularly on the left pipe. I have to get down about every 600 miles, slide joint tightly together and retighten with 17 mm socket. Clamps are those that came from V and H. Does anybody have a better solution other than welding? Thanks for any help!

 

[Gorilla]

Is the slip on part have slots cut in it? If so make them a little larger to allow a better close down of the metal to get a better grip on the header pipe. Just a thought

 

[Mykneesbehurtin]

I had issues with my right muffler sliding back, I drilled and tapped a 10-32 hole thru the clamp and muffler, the installed a 10-32 stainless steel socket head bolt about 3/4 inch long using red loctite and allowing too dry for 24 hours. Problem solved never moved again until I wanted to remove it.

 

[Woody754]

Thanks for the idea. I will do that to both sides.

 

[Woody754]

Is the slip on part have slots cut in it? If so make them a little larger to allow a better close down of the metal to get a better grip on the header pipe. Just a thought

Thanks for your reply. Looking down the muffler today from the tail end I can see daylight at.the slip joint location meaning the pipe surfaces are drawn together. But the clampmis tight
Will investigate the slot.to see if it needs to be widened.

 

[HDUSA1]

Harley recommends new clamps anytime they are loosened up to remove or replace mufflers. I try to reuse them, sometimes they clamp tight again, sometimes they don’t.

As Gorilla says, often times the slot needs widening, especially if they are aftermarket mufflers. An easy way to do it is with a cutoff wheel in a right angle grinder.

I had an issue with the extension pipes that came with my Roadsmith conversion kit. The bell end was over expanded and I had to widen the groove considerably, then heat shrink it back down. The spigot end was too small and I could not get the mufflers to stay on tight. Ended up cutting a 2” wide stainless piece of thin sheet metal to wrap around the pipe to act as a bushing.