OK, who has their mufflers fall off??? : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

Bowtie18 · 01-08-2009, 10:53 AM

There is this thread going around on a metric site I still go to about mufflers falling off of folks touring bikes.

I hadn't heard of this!

Who else has had this issue?

One of the other HD owners has had it happen to him with this Street Glide, and another person claims his buds Road King has had it happen.

Both of them had aftermarket pipes.

Is this an issue, or a fluke?

jpilone · 01-08-2009, 11:06 AM

When I had the stock exhaust on my Ultra, the left pipe would constantly come loose and give me a loud surprise when riding. I learned to check it every other week and retighten the clamp for it.

duckman111 · 01-08-2009, 11:14 AM

common around here..when changing to slip-ons and using old muffler clamps.. if you change mufflers, use new clamps and re tighten them after a hundred miles or so.

4XLT · 01-08-2009, 11:15 AM

same thing happened to my buds 04 RK left pipe slides back he has aftermarket pipes and clamps i told him to switch back to stock clamps i think they are thicker/sturdier...

shouldnt fall off though , the rear bracket should keep it from sliding off the whole way, i have seen sportster mufflers pop off on full throttle runs !!

talk about a shock lol

trooper113 · 01-08-2009, 11:19 AM

Nope...........

mungo · 01-08-2009, 11:44 AM

I think it would be highly improbable.

My 2004 Road King had an issue with the left SE Slip on. It would want to always slip off. But the slip on mounting bracket kept it on the bike.

There's just too many mounting brackets, torca clamps and of course the exhaust flange that would keep the exhaust on the bike.

I could maybe see a non-touring bike loosing a slip on or something, but not a Touring bike.

Bowtie18 · 01-08-2009, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duckman111

common around here..when changing to slip-ons and using old muffler clamps.. if you change mufflers, use new clamps and re tighten them after a hundred miles or so.

OK, My mufflers were put on with the bike only a month old.

Would folks say I was fine using the old ones?

They have now been on since mid September, and all seems fine!

fx4 · 01-08-2009, 11:59 AM

Thanks Fred, okay full disclosure. I put on a set of new muffs and was headed for a rally. I was in a hurry and didn't want to run to the dealer for new clamps and in general just wanted to get the bike packed so I didn't bother to heat them up real good and retorque either. Both new clamps and heating the mufflers then cooling and retorquing the mufflers is a must.

Bowtie18 · 01-08-2009, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fx4

Thanks Fred, okay full disclosure. I put on a set of new muffs and was headed for a rally. I was in a hurry and didn't want to run to the dealer for new clamps and in general just wanted to get the bike packed so I didn't bother to heat them up real good and retorque either. Both new clamps and heating the mufflers then cooling and retorquing the mufflers is a must.

Damn, I didn't mention any names!

I was just very curious!

Especially since my install is pretty recent!

I hadn't heard of it before, and I figured I'd just go to a place where there would be more folks that might have had the issue!

Now I really need to get downstairs to the garage and check my clamps!

I would never live it down if I went riding with the VR crew and my muffler fell off!

duckman111 · 01-08-2009, 12:20 PM

The rear muffler support (under saddle bag) will usually hold a loose muffler on a touring bike. We have seen several FX and XL models experience flying muffler syndrome. Normal cure is new clamps and torquing...followed by re-torque after heat cycling of mufflers/clamps.
And,yes,your friends give you a hard time when this happens...Especially when they are following you when your mufflers fall off.

Bowtie18 · 01-08-2009, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duckman111

The rear muffler support (under saddle bag) will usually hold a loose muffler on a touring bike. We have seen several FX and XL models experience flying muffler syndrome. Normal cure is new clamps and torquing...followed by re-torque after heat cycling of mufflers/clamps.
And,yes,your friends give you a hard time when this happens...Especially when they are following you when your mufflers fall off.

Well, I guess that is fair!

I wouldn't be too happy to have to dodge falling parts!

kwizard · 01-08-2009, 12:36 PM

Anyone can see that the Harley V twin motor can develope so much power, the rider must use caution while accelerating. Otherwise the mufflers may blow right off the head pipes!

ceraaa42 · 01-08-2009, 06:04 PM

I've seen this happen (not to me of course

) when the muffler clamp is not aligned with the leading edge of the muffler pipe. If not it will not pull the pipe tight since it's not over an area where the pipe is split.

Chris

egc hooked · 01-08-2009, 06:23 PM

Unless you are not putting the 2 bolts (each side) on the hanger it is almost impossible for them to come off unless something breaks. I just ran out to the building because I have an 05 that I putting mufflers on right now. by just about every measurment I could make even if you left the clamps off there is not enough room for the mufflers to move back far enough to even slide off the pipes the hangers limit how far the mufflers can move back. Now maybe if you had very bad motor mounts with a broken clamp it may be possible for them to slip off the pipe but can not come off if you have the hanger mount bolts in.

uid100 · 01-08-2009, 08:42 PM

I wouldn't have thought this would be an issue. I changed mine out a few weeks ago. Clean install, new slip-ons, new clamps... but I didn't re-torque after heating them up. Good reminder for me to go back and do that. In fact, maybe I'll add it to the maintenance checklist in my service manual.