Anyone else breaking these?

[duhast]

I've started breaking clamps on the muffler heat shield on my FLSTCI. Already lost one shield, don't want to lose another.

What's happening? I sure ain't cranking them that tight.....

[fourhour]

A Irish plumber I know always told me, "Tight is tight. Too tight is broke!" (Got to hear it with the brogue!) ennis

[Zadok]

Same.....dont know what the deal is. I know
its not on too tight. Have the two on the front
shield that keep popping loose. Havent figured
out why yet.

[dzlfitr]

Haven't broke any clamps, but...
I have broke wind before....ONCE.
Does that count?

[SteveHOHD]

If it's not too tight, heat cycles and vibration will work them brittle. Then cracks begin, and a complete break will occur soon after that.

Are the pipes getting hot?

[Toto]

duhast,
I have had the same problem. I put new clamps on took the bike out on a hard ride, got it good 'n hot then pulled in the garage and tightened them. This way the pipe wall is expanded all it is going to expand. I do this to all my bikes now. have not had any problems since. The other thing I do is keep a good supply of clamps. To me they are kinda like gaskets, I don't use the same one twice. If I have to pull the shields off I put new clamps back on. Worm gears and pins are not real durable with the heat and stresses of vibration. Hence the reason HD uses compression hose clamps on fuel and oil lines. Just my .02 worth.

[mslater741]

my front heat shield broke...dealer wanted $100 for a replacement...

[DrHeathenScum]

Originally Posted by fourhour

A Irish plumber I know always told me, "Tight is tight. Too tight is broke!" (Got to hear it with the brogue!) ennis

funny, an Irish plumber once told me, "Just remember kid, shitte always flows downhill"

duhaust, I can probably scam the next shield from my friend's FatBoy exhaust that he removed.

[richie69]

replace these clamps with USA made clamps.

[duhast]

but I still have the shield....I'm just gonna watch it like a hawk for a while.


BTW, I was at Cook's again (this time for Taco Tuesday), and I had to put out more cards......