Lining up exhaust?

[hypophthalmus]

I've got the exhaust lined up with the engine, but it needs to go towards the rear wheel in order to line up with the rear fork. Is there some trick to this?

[zombie]

Yes there is, and I'm happy to see you ask.

The best way to do this is loosen the rear brace/keep the exhaust loose.
Start inserting all the nuts/bolts one at a time while keeping everything loose.
Sort of sneak up on tightening it all down in any order. Hand tighten everything using just hand strength. Once you have all the hardware in place go to the engine mount on the pipe, and 1/2 way torque those down. That will 1/2 seat the gasket, and make sure the pipe is aligned. 1/2 tighten all the rest, and then go back to the engine side. Tighten the flange to spec, and then go to all the rest, and tighten them down.

This same method applies to every part on the bike. Aligning everything is 90% of the process. Tightening is the very last thing you do. (beside admiring your work w/ a beer).

[hypophthalmus]

That's actually what I tried. But I can't get it aligned well enough that all the bolts will go in. In fact, it seems I have to choose between the fork bolts being able to go in, or the exhaust being around the studs at the engine.

[hypophthalmus]

My best guess is that the exhaust pipe warped. Is that a thing?

[zombie]

Yeah they can "warp" or twist from heat or being dropped. I have had a few that needed to be "tweaked".

If you do have to bend anything stay away from all the welds. They will be more brittle than the rest of the pipe, and easily crack.

The important part is the engine flange seal. Worry about that the most.
Sometimes a Phillips screwdriver inserted into the mounting hole/bolt hole will give you enough leverage to move things into position.

[hypophthalmus]

I considered levering it like that, but I'm scared of screwing up the threads or breaking off the studs and causing more problems for myself that way.

I tried taking off the littler heat shield to see if it would provide more give, but when I turned the bolt there it tore out a hole because of corrosion. I seem to be having a bout of bad luck.

How do you bend the pipes?

Do you know anything about these http://tinyurl.com/kpuyq8s ? They're the only non-OEM exhausts I can find for sale. Being stainless, I'd expect it to not get corroded, although maybe it'd be louder?

[zombie]

Hoca is one of the cheap China brands.
That said I have had good luck w/ these type pipes. The only issue w/ that specific pipe is you will have to fabricate a way to mount those muffler straps. They are not going to line up w/ any factory mounting holes.

Just how far off are your mounting holes? Can you post a Pict of what is going on?

You should not have to bend anything that much. Are you talking about a half a hole off? More?

The only correct way to bend it is w/ heat. Cherry red, and it will bend like butter. It shouldn't be that far out tho.

[hypophthalmus]

I was wondering how it was going to attach. Can you recommend any others? Are there even any others to recommend?

About half a hole off sounds right. It also seems like the lower right mounting hole is backed away from the fork a bit when the other two are flush, but maybe not enough to worry.

I can take a picture tomorrow when there's light.

[zombie]

I'd use a Phillips to pull it together. You might ding a thread but it's never a big deal. 1/2 a hole is what we all struggle with. ( guess where the joke is there)

I looked around some, and that Hoca is the only one that I see as well. '

Hopefully someone else may know of one.
Do you have the FI bike or the older Carbed bike?

[BettinANDlosing]

Every 250 does this, easier way is to have a friend help you pull back really hard then start the large 14mm bolt. What I do: Turn impact gun to high, let pre torque do the thread finding. Warning this can cross thread if you aren't used to doing it this way. Also what I found, again start with the large 14mm use a screwdriver in on of the front two holes pry it until you can get the large bolt in and that will most likely align it well enough to get the other two. Once you have the 3 finger tight, torque down the header studs. You always want to tighten those first, than follow with the hanger bolts. You'll get it, bit it is a bi$%*.

[hypophthalmus]

I went ahead and tried your suggestion to pry with the screwdriver, and... it worked! And once it lined up, the bolts went in pretty easily.

On the down side, my torque wrench failed to click for one of the bolts again, and... snap. Since I didn't have any problem with other similar sized bolts at similar torque values, I figured it must be fine. And it clicked for the other two. At least this one is easy to drill out.

[BettinANDlosing]

Yeah bolts like that I never use a torque wrench, only things I torque is the head nuts. Plus if the wrench isn't right, well that happens lol. Learn try trust your hands with a 3\8 ratchet, or get a high quality torque wrench. Glad my pry method worked for ya haha

[zombie]

Torque wrenches are like a boss. Always wrong!

[BettinANDlosing]

Lol that's a classic one! Except if you go for like a $600 Snap-on, those are awesome.

[zombie]

It's a China crap gadget in a stainless housing. Last one I had went 20lbs off every time I used it. I fought for three months to return it, and was finally given "credit" 325.00. Most of Snap on's stuff is China made now.

I switched to Mac tools 7-8 years ago, and never looked back. Even traded my box for a Mac.