HD fatboy muffler and front wheel bearings questions

[knewsom]

I've got the old muffs sawed off and the adapters hammered onto the ends of the OEM headers, now all I need to do is mount the HD muffs on the headers and screw them onto the bike. The question is this: will I need a clamp to hold the muffs on to the headers, or will they just stay on their own accord? What's the best method to try and match the correct angle with the mounting bracket? Just hammer it on once the headers are on the bike, adjusting as necessary, and eyeballing it down the line?


As for bearings, I replaced my rear bearings without a major snaffoo (though I had to grind down my needlenosed pliers to get the ring out), packed it all with nice clean new synthetic mobil 1 grease, and I've moved on to the front bearings.... and am curious if there's a trick to getting them out??? I got the oil seals and other gack outta there, but hammering on the bearing doesn't seem to move the one on the opposite side at all. (dont' worry, I dont' need to save the bearings - they're shot, and I have replacements) Any tips there?


Thanks guys, I think I might actually get to START the old girl tomorrow (er, today ;P )!!! I've decided to hold off on the adjustable baffles until I've heard how it sounds with NO baffles. It'll probably be as loud as a HD, but that doesn't bum me out none... "loud pipes save lives", and I promised my wife AND my mother that I'd only ride a loud bike. TWMBO. THEY who must be obeyed... *sigh* Does anybody else's wives and mothers gang up on them all the time, or am I totally alone in that regard? Heh, at least I convinced 'em to let me GET a bike....

ok, bedtime.

[wingnut]

Leaks

Kris, Depending on how tight the mufflers fit the header. If they are loose you are going to have a leak. Now without the baffles its going to be so load you might not notice a leak but that leak may be letting hot exhast gas blow on your nice clean engine case or your much rubbed and waxed paint or your foot! I'd assemble it all they way you want it, mark the positions in about 3 places with a marker then take it all off for a trip to your local welder. Shouldn't cost that much and if you did it right it should last a long time. As far as getting yelled at by TWMBO, both told me "you'll but your eye out with that thing" just like when I was a kid and got my first BB gun. Still have bot eyes though

[xssiveone]

What you need to do is move the spacer that is between the two bearings a bit to one side. Sometimes it's a pretty tight fit, but it will move eventually. Then use a long drift of some form, insert it thru the spacer from one side, and drive the bearing on the other side out. Then you can remove the spacer and drive the remaing one out, again, from the opposite side.

[red bandit]

Yeah...what he said. Get the muffler just how you want it, I'd take the bike in so they can weld it when it's in place. most muffler shops will weld it for you.
The bearings have to come in and out on the same side they are on. You cann't push the bearing all the way thru. I had a hard time with mine too...so... I took a hammer and screwdriver and took apart the bearing cage, thats the wavy piece that holds the balls in place. Yep you distroy the cage, but your replacing the bearing anyway. Once you get the cage apart push the balls to one side, and hit the inner race with a hammer and punch, away from the balls, get all the balls and race out. Then from that side you can drive the other bearing out with a punch. At least that's how I remember it.

[knewsom]

Thanks all for the great tips!

Sadly, I was thwarted today by rain, so I didn't get done what I wanted done. Hopefully tomorrow morning the weather will permit me to make some more progress before goign to work.


The muffs are pretty tight on the headers, so I think I'll be able to get by with a clamp. I'm trying to avoid welding anything in case I want to take it apart later.

Back with more info when the rain lets up.

Thanks again,

Kris

[knewsom]

arrrrggghhh!!!! I can't get those stupid bearings out! I tried moving the spacer to the side, but would only move over just a smidge, not nearly enough to do me any good whatsoever, and I tried destroying the bearings to get one out, and only ended up destroying one of my screwdrivers instead.

What the heck am I missing??

[pggg]

Tap on the outer race with a steel rod

[Just In Case]

What the heck am I missing??

Hopefully your thumb??

Haven't been down this path yet, every bike wheel bearing has always submitted with grace* (so far)

If you haven't tried these below, I offer them for your perusal Sorry if you know about them already; some are just ideas I've picked up. Others here may have some comments after reading this too

Try from each side, one or the other might come out easier, once one is out, THEN you can start with the BIGGER hammer
Leave some oil to soak in around the outer shell and it's housing. Check there's no corrosion/lip etc in the housing causing the outer to jam/bind.
Keep the bearing square to the housing. If it ain't, it'll jam.
Could try freezing it, gentle heating? Several cycles might be enough to break the corrosions grip? Use the dis-similar metals to your advantage, after freezing the ally should warm up (thus expand) faster than the bearing outer, this might give you a small window of a looser fit??
Warning... Growlings may occur if SWMBO finds an unexpected wheel in the freezer!!....
If you can shift a bearing enough, you can then get the spacer far enough over to use a drift or if you can't shift it with the drift (steel rod), try a puller. Put as much pressure on the puller as you can, then if the bearing still won't move, whack the bearing outer from the inside with the drift. Keep your dangley bits clear, things can jump if the whack frees the outer. Got a huge bruise on my leg one day from that.
You could try cutting out the inner (with a gas axe), that would give room to get at the outer. Don't cut through the spacer!
If the outer still won't come consider spot welding something to the outer, eg a bit of tube same OD as the outers ID, weld an end cap to the tube, and then start into it with your large drift and hammer! (Something I "assisted" Dad in years ago). Might be better to try doing this to inner first and punching through the spacer's hole??

Also, when enthusiastically beating things, you need a solid surface, otherwise your energy is wasted. The wheel needs supporting as close to the hub as possible on hard wood blocks sitting on a concrete floor.

Last resort is to consider gas cutting the outer, but you better be good I'm too chicken to do that (or haven't been desperate enough ), but have watched a mate do it enough times on ag machinery. Sometimes 2 cuts are required, often Ross does no damage to the housing, but he can "nick" it! Remember Ross is often dealing with gear that can be pounded with impunity So there's plenty of "meat" in case of user error!

I don't know if gassing it is advisable though, the alloy hub might become a puddle?? Might not, the heat is aimed at the side of the outer (flame same direction as the axle), so you're heating the steel, the ally conducts heat away faster, so won't heat up as fast. For me, it's when the extra oxygen is added to oxidise away the steel, will the extra heat generated and left over oxygen do damage?

Anyone know what happens with a gas axe applied to aluminium?? I don't mean you're trying to cut it, but like in this case you're trying to cut the bearing through its edge so the heat/reaction of cutting the steel is right next to the ally.

Sorry to get a bit off topic, but I've just realised it's a question I want to know the answer for now rather than at 2am, which is when my last cockup happened!

Also, I'm more experienced with the more economy sized machinery, there's probably not much call for 16lb hammers and 24" shifters on an XS, well, not yet

David

*grace has a handle and a 4lb head

[knewsom]

Great post, thanks David!

Hopefully it won't come to needing a torch to get the damnable things out, but that certainly gave me a good idea - use a torch to destroy the cage holding in the ball bearings in case I can't destroy it any other way, then take out the inner race and balls, then the spacer, then hammer out opposite side bearing, then hammer out beginning side.

That durn spacer just doesn't want to move more than a 15th of an inch, and hammering away at it with a rod doesn't work either. If anyone can think of any other good ways to dismantle the bearings individually wthought using an oxy-accentylene torch (which I don't have), they'd be MUCh appreciated.

Cheers,
Kris

[Just In Case]

Hey Kris

Thanks

It's a pain you can't move the spacer, I can't think of any other way. You only need a few thou of slack and you're away!

Do you have an arc welder? Set the current up high, and burn through the inner?? It's a bit rough but has done the job in the past. You can get carbon (?) rods that are designed to cut, not weld. Might need a welder with a high rating though? Getting a good earth through the balls and outer might be an issue though.

David

[Just In Case]

Sorry, the term is gouge, not cut when using carbon rods. I guess it's more descriptive of the actual result cos it's not pretty It can be done with normal welding rods, just remember back to the first time you used a welder

David

[DiverRay]

Kris,
You need to use a LONG, SLIM, FLAT BOTTOM punch to drive the bearing out. DO NOT USE A TOURCH on the wheel. You will be buying a new wheel.
If you have a dremmel tool, cut two slots in the bearing, and use a cold chisle to break the race. The dremmel cut of blade will fit inside the bearing, cut almost through the steel, then put the chisle in the cut and use a BFH on it.
When I pulled the bearings on my wheel, I warmed up the hub area with a propane tourch, let it cool a bit, then hit the bearings from the inside. I know the center only moves a little bit, but it will work with the proper punch.
Good luck,
Ray

[panshovel]

Just got mine out. Put your punch 3/4 of the way down the spacer and slam it good , it will move over after a few good hits. Then put your punch on the bearing and knock it out, pull out the spacer and straighten out the holding flange with a socket, knock out the other bearing. Go buy new bearings grease, reinstall. Have a nice day.