Heat shield vibration

[motoman]

Would anyone here have a trick fix for a vibrating heat shield? The right side heat shield has started a vibration at 37-4000rpm that'll drive you 'buggy'......guess I should'nt complain too much, as that has been the only problem after 60,000miles and 25yrs. The right pipe down at bottom in that area did have a fracture some 23yrs ago when accidently going off a curb fully loaded with two-up, which I fixed back then. Recently it fractured just ahead of where I had welded it bout an inch part way round the radius, and could be heard, so I removed the pipe and with a dremal cut one end of raised bracket that shield attaches to so I could Mig weld all of fracture. Then bent bracket back down and welded it, put right side ehaust back on and shield. No problem for a couple months, then wa-la, shield suddenly started that tinny vibrating, so any and all XSesiive input would be entertained as my resourcefulness upstairs seems to be diminishing with age(I'm positively sure the XS will outlast me).............Thanks, Brant.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Motoman,

It's been quite a while since I've seen a stock exhaust, so I reviewed it on the microfiche. It just shows a few screws and flat washers that hold it down onto the muffler/pipe. I would imagine that the vibration is not harmonics from the shield, but just where it's not a securely tightened at the mounts? Might try some rubber washers just to see if that will imobilize or isolate it so as not to make noise. If so, then either use silicone or silicone based rubber to make some more durable washers, and put it on, perhaps with some locktite to keep the screws/bolts from working loose!?
T.C.

[randy]

On my 81SH, the heat shields rotted at the mounts, loosened and vibrated. Added larger washers and cured it. New shields are rare as rockin' horse poop.

[desert1]

Heat shield

I need a heat shield to cover a large dent at the end of one of my mega phones {stock system} but our heat shields are to small...in fact most heat shields are to small

[Jerry]

What happened on my XJ is the bolts that hold the heat shield to the pipe broke off in the pipe. short-term fix was to get a SS hose clamp and put it over one end of the shield. Didn't look to bad. Permanent fix was to remove the pipe, drill out broken bolt, re-thread, and replace with new ss bolt.

[motoman]

Hey Jerry..........easy fix is cut the factory spot welds on nuts......spot weld new nuts on with MIG.......makes just like new........Hey there T.C., shields and exhaust still like new(benifits of residing in Colo.).......good idea, gonna do some checking locally for some heat resistant fiber washers to go between shield and mount.........and no, bolts have NEVER worked loose.........and from what you all are saying, sounds like my exhaust system is likely worth more than the whole bike..........and no, its not for sale...neither is the bike.

[skids]

It has been a long time since I saw them, but JCW or Dennis Kirk had some that attached with hose clamps.

[motoman]

Hose clamps...............now that's tacky!

[motoman]

Just to let you all know, I found my tinny vibation problem..........under left side shield, saw black carbon which lead me to see that the left pipe under shield has a similar fracture that the right side had. Just have to pull left side pipes off and MIG weld it, and cut off and tack on one new nut as one of shield bolts broke of when I was removing shield......Thanks for all the input guys...........plus, gives me an excuse to play with my MIG.