Pipes off an Ultra

[haywardguy929]

A guy at work has a new set and willing to sell them,not sure how much yet or what they look like. So without pics to show I was wondering if anyone has any experience with adapting and things that simply will NOT work, things I should look for. I assume anything can be fabricated with enough money but I don't want to mortgage the farm to get them on either.

Hope this isn't to vague I just don't want to waste his or my time running around and looking like a idiot with something that just isn't a fit or will not function properly. Thanks.

[natemoen]

Make sure that there isn't a catalytic converter in there. It is usually labled on the outside but might not be.

If there is a cat in there don't even bother.

[Bonz]

If you are using the whole muffler don't bother with cats, that is for sure. If you are trying to cut the back half off to replace rusted out ends on the stock system, at least with sportster mufflers, they can be cut off behind the cat and welded on just fine.

By doing this I kept the crossover which I PROMISE makes a big difference in the engine performance at low and lower mid rpm. Trust me on that if it is of any consideration for a muffler/exhaust project.

I wanted to use a free donor set of 2005 road king muffs but the diameter was way too big for welding them on like described above. Not sure of the ultra muffs diameter? Are they like a road king?

The main reasons I did the sportster muffs was they kept the crossover and same visual line as stock and I did not get that "droopy" look with them running low beneath the axle.

[haywardguy929]

Thanks Guy's good info, turns out another guy has a set he wants to sell too and no waiting. Still in the box he said like 20 bucks, I figure I'll buy them and have them if anyone ever needs em if I can't use them but now I have a couple options. Will update when I get some on. Thank you.

[Bonz]

What is your "symptom" driving you to do some exhaust work?

i.e. rusted mufflers, rusted system all the way to the headers, etc?

[MindWebs]

His "symptom" is the left one rotted off and fell off.

I swapped an 80 special over to touring pipe and there doesn't seem to be
Any flat spots in the acceleration, those also had a honey comb appearance
On the engine side. I'm assuming that meant they where "cat".

I don't know how to keep the crossover but I've installed the sporster type
And the touring type.

Sporty is easier to make hanger brackets for.
The touring pipes are mounted farther back and so you have to "hang"
Them from the saddle bags

[Bonz]

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...y+pipes&page=3

Go to post #41 to see how my "back half weld on" sportster muffs looks. Not too bad looking and a nice sound. Cut the Sporster muffs off right behind the cats.

Keeps the crossover, otherwise I feel the lower rpm range suffers. Its not that the bike is a dog without the crossover, but it isn't what it is with the crossover.

[haywardguy929]

Well got these home today, great condition, a friend at work gave me them for 20 bucks. So here's option one..still waiting to look at the Ultra pipes.

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[Bonz]

Gonna try to mount the full muffler, or chop it off to replace the damaged part of the stock system like I did?

[haywardguy929]

If I go with these I believe I'll use the whole things, clamp/weld at the 2 into 1 and try a bracket of some type in the back. But who knows, I'm open to ideas and options

[Bonz]

The initial thought I'd share is that would run the pipes really low to the ground to clear the footpegs/rear brake when it's in use. Cornering clearance goes down the tubes with this kind of set up, no?

Other thoughts, experience?

[trbig]

Ken,

It would be more money, but you might look into a set of XJ headers if you can find some reasonable. They're already set up to have replaceable mufflers with a clamp right after the collector. No welding or cutting. It would keep you from cutting up one good side exhaust anyway?

No matter which route you go, You'll lose your cross-over pipe without finding a stock setup somewhere.

[haywardguy929]

Thanks Tod and Bonz, I'm still looking at options and things, I'd like to do the K.I.S.S. way as long as it's sturdy and looks halfway decent. I'm about ready to give up on the guy with the other pipes. Also been emailing Peter and getting his input. I do like the lower look as long as there isn't a clearance issue.

[Bonz]

I was all about the idea of just grafting on a full pipe at the weld up front, but that would eliminate the crossover. Didn't want to do that, and glad I didn't.

For reference, the welder slightly mis-ligned the right side weld up front (it had broken at some point in the trailering of the bike to my house when I bought it) and the crossover would not mate with the other side, it was angled downward. BUT the exhaust would mount otherwise for the most part and I was able to put 300 miles on it like this. I have a well-tuned 80SG for reference, and the 80G without a crossover was low on balls below 3k rpm. I also rode CaptonZaps 79F with a Jardine 4-2 system (no crossover) and it felt very much like the 80G w/o the crossover hooked up. Runs well, but lacks zip.

When I got the mufflers re-welded correctly and the crossover hooked up, it was a different bike below 3k rpm, and every bit the equal of my 80SG, which is what I would expect.

The other potential issue is ground clearance at anything over average cornering speeds looks to be compromised with a large diameter pipe coming straight back off the front weld area.

So, while it cost a few bucks more (to have the cutting done on the stock system and Sportster pipes, then welded) and probably doesn't look as nice (circular weld line on each side), I have a great sounding exhaust system, full ground clearance and a crossover all in a system that follows the stock lines.

[MindWebs]

You need an extension pipe to get the muffler behind the foot peg.

The muffler is to big to fit under there.

It may be possible to weld a cross pipe into the extension. I never looked into it.

The motor side of the extension is best to weld after all the alignment work is done

It eliminates a clamp that can leak and clamps cost money...

The muffler clamps on to the extension pipe with flat band clamps, hose clamps do not have enough compression force to work. A Harley dealer may have some used ones cheap..?

The muffler mounting bracket you need to make for the touring muffler in the picture is
The simple one... a slab of heavy sheet steel 1 inch wider then the holes for the bolts and tall enough to reach at least half way up behind you saddle bags.

Have every thing propped into place the drill the plate and bolt it to the saddle bag bracket.
You will probibly have to pull the bag out of the brackets to drill easier.