muffler cracked

[graybird78]

just noticed that my left side muffler is severly cracked at welded joint and is migrating down and under muffler.what a downer I know many of you have replaced your exhaust, with 4into1. not in to that loud noise. i would like to keep my exhaust stock or close to stock as possible. can you excessives give any advice or options as to what will fit. the bike is a 80sg. will any other bikes exhaust fit with minor mods. I think it will last the rest of the riding season.then the bike is getting tore down for some much needed maint and repairs. any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there GrayBird78,

If this crack is truly in the muffler, and not in the header pipe, then you can cut off the muffler and mount a variety of slip on styles and sizes to match your taste in both style and sound! I know I saw a thread about this a while back, just do a search.

People have used Harley cast offs, as well as ordering from places like JCW, DK, etc! If the header section is cracked, you can get complete 4-2 pipes from DK, not terribly cheap, ~$350 or so!

HTH. T.C.

[graybird78]

muffler

topcat: it is truly cracked in the muffler itself

[Materi]

I just found some cracks in mine as well, though maybe not quite as severe as yours sound. My bike runs GREAT at all ranges, but occasionally has a tiny bit of backfire when decellerating. The backfire or little "pom-pomp" seems to differ with atmoshperic conditions, i.e...temperature, perhaps density altitude?? I'm thinking that the cracks in the exhaust are causing this. Have you noticed a simular situation?

[ratbyk]

Cracked Muffler

Suggest that you cracked muffler boys Drill about a 1/8" hole in the end of the crack to stop it from growing any longer. Then use a small grinder to grind the chrome back from the edge of the crack about an 1/8". Then run a bead of weld along the crack. Hide your work and protect it from rusting with a light coat of HT silver paint. Then, truck on!
Ken/Sooke
78E Ratbyk
82 FT500 "lilRat"

[Materi]

Hey Ratbyk,

I don't know if I'm that handy with a welder, what do you think about drilling the stop holes, then filling with JB Weld, then grinding and painting. I know this sounds rather crude but hey....I am an old roughneck from the oilpatch

[ratbyk]

Cracked Muffler

Drill the hole for sure to stop the crack from "creeping" further. After that, what ever is acceptable to you. Hopefully the crack is on the underside. After that all you have to do is keep the shiny side up!
Ken/Sooke

[2fast]

My 4 into 1 header cracked off where it joined the megaphone a coulple of years ago. I am a lousy welder, so I brazed it. That worked like a charm and is still in service today, many thousands of miles later. My setup is painted black, so I just painted over it. Would not be as easy to disquise on chrome, but it would work well.

[ratbyk]

Word of Caution

Do not attempt to weld the crack with the chrome plating still along the edge of the crack. Chrome and the mild steel behind have two different melting points. Grind the chrome off the muffler for at least an 1/8' along the edge of the crack and you will get a successful weld. MIG would be good. There would be less heat to discolor the chrome. Brazing works very well making such repairs but the heat will discolor the chrome over a bigger area.
Ken/Sooke

[graybird78]

cracked muffler

thanks to all who replied. yes materi, that is how i found the crack. that sound it was making.drove me nuts. what i did temp was to use my dremmel and grind around the crack. then filled it in with jb weld. will do the hole drill to stop crack.thanks for the advice. the crack started at the balance tube on the weld.then went down under muffler.