Exhaust pipe clearance

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jlew

New Member
Jun 7, 2010
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Ann Arbor, MI, USA
I received my first engine kit a few days ago and i've installed everything successfully except the exhaust pipe. The muffler portion comes into contact with the pedals when they turn. As far as bending it goes, i don't have access to a vice (much less a place to put one) or a propane torch. I was thinking of bolting the pipe to something other than the engine and trying to bend it then, but any other ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks.
 
bairdco

bairdco

a guy who makes cool bikes
Aug 18, 2009
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living the dream in southern california
if you just have to bend it a little (like a 1/2") you don't need to heat it up.

i don't like the method of bolting it down and bending it off the flange, because the welds look really weak to me.

what i did was find a place to wedge the pipe in. i used my buddy's boat trailer, but basically you want something that will hold it while you yank on it.

or another method, is if you have a piece of pipe that will fit inside the pipe end at the flange, stick it in there, step on it, and pull up the other end to bend it. if you have a big piece of pipe to slip over the other end, that makes it easier.

basically, use your imagination.
 
2door

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
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Littleton, Colorado
As always I respect Bairdco's advice but I'll have to disagree this time in that as long as you go slow and take your time, bolting the flange to an immovable object is a good way to bend the pipe enough to get pedal clearance. I've never broken a weld on the exhaust flange and I've bent a number of pipes. Don't try it on a cast aluminum intake manifold but the steel exhaust should bend easily before you hurt the weld.
Another option that you might try if you only need a small amount of clearance is to enlargen the bolt holes in the exhaust flange. That will sometimes allow enough rotation that the pedals will clear.
Tom
 
L

lds

New Member
Mar 26, 2010
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north KY
Find a forked tree. Wedge the part in the fork and bend away. Add a pipe for leverage if necessary.
 
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