Under body muffler options? (compatible with V&H preferred)

[Watevaman]

 Alright, so currently I have a V&H full system and as some may know the bracket system that comes with it was nowhere to be seen when I bought it off the PO. As such, I have created a custom 3 point "bracket" system by using some steel plates but the problem I'm having is going over bumps and railroad tracks (those damn things), I'll get a noticeable wiggle in the exhaust and while it may not affect the headers, I'm sick and tired of taking a chance at breaking something every time I ride.

What I'm looking into now as an option is somewhat of a muffler that I can simply attach to where the header pipes end and you slide the V&H muffler on. This would eliminate any issues with going over bumps. Does anyone know of any mufflers out there that might work for something like this? I don't want to touch the carbs from their V&H setup to be honest, but I don't know if changing a muffler would really affect that.

[jacob92icu]

Your looking for something that just goes straight to exhaust from the headers? Like no part of the exhaust under the bike?

[Watevaman]

 Something similar to this:

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh115/seamax206/motorcycle/DSCN0873.jpg

except it would be a single muffler and I'd like it to adapt to the way the V&H system is set up.

[jacob92icu]

Some guy on YouTube did something similar to that with dual emgo exhaust, I can find you the link if you want. The emgo Shorty exhausts are cheap and they sound alright.

[Janx101]

this seamax?.... the one that is a member on here?... with similar/same pic in a thread about lengthening swingarms?....

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=62992.msg743690#msg743690

... that seamax? 

[average]

yes iits him

[ohgood]

Alright, so currently I have a V&H full system and as some may know the bracket system that comes with it was nowhere to be seen when I bought it off the PO. As such, I have created a custom 3 point "bracket" system by using some steel plates but the problem I'm having is going over bumps and railroad tracks (those damn things), I'll get a noticeable wiggle in the exhaust and while it may not affect the headers, I'm sick and tired of taking a chance at breaking something every time I ride.

What I'm looking into now as an option is somewhat of a muffler that I can simply attach to where the header pipes end and you slide the V&H muffler on. This would eliminate any issues with going over bumps. Does anyone know of any mufflers out there that might work for something like this? I don't want to touch the carbs from their V&H setup to be honest, but I don't know if changing a muffler would really affect that.

going over bumps will become more of an issue with what you want to do.


if the brackets are loose, improve them.

better to have all that heat behind you than spewing it beneath you, on hot days also.

[Watevaman]

Alright, so currently I have a V&H full system and as some may know the bracket system that comes with it was nowhere to be seen when I bought it off the PO. As such, I have created a custom 3 point "bracket" system by using some steel plates but the problem I'm having is going over bumps and railroad tracks (those damn things), I'll get a noticeable wiggle in the exhaust and while it may not affect the headers, I'm sick and tired of taking a chance at breaking something every time I ride.

What I'm looking into now as an option is somewhat of a muffler that I can simply attach to where the header pipes end and you slide the V&H muffler on. This would eliminate any issues with going over bumps. Does anyone know of any mufflers out there that might work for something like this? I don't want to touch the carbs from their V&H setup to be honest, but I don't know if changing a muffler would really affect that.

going over bumps will become more of an issue with what you want to do.


if the brackets are loose, improve them.

better to have all that heat behind you than spewing it beneath you, on hot days also.

I can't improve the brackets because no one sells just the bracket and my exhaust is FUBAR on the can:

http://www.abload.de/image.php?img=img_20130329_155937_91taj5.jpg

Adidas told me the V&H shouldn't have any movement but I can pull mine side to side a few inches on the back and I can't figure out why it isn't solid. The place it seems to be moving is the bolt that's below the passenger peg:

http://www.abload.de/img/2013-03-23_12-04-17_3dmu3u.jpg

and I can't tighten it anymore.

Those pictures also aren't the current bracket setup I have.

[Janx101]

  .. the pics are not the current bracket setup ... so the current one is moving... not those turnbuckles in the pic...

ummm.... not being aggressive here... but... that kinda makes it a little hard to see where the issue may be ?!... 

what about something like this? ... i just searched ebay for  .. exhaust hanger bracket strap ..

http://compare.ebay.com.au/like/310389107049?ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes

but also i would think that if you have movement in the exhaust .. whatever brackets you are using .. either are not heavy/strong enough .. or are not mounted with enough of the metal surface around the bolts contacting whatever flat surface they are mounted on ..

use more contact area!! .. engineers washers, backing plate, thicker material .. whatever .. 

also a pic of the actual bracket would be cool... i dont know if you have posted a closeup of it in another thread?

[Watevaman]

 I can get another pic tomorrow but this pic kinda shows what I've done with two steel plates (to create a triangle):

http://abload.de/img/2013-05-27_13-34-39_261utp.jpg

I might have to buy a bracket like that, but I'm not sure how well it would fit around the exhaust with the grooves cut in that back piece. Also I don't feel my V&H bends up as much as the ones in the pictures I've seen but I may be afraid of busting the head or something more than I should.

[Janx101]

now remembering i do things bush mechanic style, not engineer style or official style ..

ooooooo-k .... looking on zoom at photo.... i see the top of bracket with... i think i am looking at a bolt head, rubber washer, bolt going through top plate, rubber washer, through bottom plate and then nut (with maybe another washer tween bottom plate and nut).. yeah?

i would try .. nylon or hard urethane washer between plates .. or even like a brass engineers washer? ( engineers washer having standard size hole but much wider skirt .. like the larger edge ones in photo)

.. or if there is actually rubber washers in there anywhere(not just black colour steel ones?)  .. remove them & use engineers washers combined with spring washers?...

any flex you give the joint is going to magnify at the end of can... which brings me to ... how is the bottom plate attached to can?... more bolts with rubber washers? ... and how thick are the top and bottom plates?

without my bike here at work i cant see or visualise the standard attachment .. but with an aftermarket exhaust, if you dont have the original bracket then i see it as you have to over-engineer your makeshift one... dont minimise the flex... do your absolute best to remove the flex! .. the gs motor buzzes of course .. and many riders often find bolts have 'buzzed loose' in lots of places (mainly through inadvertent under tightening or checking i think) ..

i dont think you have to worry about the engine flexing the pipe sideways like in a car so much.... the rotational forces of the motor run along the longitudinal axis of bike.. not crosswise like a car... but i suppose there will be some frame flexing? .. (correct me anyone.. please) ..

basically in a vertical plane you have the setup to allow fulcrum/lever movement .. with the short/top 'point' on the plates allowing some flex .. and a ...as yet unknown/unseen bottom mount that theoretically has some flex.... personally i would weld that bottom one ..

also... where the V&H joins the orig pipe... how solid is that join?... is there anywhere to slip a steel collar on it and bolt to underside? maybe to that tab that shows under the frame just behind/above the spring connector on the pipe in your photo.... this will also minimise flex.. if it even has a tiny bit of side play in the joint there it will magnify the effect further along the pipe... when you look at even most car standard/aftermarket exhausts .. all the joins (should) be tight sleeved and mostly have a or similar around them too... yeah i know some custom race or street ones wont but they deal with a lot of flex... and probably play with the pipes a fair bit also..

.... really depends on what you want to end up having... if its only a short time till you do your straight slip on to headers job like seamax then leave it alone.. i figure you want to sort out whatever yourself to minimise costs .. but a trip to the local exhaust shop , a few polite questions and maybe a small amount of $ for a few parts could be handy? .. just ask the guy how you can tighten things up cos you short on $$?.. does he have something that would do it? that you could fit....

alternatively... remove the whole exhaust, take it to the exhaust shop .. and pay a few $$ to get them to pipe bend the whole thing just under the brake pedal area.... they might be able to do that .. wont take much more than 10 deg bend to shorten your bracket length by couple inches... BUT ... risk fouling the brake lever... and having the exhaust tip right under your luggage ..

... i think if you intend to keep this can in its current position then the bracket with thicker material and/or engineers and spring washers to just lock it down tight plus the midpipe hanger is the best option.. if you going to change cans or shorten the pipe for this one then you going to have to start the thinkinh all over again..

[Watevaman]

 Went to the hardware stores and not finding anything I feel I could fashion up, I'll buy one of those brackets that hooks around. Can someone tell me what size I'd need? I'm seeing all different sizes around ebay. I measure the diameter of the V&H (without the little grooves that originally held the bracket) to be about 3.5 inches (89 mm).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stainless-43mm-Viper-Exhaust-Can-Hanger-Strap-Snare-/370150686085?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item562eb33d85

This one is saying a 43 mm hanger but a 365 mm strap?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/QUALITY-STAINLESS-EXHAUST-HANGER-BRACKET-STRAP-2-SUIT-86mm-DIAMETER-CAN-SILENCER-/290731741510?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item43b0f65146

this one is saying it'll fit an 86 mm can but can that squeeze? I don't know if I add the extra quarter inch of the groove part of the V&H can or not when considering these and it's driving me mad.

[Janx101]

measure the circumference of the can ... where you want the mount strap to go... mums/sisters/wifes 'sewing tape' should do it...

or if it truly is 89mm/3.5" .... and you havent got a tape... use this http://math.about.com/library/blcirclecalculator.htm

but i already did and its 279mm/10.984252 inches ... so your first strap link is a little large .. the 43mm btw is the distance from centre of mounting bolt hole to top of strap .. i think 

the second link... should be ok i think.... it will give you a little more gap between the 2 tabs of the mount point ... could always just slip a nylon or fibre washer into the gap though?? .. although check a little more 1st ... 3mm isnt much ... but when dealing with diameter/circumference its tricky sometimes... using the calculator link again... it makes a 9mm difference to the strap length... so "theoretically... a 9mm-3/8" gap at mount tabs?.... if it seats snug around the can... 

[Watevaman]

 Alright, just measured and it's actually 298.5 mm where the bracket would lay because of that groove I keep mentioning. That puts the diameter at 95 mm so I guess a 100 mm diameter bracket like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/QUALITY-STAINLESS-EXHAUST-HANGER-BRACKET-STRAP-100mm-DIAMETER-OVAL-OR-ROUND-CAN-/280905107110?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item41673fc6a6

would be better am I right?

[Janx101]

by the look of it... that company has many diameter pipe clamps... you could go to site direct and check if they actually have a 95mm hanger/clamp .. but yeah .. a 100mm one... then of course you may have to add a small packer pad under the clamp ring to make it solid...

you already have a loose/moving exhaust .. plan is to stop that movement yeah?!?