Swing Headers Under Engine?

[yamahadon]

Has anyone ever successfully swung his stock headers under the engine? I'd like to get that "TT" or "half-mile" look on the cheap. I tried swinging my '73 TX650 headers under the engine, and it comes SO close to working. Any ideas? Tips? It looks like it would work if I could bend the header down a little to clear the bottom of the engine -- right now it's only about 1/4" off of working at the collar/flange bolts up top . . .

 

[fredintoon]

Hi don,
it's only cheap if you can borrow the cerrobend low melting point alloy and the hydraulic press.
Cerrobend ain't cheap to buy and not everyone has a "Bro with hydraulic press"
but the procedure is simple enough.
Melt the cerrobend in a double boiler and pour it into the inner and outer pipes.
Let the cerrobend cool so it sets up solid.
Bend the pipes in the press to the curve you need.
Boil up the pipes to melt the cerrobend out again and save it for next time.
Note that cerrobend has lead and cadmium in it. Take appropriate safety measures.

 

[pamcopete]

I had a Kerker two into one header on my '78/E that went under the engine and that was cool, except it was difficult to access the rear oil drain plug. Also, I concluded after a while that the pipes interfered with the cooling of the engine, but not to the point where it actually caused a problem. I kept track with an oil pressure gauge, but the Kerker muffler really sounded good!

 

[yamahadon]

Thanks for the tip. I forgot the pipes are double-walled. So much for that idea.

Maybe I could find some used 2-into-1 pipes and remove the muffler? Or maybe just spend the money on some new ones from Hoos . . .

 

[fredintoon]

Thanks for the tip. I forgot the pipes are double-walled. So much for that idea.
Maybe I could find some used 2-into-1 pipes and remove the muffler? Or maybe just spend the money on some new ones from Hoos . . .

Hi don,
yeah, once you abandon "on the cheap" and open your billfold there's all manner of options.
The list's classifieds is one place to look for a bargain although shipping costs can sometimes cancel out the savings on the deal.

 

[DC Cycle Works]

Like this?

 

[yamahadon]

Yeah! How did you do yours?

 

[DC Cycle Works]

I just cut them at the length I wanted and found a pipe that fit over the exhaust and heated up the end where it touched the motor and just slightly bent it down. A scrap piece of inch and a half pipe should slide right over and cost about 6 bucks. Tubing (which is what your exhaust is made out of) is measured O.D which is inch and a half, pipe is thicker and measured I.D. Makes for a great breaker bar also

 

[yamahadon]

Nice bike. But I don't think my '73 headers are the same as yours. Did you bend them while they were still on the bike? Wouldn't that mess up the copper "crushable" gaskets at top?

 

[DC Cycle Works]

I'm not sure if there is a difference between the txt and xs headers since I have never messed with a tx, but just looking at some on google they sure look the same. I did bend these on the bike, that was the easiest ways for me to get them to bend. I just mounted them how they go in stock configuration along the side of the bike and once the end was red hot it didnt take any force at all to move them down, so it didn't effect the exhaust gasket.

 

[DC Cycle Works]

Do you have a welder by chance? You could always just make a set, I'm making some stainless pipes right now for someone that are very similar to stock header, aside from him wanting exposed pie cuts. The tubing in stainless was only about 3 bucks a foot

 

[yamahadon]

Holy s**t! You bolted them up, heated them up, and then twisted them all the way from outside the bottom frame tubes to underneath the engine? I assumed that you repositioned them under the engine first, then bent them down . . .

 

[DC Cycle Works]

No no sorry, maybe that didn't make much sense. When it was mounted like the stock ones I just heated and bent the end of the header just because it was easier to reach everything that way, then I unbolted them and positioned them how they are in the picture. It was a few years ago, but if I remember correctly I think I only had to move it like and inch or less, it didn't take much