Exhaust flange issue

[dsrtrat]

Took a set of VnH pipes off an old bike. The flange is bent from being overtoqued. Will factory flange work?

[DragonLady58]

Originally Posted by dsrtrat

Took a set of VnH pipes off an old bike. The flange is bent from being overtoqued. Will factory flange work?

Its steel, remove mufflers, slide flange off, heat, bend back straight, reinstall. Don't overtighten, could bust out the stud boss on the head or twist off stud.

Get it tight....its got a gasket under it. Making it tighter at the nut isn't the answer. Sometimes, you gotta shim the flange with washers to get more 'crush' and/or use SS Crimp Nuts instead of using the acorn nuts on the bike.

[dsrtrat]

Wont it just bend back when tightened? I can get factory ones but not sure if theyll fit properly over VnH

[dsrtrat]

I cant get the flange off by sliding it. There is a weld where they musta cracked the pipe on the original install.

[DragonLady58]

See if there a step down up toward the flange, could be problem. Yes see if theres a oblong at the bends or a oblong pipe somewhere.
Yes, you can straighten by installing if your careful and know what your doing. Mine are heavily moded, and they slide off if I take my heatwrap off....

[dsrtrat]

I have a stock flange from original exhaust. Inside diamter is 1.81 and my pipe OD is 1.77. Is there any reason this would not work with the VnH pipe? Ive tried to slide the old flange down the pipe but the weld is making it impossible.

[mick56]

The 2 part flanges are interlocking,so have to be put on bearing that in mind.I would be amazed if one of them got bent by tightening the nuts up.Sometimes parts of the old gasket can be left behind,making it offset when fitting a new one.It might work out, if you can get some help to hold the pipes while you fit the flanges, before you fix the rest of the brackets at the back end.I have had mine off several times,and once the flanges are loosely fitted,the arse end of the pipe can be a long way from fitting into the bracket.There you have a compromise, between having the gaskets fitting well,or making an amendment to the rear brackets.A 1/4 of an inch out of skew at the head,can be several inches at the back end.

[DragonLady58]

Originally Posted by dsrtrat

I have a stock flange from original exhaust. Inside diamter is 1.81 and my pipe OD is 1.77. Is there any reason this would not work with the VnH pipe? Ive tried to slide the old flange down the pipe but the weld is making it impossible.

Should be fine....diff. between those measurements, then divide by 2, gives you edge of pipe to ID of clamp, should be good. Make sure end of pipe is good, flat and square, as per Mick. And check that the exhaust pipe seat up inside head is clean and flat also, should be good....
If the OD of the pipe is compatible with the clamp, it should work. Be sure to use a exhaust seal thats in good shape....I know the V&Hs are slight diff. tubing....
Adapt and overcome young man! I feel Good! The 103 in the Street Glide is alive and well! Going Riding!

[dsrtrat]

Im thinking this is my best bet. The original VnH flange is quite bent and the nuts are therefore digging in at the corners. WHen measured, the ID of the VnH flange is slightly bigger than the stock. Because of the weld on the pipe, this two part system is my only solution. I will take pics if it works.

[MAS Tequila]

Straighten them with plyers or clamps.

Determine how far it has to go on the stud, …, and put a stop nut behind it, or a couple washers.

Just something to fill the difference in the thickness between the original and V&H flanges.

[MAS Tequila]

Originally Posted by DragonLady58

The 103 in the Street Glide is alive and well! Going Riding!

Great, if you don’t have a V&H FP3 tuner, get one.

After downloading a tune for my set up, I ran the autotune for about 100 miled.

Damn thing pulls like a scalded ape now.

[dsrtrat]

The flane didnt work. The VnH header is taller and the stock flange is twice as thick. The studs were too short.

When I do get it on, I have the halfway to thunder air and a kuryaken wild things tuner. Had a wild things on another bike and it was easy to tune Bike ran nice and strong.

[VulcanE]

The flanges on V&H head pipes are a joke, mine bent too (both of them) and I always use a torque wrench (inch pound) to tighten mine. I did switch to the stock 2 piece flanges, but I also removed my studs and switched to stainless steel socket head cap screws. I like it a lot better this way.
I don't remember right off hand what length they were, there used to be a website that sold them, and I got the length and pitch from their description, and I used 2 nuts jammed together to remove the oem studs.

[dsrtrat]

Removing the studs sends a shiver down my spine. Its actually the option with fewest questions...IF....all goes as planned. If not, its a kick in the nutsack kinda pain! No offense to those of the feminine gland. Lol

[DragonLady58]

Get the engine nice and hot, take flanges off while still warm, then use 2 nuts on the studs, jam them out good, while that alum. is expanded....should apply a even steady pressure, should come right on out. While still warm, give it a shot of PBBlaster at base of stud, just a quick light shot....will help with removal.
I use long SS studs and stainless crimp nuts....Don't use the polyloc nuts, the plastic will melt and sieze the stud....