Exhaust removal

[Kirknik]

Gonna desmog my 98 tourer. Gonna take the exhaust off. Dont know if the exhaust has ever been off before. 25,000 miles on the bike.
Nervous about breaking a stud trying to get the nuts off. Or  having it spin out which I guess isnt a big deal.
Backyard job no garage so broken stud would be a big hassle.
Any tips?

[The emperor has no clothes]

If you are removing the exhaust in order to do the de-smog, it's not necessary at all.

[Kirknik]

Ya just.for.the desmog?
Can I get at.the bottom airline without removing the exhaust? I assume they are the problem.

[Fazer]

Rob is right.  No need to remove.  However--I was unable to get the lower front plug out that is held in by a couple of 5mm allen heads.  I wad doing the full desmog as described in shop talk.  I had to take the left side only off.  Had a couple of studs come out, but double nut trick allowed me to remove the "special" nut.  Nothing twisted off, or broke.  Re-installing the pipes, though I found it much easier if I tightened up the header nuts before trying to get the studs holding the pipes up into their holes.  Too hard to twist the entire assemble, at least for me.  Do a final light tightening afterwards, and then in 200-300 miles re tighten.  Very light torque with a 1/4" drive.

I use blue lock tite on the studs and anti seize on the threads where the nuts go.  Have had mine off several times since with no issues.

Good luck.

[hubcapsc]

 However--I was unable to get the lower front plug out that is held in by a couple of 5mm allen heads.

If the problem was that "normal" allen wrenches wouldn't fit up in there,
Honda thought of everything: there's one in the tool kit that will fit...

-Mike

[John Schmidt]

Rather than pull the exhaust to get at that area underneath to block it off, I just cut the tube going to it and fill it with JBWEld then pinch and curl over the very end for a little extra sealing. Have done that numerous times with good results, plus effective and easier than pulling the exhaust for just that. And, if you cut it in the right spot you can't see it anyway.

[MarkT]

John beat me to it on the post while I was taking a pic.  "Great minds think alike" - to be modest...

Not necessary to remove the PARE tubes.  Just cut them off at an accessible point, crush the end where cut with a vise grips, and fold over.  Makes the job much easier and faster.  If you can't get to the end where cut to fold over - like on #1 tube - insert a bolt slathered with JB Weld.  They aren't gonna leak - EVER.  I did this years ago with a brake line that was mangled by tire chains in the North woods of WI on a hunting trip decades ago, on a Plymouth Duster.  I didn't fix that wheel brake for months after the trip.  I did this on Jade and Deerslayer.  Example on #4 & #6:

[Chrisj CMA]

Take the exhaust off it’s not a big deal. Even if you break a stud a vice grips will get it out and put the new one in with red lock tite.

[MarkT]

Take the exhaust off it’s not a big deal. Even if you break a stud a vice grips will get it out and put the new one in with red lock tite.

Wow.  If you break it again it ain't comin out with red loctite.  Maybe blue if used at all? I use red when approp working on gun actions - have to remove, requires lotsa heat with a torch and ruins the temper. JS.

[da prez]

  Ball end allen wrenches from harbor freight. They are about 6 inches long and work well. Catch them on sale and use the 20% coupon.  They will be about $15.00. More uses than the air tube.

                                da prez

[Chrisj CMA]

Take the exhaust off it’s not a big deal. Even if you break a stud a vice grips will get it out and put the new one in with red lock tite.

Wow.  If you break it again it ain't comin out with red loctite.  Maybe blue if used at all? I use red when approp working on gun actions - have to remove, requires lotsa heat with a torch and ruins the temper. JS.

Ok blue then. But my experience is the red wasn’t as permanent as I thought it would be.

[The emperor has no clothes]

  Ball end allen wrenches from harbor freight. They are about 6 inches long and work well. Catch them on sale and use the 20% coupon.  They will be about $15.00. More uses than the air tube.

                                da prez

It's the only kind of Allen wrenches I buy anymore. 

[gordonv]

IF you remove your exhaust, what I did was remove all the studs, applied anti-seize, and with my power drill, after starting them in, ran them in/out about 10-20 times, to clean out the threads.

I had 1 stub brake (the small side), and 3 that didn't want to come out. Applied heat, and got them out, but the broken one I had a nut welded onto it before I could remove it.

Make sure that the gaskets come out. You got to get on your back and look up under the head and maybe use a pick to remove them.