Cobra 6 into 6 Half Beauty and Half Beast

[rugguy]

I just put a set of used Cobras on my I/S. They are in good condition with only the usual bluing on the header pipes. Other than that they look brand new. I love the look and sound of the pipes...at the rear of the pipes anyway. But where they bolt up into the block looks like a couple of student welders from shop class designed and assembled them. Flimsy, and floppy flanges that feel like they are bending while tightening the header nuts and exposed welds below the sleeves. And the gap between the flanges and the block shows about a half an inch of the studs which is butt ugly...to me anyway. I guess I am just used to everything looking right and tight on Valkyries.

I'm pretty sure they are installed correctly. Although I challenge anyone to show me how they use a torque wrench on some of the header nuts. And yes, I removed the old header gaskets before installing the new ones. If you have Cobras does your installation look like this too? Did you change out your header studs?

[hubcapsc]

While you're waiting for an actual Cobra owner to chime in, I have to ask...

Did you use OEM gaskets or those thick incompressible fiber gaskets?

The OEM ones might do the job and mash down closer to hide some of the studs...

-Mike

[rugguy]

OEM Copper. And If I continued to tighten beyond torque I was concerned about either snapping a stud or bending the flange. As you can see from the photo they were already flexing a little.

[hubcapsc]

OEM Copper. And If I continued to tighten beyond torque I was concerned about either snapping a stud or bending the flange. As you can see from the photo they were already flexing a little.

Yeah, those things will snap off and leave you with a mess to fix. I just mentioned
it because I had a set of those thick fiber ones once...

I know that the OEM ones mash down a little and need retightened after
each ride for  a few times after you install them...

-Mike

[Chrisj CMA]

OEM Copper. And If I continued to tighten beyond torque I was concerned about either snapping a stud or bending the flange. As you can see from the photo they were already flexing a little.

You cannot tighten those nuts with new copper gaskets in one try.  You must go out to the bike every couple hours the first day and before and after every ride for a week or so and snug them puppies up.  It will look a little better when the gaskets are squished all the way down.  If you haven't re tightened them since initial installation they are loose now.

[rugguy]

Thanks. I did expect to have to retighten after the first few rides. But they will never tighten up enough to bolt up flush like the OEM pipes did. If this looks right to you I will just stop bitching about it and enjoy them. But they sure are ugly at this end of the exhaust. They are the "butterface" of exhaust pipes.

[Chrisj CMA]

Thanks. I did expect to have to retighten after the first few rides. But they will never tighten up enough to bolt up flush like the OEM pipes did. If this looks right to you I will just stop bitching about it and enjoy them. But they sure are ugly at this end of the exhaust. They are the "butterface" of exhaust pipes.

Get them all tight and then quit looking under there 

[Simmy74]

Not sure how you went about the install, but I found it worked best to support them with a board (not use the hanger) first, and get the headers fitted and finger tight before bolting to the hanger. 

And be careful,  it doesn't take much to snap the studs.  7 to 9 Inch-pounds, not foot-pounds if I remember correctly.

[MountaineerSTi]

Hey Rugguy!

Glad you are (mostly) liking the exhaust

The only "trick" I ever used installing them (but this was way back when I had my '99), was to leave the pipes loosely attached to each other - since they are really individual pipes, I would not bolt them together completely/tightly until I had cinched up the nuts on the headers. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the amount of stud left showing (on that 99 or when I unmounted those from this 97).

We use a swivel-head socket and extension to put the header nuts on; I think that's as close to being able to get a near accurate torque on them.

you could always "paint" them with some silver exhaust gasket/sealant 

I hope you enjoy!

[rugguy]

Went out for a two hour ride with them and I no longer care what they look like. They are friggin beasts! Just what I was hoping for in sound. I will paint the studs for now but will replace them this winter. Thanks for all the input.

[Hook#3287]

Went out for a two hour ride with them and I no longer care what they look like. They are friggin beasts! Just what I was hoping for in sound. I will paint the studs for now but will replace them this winter. Thanks for all the input.

I've got a set of Cobras on my Bobber and they look just like yours.  My studs look just slightly better

Mine have the baffles in.  They sound great.

[Edvalk]

There's nothing like the look and sound of cobras   Love mine.