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Author Topic: Can the stock exhaust be welded?  (Read 1285 times)
Rams
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So many colors to choose from yet so few stand out

Covington, TN


« on: April 21, 2021, 05:50:23 PM »

The New to Me Trike I just got has an exhaust pipe broken at the muffler.  It's the middle cylinder, left side.

Can that be welded back up.   Was told it would have to be TIG welded.   Have no idea.

Rams
« Last Edit: April 21, 2021, 05:53:12 PM by Rams » Logged

VRCC# 29981
Learning the majority of life's lessons the hard way.

Every trip is an adventure, enjoy it while it lasts.
Rams
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So many colors to choose from yet so few stand out

Covington, TN


« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2021, 07:21:09 PM »

Is it even worth the effort and cost?

Rams
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VRCC# 29981
Learning the majority of life's lessons the hard way.

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Skinhead
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Troy, MI


« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2021, 07:22:35 PM »

I converted mine to glasspacks with a MIG welder, no special wire.
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Bigwolf
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Cookeville, TN


« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2021, 07:56:40 PM »

That can be easily welded!  Nothing hard or special about it!
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Rams
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So many colors to choose from yet so few stand out

Covington, TN


« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2021, 02:08:26 AM »

Well, maybe it's worth the time, effort and money to try and save them.   I guess we'll find out this weekend.   Thanks for the replies.

Rams
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VRCC# 29981
Learning the majority of life's lessons the hard way.

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Bagger John - #3785
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« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2021, 08:16:51 AM »

One thing to think about with a welded or patched exhaust is how to prevent rust and further deterioration. It's a little difficult to re-chrome the head pipes when they're attached to the muffler bodies. What I'm planning on doing with a set I have - whose head pipes were pitted slightly but have been steel-wooled back smooth - is to have them coated with high-temp ceramic. Ceramac used to be popular back in the day, but any durable, heat resistant ceramic coating should protect them for years.

Mine will be gloss black, as will the transition shields on each side.
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Valkorado
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Gunnison, Colorado (7,703') Here there be twisties.


« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2021, 09:26:03 AM »

Good ?.  

Anyone ever repaired what seems to be a hairline leak somewhere around the can?  I can't even tell exactly where it comes from, but it's right around that left can.  I  hear the ping after rides.
« Last Edit: April 23, 2021, 10:48:47 PM by Valkorado » Logged

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h13man
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« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2021, 10:35:30 AM »

TIG weld with SS rod, clean up good after weld, take a torch and slowly heat up welded area until gold in color, cool, clean again and use VHT high heat over the area to cover weld though if the pipe is already SS ? not really needed.
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MarkT
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« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2021, 11:13:38 AM »

As our ladies are aging I have seen this problem more lately - especially with high mileage and from locations with a lot of corrosion.  I have repaired several OEM exhausts that had broken welds where the header tubes enter the muffler can - in conjunction with a glasspack mod. This is for exhausts with broken welds, not broken pipes further upstream - broken welds is almost always the problem on this issue.  How it's done properly, is to put the pipes on a custom jig which holds the relationship between the headers and muffler can in the OEM position.  Tack (MIG) weld it on opposite sides of each header pipe, to the muffler can.  Honda's welds on the exhaust are MIG - TIG is pretty but not necessary and MIG is strong and fast.  Put my usual scribe marks around the perimeter of the muffler can and cut it apart about 3/8" downstream of the weep hole.  Throughly weld the ends of the header pipes inside the muffler can - where the headers were welded in the first place by Honda.  Welding on the outside where the pipes enter the can is inadequate as you cannot weld towards the middle between the pipes.  Also you MUST have a jig already set up to align the headers to the can correctly.  With this procedure the weld junction is much stronger than Honda did it.

The headers are carbon steel while the muffler end plate is SS.  I don't know the alloy.

After the weld repair, I then continue with a glasspack mod.  That is, weld in my custom header collector (with a crossover nipple if that was ordered) before welding in a glasspack and re-welding the muffler can back on.  And adding whatever other options were ordered.  There are of course more procedures needed that must be done for the assembly to be valid and for it to fit back on the bike.  This is just a brief summary of this repair.

Inside view of one of these repairs:

« Last Edit: April 22, 2021, 11:24:38 AM by MarkT » Logged


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Rams
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So many colors to choose from yet so few stand out

Covington, TN


« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2021, 02:24:20 PM »

Thanks for the responses, won't know anything till we get them off this weekend.

Will let you all know what we find.

Rams
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VRCC# 29981
Learning the majority of life's lessons the hard way.

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