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Softail 1988 50,000 miles
The exhaust studs on both front and rear cylinders are in bad shape, and need replacing, as I'm getting blow-back, and popping on over-run. I've seen on some custom bikes that the studs are replaced with alan bolts, screwed straight into the heads. Is this a good idea, or should I stay with the conventional studs?
Thanks for your advice
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Studs are the best way. Eventually you'll tear the threads out of the head with allens, then more problems down the road.
Ron
__________________ 07 Softail Custom
V&H BSS
Screaming Eagle Heavy Breather
Screaming Eagle Big Twin Compensator
Tmax
Harley Blade 41681-07 wheel
The puppy lasted until fall. Now in teardown mode for new build
Studs are the way to go. Steel bolts going into aluminum heads are an accident (stripping) waiting to happen. Much easier to remove and replace stud (when the nut end is strip) than it is to either helicoil or weld up/retap the head....
__________________
2009 BMW K1300GT
2008 Custom Bagger
124" S&S Single Bore, VFI, Rolling Thunder 200mm Frame
Baker DD6, Bub 7 True Duals, Dakota Digital Gauges
Brembo Brakes
If the studs become broken, we mount the head in a fixture and configure the power head on one of the milling machines, to the correct angle, and drill the old stud out, and in a lot of cases, the original threads are left intact.
Scott
__________________
PALMER BROS.
HILLSIDE MOTORCYCLE & MACHINE, INC.
5225 S. MAIN ST., MUNNSVILLE, N.Y. 13409
315-495-6650 www.hillsidecycle.com or .net
"Repairing Broken Torque Curves For Over 28 Years."
Land Speed Record Power
OK, thanks for all the advice. Studs it is. Now the obvious next bit. Since the threads are shot, I can't get two nuts onto the stud to wind it out that way, and access is tricky for stud removal grips (the one I've got has soft faces to reduce damage). Any tricks of the trade?
Thanks
Can you get one nut on? If so, hit it with a brazing rod or MIG/TIG welder? I am not a welding expert, so I don't know which would be better. If that fails, pull the head and take it to a machine shop.
Get a nut on there and braze , mig, or tig it to the stud, depending on what you have to work with. All will work for you. Let it cool before wrenching it off. This will let the stud shrink an will be easier to get out.
Ron
__________________ 07 Softail Custom
V&H BSS
Screaming Eagle Heavy Breather
Screaming Eagle Big Twin Compensator
Tmax
Harley Blade 41681-07 wheel
The puppy lasted until fall. Now in teardown mode for new build
Exhaust studs stripped
07 Softail Custom
