Looking for suggestions on resolving a recurring problem.

My 2010 WG had SE performance mufflers at first. The exhaust stud in the aluminum tranny case sheared off after about 6 months when the bike had about 6,000 miles.

The H-D dealer accepted it as a warranty issue. H-D replaced the tranny case under warranty rather than drilling out and replacing the stud.

About a year ago I replaced the mufflers with a D & D fatcat 2-1 exhaust and did some work on the motor. The problems with the exhaust have continued. The exhaust bracket that bolts to the tranny spilt totally in two. D & D replaced the bracket under its warranty.

Knowing that this is a problem area I check the bolts, studs, and bracket every tank of case. It is not unusual to have to tighten one or more of the exhaust bracket nuts and bolts, the tranny studs, or the header bolts. They all loosen up.

Well, the tranny stud just sheared off again. There is about 3 months left on the warranty so H-D might warrant it again, but I am thinking it might be best to:

1. Drill out the stud and replace it with a higher strength stud, and/or

2. Have a different exhaust bracket, or an additional bracket, installed to take the strain off the one existing braket, and/or

3. Use lock-tite when it is reassembled to try to eliminate the loosening.

Is anyone else having these problems with their 2010-2012 WG? Any ideas? Thanks.

 

900 miles into my new WG I had 2 of the studs sheared off and the third unseated itself.....the dealer handled with the warranty, but instead of replacing the case they helicoiled all 3. Haven't had a problem with it yet (8000 miles later). I remember looking this up online and seemed quite a few WG and Fat Bob owners were running into the same problem. I'm glad they helicoiled it as my thinking was I would have run into the same problem with a new case and same studs as before.