Easy way to trash an inner primary ... Seen some guys configure a piece of steel as a wear piece

 

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. Right now, it seems to have adequate clearance. A 26-tooth might've been a bridge too far...

Oh, BTW I am running a standard diamond chain, not an O-ring version. Scant lateral clearance with that fat Michelin rubber on the rear, whose profile has the sidewall wider than the tread face. I was stuck with that situation or would've had to invest in a new rim and spokes, so keep it as it came to me (chrome is in good shape and no damage, so what the heck).

Those tires handle great, though. With the 21" front hoop, the matched set is a standard offering for modern Harley bikes, so easy to find on sale.

 

On the phone with Paughco. I suddenly developed a bad miss yesterday, looked down and saw that the rear pipe was doing the Wah-Toosie. It hadn't fallen out because I discovered the nifty fasteners shown in the first two pics. But still worked loose a bit, creating a pretty healthy leak (3rd pic) --which I guess caused the miss (won't know until I seal it back up).

Also caused this weird metal transfer... looks almost like solder or something (4th and 5th pics).

Anyway, the final image shows the cause of the chief issue: the flange is welded on crooked--nowhere near close enough to compress the copper crush ring all the way around. So, Paughco asked me to email the picture showing the misalignment and the gentleman on the phone said he'd try to figure out what to do. I told him I could cut the welds and reattach it... but there goes that lovely chrome. Frankly, I don't know how they resolve this other than to replace the rear pipe or have me mail it back for repair and re-chroming... but in my experience with plating charges for my side business, they'd have to toss it in with a production lot or pay through the nose--which means my bike would be out of commission for an extended period.

Hope they just send me another rear pipe...

 

Who makes the tires?

 

Front: Michellin Commander II, 90/90-21

Rear: Michellin Commander II, 140/90-16

 

I have them on the front of my 98 and they are a great tire..

 

The base course (dirt and gravel) spur off the highway gets really washboarded, and the PO just had the battery sitting in there wrapped in a rag. Hmmm...

Anyway, I couldn't find a battery hold-down that I llked, so grabbed a scrap of 1/4" aluminum bar and made one up (1st pic). Crude but effective. This is before I screwed on the locking nuts... I leave the all-thread very long because it's easier to install the bolts that way, but also because I slip connecting rod bolt assembly covers over them, so I have a way to easily insulate the negative cable end if working on the bike (2nd pic). That big coil is the plug for the O2 sensor, which just lives under the seat for the time being...

I've got a slab of silicone or rubber or something I grabbed from Lowe's underneath the battery. It's left over from the mods I did to the Harbor Freight tire changer, so I could mount my own rubber (3rd pic).

 

To my disppointment, Paughco decided to install one of their pipes on a shovelhead in their shop and report back to me that that pipe fit just fine.

Irrelevant, of course. We're taking about the pipe they sold to me.

Here are some more photos clearing showing that the flange on the rear pipe is not only jigged improperly, so that the bolt pulls one side against the port while the opposite side won't touch; it is also bowed in the other direction, or at 3 and 9 o'clock (if the bolt is 12 o'clock). Presumably the flange was distorted when stamped, overheated when welding... who knows.

But bottom line? These Paughco side-by-side shotguns are nice-looking pipes but they needed three or four adjustments to fit (see easier post), and ultimately are not serviceable as to the rear pipe.

I still have my fingers crossed that when they see these additional photos, they'll do the right thing and send me another, properly manufactured rear pipe. Otherwise, I'll have to make up a custom ring with a flat top mating surface and a bottom surface that's all cattywampus to match the flange.

 

Back in the day there were more than a few Shovels with doubled up exhaust gaskets..
One of the copper O ring type combined with the style you have now
Not elegant, but it worked ..

 

Well, should they refuse to do the right thing, I will try that--thank you. I've checked out some crimp-ring part numbers and found them on eBay with free shipping, just in case I need to go that route.

Yesterday I was contemplating sending these knuckleheads the order entered a few days ago by the federal judge presiding over the case that resulted from the last time a company refused to do the right thing after selling me a product that didn't perform as advertised (Tesla, Inc., which settled with me on 10/16 after delaying the inevitable for a year). But frankly I'd like to devote my time to messing about with motorcycles. I'm retired, darn it!

Another reason to try that solution if Paughco's business model is "sell whatever we crank out and to the devil with customers," is that after a fortnight of rainy days, it looks like it might clear up in time for the El Cabezon ride on the 15th. So, I may need a band-aid, interim solution even if Paughco does the right thing. The Saddleman Tactical tail bag came in, and looks like it'll work very well with the vintage-style chrome rack I put on the rear fender. Doesn't touch the top pipe or my tool box on the opposite side, and doesn't look bad with the bikes' aesthetic, either.

I am going to weld up a little fixture that'll bolt to the rear of the rack and keep the bag from shifting forward when hitting the brakes, and which will allow immediate removal from the bike, too. But the supplied strap system and the bag's built-in rigidity are otherwise excellent. I will post some pics later today or tomorrow.