Doing a mod where I am changing out stock headers on a 2012 Road King with a pre-cat set of headers, Monster Ovals, fuel pack and stage 1 air kit...


Got the stock pipes off, no problem but...


My issue for now is getting those (I guess '09) non-cat, stock headers back on. I spent almost all night last night trying to fit these pipes I got from the same guy who sold me the monster ovals. Is there a trick to get more threads to show past the flange? I can't seem to get enough threads (otherwise I may have stripped the nut when taking it off) to even hand thread 2 of the 4 on. The flange didn't sit straight initially either, and I tightened one nut on each (front and back) and couldn't get the 2nd one to thread. I used a mallet and a screwdriver to push it back towards the heads, and I seemed to get a little more thread exposed. I'm worried that "forcing" the flange may have disrupted the threads on the bolts, or it could be that I simply need to get a new set of nuts. Not sure if they make better nuts or anything... Anyone have any tricks for getting the flange on well enough from the start? Or has experienced the same and found resolution to this?


Input appreciated.... KW

 

Are the gaskets seated properly? Do you have the right gaskets? .. I've done several sets of head pipes and I've never had to beat them on.

 

Yes.... New gaskets. Took the old ones out, which weren't horrible, but I wanted fresh ones anyway. They sat perfectly.

 

U must have something misaligned then.. I literally did a set last weekend and they went straight on

 

Not sure how I can have them misaligned... The bracket below the "Six Speed" was on (leaving forward and back play out of it) and the pipes could only move rotate/pivot up and down from there.


The head pipes from an '09 are the same configuration as the '12? I know that O2 sensors are in different places. The guy who sold them to me had them on his 2013 road glide, so it's not wrong size...

 

Where are the O2 sensor bungs located? Up high by the header inlet or down low in the collector?

2010 Limited with some stuff

 

Massage the front header partially on first while lining up the rear, then massage on the rear and press them both all the way seated.

 

KWaller unless your using a PC5 or other type of programmer that allows you to delete the O2 sensors your wasting your time installing an 09 header on your 2012 bike.

2010 Limited with some stuff

 

It's tricky. Get, I think the back one on line up in the hole, watch the mount at the bottom and pull/rotate the front one in place. It will go. Took me time to figure it out.

I remember throwing the flange bolts in loosely just to hold the pipe from falling out.

 

Agree......people just say "use a pipe from an '09! It will work! " my god, why play the games. It's not right!