Holy Crap! What I thought would be a simple project turned into a three day event. Last month, I traded my 2012 Ultra for a 2016 Ultra. One of the many accessories that I had added was a set of 4" Rinehart slip-ons - Probably the best upgrade I've done to date so rather than donating them to the dealer, I kept them for the new bike.

Well I thought the new ride would look better with chrome end caps instead of the black so I ordered a set. After all, how hard could it be to remove six screws, pull the old caps and put the new ones on? I'll answer my own question - It was a BITCH. I could only get two of the six screws out. As you know they're hex heads with thread lock which even after carefully selecting the correct size hex wrench, still stripped the heads.

So I end up heading to the hardware store for a screw extractor which I've never had much success with. Much to my surprise, I drill them out (1/8" bit) and the extractor bit turns three of the remaining four out. (I broke the drill bit in the last one.) After carefully drilling with a larger bit, I get the head off enough to get the end cap out.

I end up sacrificing the black caps (no big deal I guess). I drill two 3/8" holes through the end caps so I can put a rod through just to beat the end cap out of the pipe. After a while it lets loose and slides out however the baffle comes with it. I thought I had ruined the muffler. After several messages back and forth with Rinehart, they explain to me the assembly process. Everything is simply pressed together - Baffle into pipe and end cap into baffle. So with some persuasion, I get the end cap off the baffle.

That was the hardest part. Now after carefully inserting the baffle into the pipe, I extra carefully line the end cap up with the screw holes making sure the Rinehart logo is on top. Press it all together and finally all the hard work pays off. The look and sound awesome.

Maybe if they weren't four years old things would have been easier. Hope this shines a little light in the project in case anyone is considering the change. It's definitely not as easy as you might think it should be.

 

Good times! LoL

 

Next time, go for a ride, get the mufflers hot, then try to break the bolts loose with a ratchet type hex socket, wait to cool, then remove, Make sure it is the exact size, SAE or Metric. I have been guilty of using the wrong one and stripping the head, very frustrating. It might come out easier when hot.

 

I hate f-in with exhausts that have been on for a while. When I put my new ones on I usually coat everything I can with anti-size. Even then it sucks to mess with anything that has a lot of heat cycles on it.

 

Hope you went back together using never seize. I too wanted to change my Rinehart tips on a brand new pair of mufflers. One hole was drilled and threaded at something besides 90 degrees, and two other holes had the screw holes stripped from what I guess was running them in with powered tools. These were brand new, straight from Rinehart mufflers and caps. I ended up getting Performance Machine chrome tips, and they fit and look great.

 

PB Blaster FTW!