Tail Pipe Expander

[Dave77459]

I have some popping on decel that has been traced back to an incomplete connection of my tail pipe to the headers/Y. I am running Road King / Harley Touring pipes, and they have always been a bear to install. I've not been able to get them to expand enough to slip on, so I end up whacking them to force them on. I'm not a fan of that.

 

Can I use this Harbor Freight Large Tail Pipe Expander? Or maybe the medium or small?

 

I mean, is this the right sort of tool for this job?

 

Dave

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/370x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_480.jpg

[Bubber]

I have some popping on decel that has been traced back to an incomplete connection of my tail pipe to the headers/Y. I am running Road King / Harley Touring pipes, and they have always been a bear to install. I've not been able to get them to expand enough to slip on, so I end up whacking them to force them on. I'm not a fan of that.

 

Can I use this Harbor Freight Large Tail Pipe Expander? Or maybe the medium or small?

 

I mean, is this the right sort of tool for this job?

 

Dave

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/370x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_480.jpg

 

That is what I would use. Be carefull to go overboard and make it to big.

Bubber

[Dave77459]

That is what I would use. Be carefull to go overboard and make it to big.

 

Bubber

 

You would carefully make it too big? I gather you are one of those that believes size matters?

 

Dave

[SilvrT]

I have the RK slash-cut mufflers. Had no issues getting them to fit but I also have a lot of popping, etc going on during deceleration. I've plugged the AIS. I'm wondering if mine is due to drilling out the baffles?

[Bubber]

You would carefully make it too big? I gather you are one of those that believes size matters?

 

Dave

 

 

SIZE DOES MATTER!!!!!!!!

But ifin your pipe is to big then you won't be able to get it to fit properly and you will have to do the job by hand. :moon: Oh ya don't make the exhaust pipe to big either. LOL

Bubber

[birin]

I just took them to a local muffler shop up the street. They expanded them in a matter of minutes for no charge

Worked well (I had to verify that if they over expanded it was not going to be their fault)

[bkuhr]

used this tool on auto exhaust, designed to re-round pipes where u-bolts compressed back to original pipe diameter. could not get it to expand pipe to larger diameter, broke tool.

[Eagle77]

This past Friday I put the RK pipes on my RSV. No real problem. I did have to usa a wood block on the end of the pipes and tap them fairly hard to get them on in the correct position. I also invested in a pair of crome muffler clamps made for this applicaton. So far sounds good and no pops.

Hope yours will end up working as weell

[Dave77459]

I just took them to a local muffler shop up the street. They expanded them in a matter of minutes for no charge

Worked well (I had to verify that if they over expanded it was not going to be their fault)

 

That sounds like a pretty good solution.

 

used this tool on auto exhaust, designed to re-round pipes where u-bolts compressed back to original pipe diameter. could not get it to expand pipe to larger diameter, broke tool.

 

:-( So you had a pipe that you tightened with a clamp, and used this tool to expand the "crimped" place? Then it broke?

 

This past Friday I put the RK pipes on my RSV. No real problem. I did have to usa a wood block on the end of the pipes and tap them fairly hard to get them on in the correct position. I also invested in a pair of crome muffler clamps made for this applicaton. So far sounds good and no pops.

Hope yours will end up working as weell

 

I had them on, but had to take them off to change the tire. This last time I put them back on I broke the block I was using to pound it on. I thought I got it on all the way, but I guess not. :-(

 

Dave

[Squidley]

Dave,

Make sure that the exhaust headers are super clean. Use some emory cloth to shine them up. I have also used a large flathead screwdriver to tweak the ends open. If you want I could shoot down to your place and give you a hand if you like.

[bkuhr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkuhr

used this tool on auto exhaust, designed to re-round pipes where u-bolts compressed back to original pipe diameter. could not get it to expand pipe to larger diameter, broke tool.

 

:-( So you had a pipe that you tightened with a clamp, and used this tool to expand the "crimped" place? Then it broke?

 

 

 

bought this tool to expand a pipe to fit outside another, would not do it, it broke, designed only to return crimps back to orginal.

[Condor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkuhr

 

bought this tool to expand a pipe to fit outside another, would not do it, it broke, designed only to return crimps back to orginal.

 

Yep, broke mine too. I did get the pipe expanded. I used an air impact, and probably overkill... I'd suggest if anyone's going to buy one of these things to use it quick and then take it back to HB for a refund.... after it breaks...

[Squeeze]

Warming up the Pipe to be expanded does help on mild Steel Pipes.

 

Didn't work too much on my stainless, though ...

 

Cheap China Stuff will work but not when the Tool you need to use is a real professional Tool.

[Dave77459]

Thanks y'all for your thoughts and experiences. I suppose I'll skip this tool.

 

Dave,

 

Make sure that the exhaust headers are super clean. Use some emory cloth to shine them up. I have also used a large flathead screwdriver to tweak the ends open. If you want I could shoot down to your place and give you a hand if you like.

 

I'm shooting you a PM about this and another matter.

 

Dave

[SilvrT]

SIZE DOES MATTER!!!!!!!!

But ifin your pipe is to big then you won't be able to get it to fit properly and you will have to do the job by hand. :moon: Oh ya don't make the exhaust pipe to big either. LOL

 

Bubber

 

I thought that's what the "expander" was for ? :eek: :D

[Dave77459]

So, I got the medium sized tail pipe expander. The first use was to expand the hitch coupling on my new trailer. It worked there as a definite kludge.

 

Today I used it to reinstall my Harley pipes. I am happy to report that it worked very well. Keeping in mind the reports of it breaking, I was gentle on it. It got the job done on the muffler and the muffler bracket. I didn't even need to tap on the exhaust pipes to get them on! What a difference!

 

Sure it's cheap, but it worked for me.

 

Dave