Muffler removal question ... gasket?? bent washers??

[Mad Dog]

I am working on getting the rear tire off my 06 RSV, and it's going good. Taking my time. I do have a couple of questions now though. I got the muffler off, but I don't see any gasket at all. I'm sure I didn't miss it..??? did I??? Looks like it was metal to metal tightened with the band clamp... no gasket at all. Is that possible???

 

Also as I was loosening the band clamp that holds the muffler on, two bent washers fell out of somewhere. I'd guess they go between the clamp band and the outside of the muffler tabs?? Is that right? Do they go in any special place - top & bottom?? Side and side?

 

Other than that I think it's going well ... but stay tuned!

 

TIA

 

Mike

[Bert2006]

Dont know about the washers but on mine there is no gasket either. I make sure to coat the joint with anti-seize whenever I have to take them off and on.

[Freebird]

All the stock mufflers I've seen have gaskets. They are very thin and usually stay inside the muffler. About, I don't know, maybe 3" long and something like 1/16" thick...like a tube. Most of the aftermarket mufflers and/or Harley mufflers that people use do NOT have the gaskets. It has been my experience that if you put the stock mufflers on without gaskets, they will not tighten up properly.

[Freebird]

Here's a picture that I just took of the stock muffler with gasket.

[Mad Dog]

All the stock mufflers I've seen have gaskets. They are very thin and usually stay inside the muffler. About, I don't know, maybe 3" long and something like 1/16" thick...like a tube. Most of the aftermarket mufflers and/or Harley mufflers that people use do NOT have the gaskets. It has been my experience that if you put the stock mufflers on without gaskets, they will not tighten up properly.

 

Hmmmm ... if they are that thin maybe I missed them. I was not too sure what I was looking for, and didn't expect something that thin.

[MikeWa]

The gasket is actually a very fine woven mesh. If it should stuck to the pipe and the muffler pulling things apart can be very difficult. I had one where the gasket stretched out to over two feet long. A thorough pain to get off. So when you put the muffler back on coat the inside of the gasket with some anti-seize. Just saying.

 

Mike

 

Oh and if the gasket wasn't in place the muffler would have been very loose.

[Mad Dog]

I think the gaskets are there... they are pushed into the mufflers an inch or so. Pretty sure thats what I'm looking at. The mufflers certainly weren't loose!