Topic: keep stock Headers (Read 9283 times)

dragon35s · « **on:** September 18, 2009, 11:55:44 AM »

Does anyone out there know how to keep my stock Headers but take out the CAT? I am planing on putting on the SE Slip-ons, Thunder-Max Auto Tuner, when I return to my ride. But I want to keep the Stock Headers as that is part of the look for the Fat Bob

Busterbrown · « **Reply #1 on:** September 18, 2009, 01:52:57 PM »

I am planning on doing the same very shortly after getting a $109 ticket for too much noise out of my Vance and Hines double barrel. The exhaust needs to be cut where the pipes go from 2 into one. The cat is in there and will be cut out. I am then going to remove the rivets that hold the stock baffle in place and put in a Big City Thunder QQ series baffle. This will leave the stock look with much better flow. I will post the reults when complete

Gutter Man · « **Reply #2 on:** September 18, 2009, 02:04:14 PM »

I cut the cat out of mine. You will have to take the header off the bike and of course take off the heat shields. then with a saws all cut the pipe off at the weld on either side of the pipe were the cat is. The cat can be a beotch to get out if you dont have an air chisel but it can be done. then weld the pipe back together and you are ready to go again. It is about a 3 beer job.

Gutter man

Busterbrown · « **Reply #3 on:** September 18, 2009, 02:53:04 PM »

Did you change the mufflers at all? What kind of fueler did you use?

Gutter Man · « **Reply #4 on:** September 19, 2009, 08:35:58 AM »

I have a tts mastertune that works very well.
I gutted the stock mufflers and bought 2 12" by 2" baffles, drilled a 2" hole in the rear cap that rivets to the back of the muffler. Then I welded the baffle to the pipe and the pipe to the end cap. It looks stock except the pipe is bigger and it sounds great. It was well worth the effort. Also I did gain some power according to my butt dyno. cost was less than $100. I should mention that i did try many combinations of different things before I ended up with the setup I have now.

Busterbrown · « **Reply #5 on:** September 19, 2009, 09:05:58 AM »

Well done. I have also tried some different exhaust combos .The stock set up is crazy, way too much heat and no sound. I then put on a set of Vance and Hines Double barrel and had the beast dyno tuned with a PC-V.the bike runs so much better and way cooler, I loved the sound right up until I got my fine!! I then order a QQ series baffel from Big City Thunder and replaced the Vance and Hines baffel. It was a little quieter and had a deeper sound but was not exactley what I wanted. I have a set of Vance and Hines Big Radius 2-1 arriving today that I will install . I had these pipes on my Softail and loved the looks and sound . I found a set of Screamin Eagle slip on exhaust from my softail that I may remove the baffels from and put in the stock CVO Fat Bob cans when I do the conversions. You must have noticed a hugh drop in the heat generated by the conversion you did. My wife is starting to get pissed about all of the exhaust systems that are in our spare bedroom, I also have a 2009 Muscle that I have put on three different exhaust systems before I was happy!!!!

dragon35s · « **Reply #6 on:** September 20, 2009, 08:55:47 AM »

Hey thanks for the tips but I don't have the tools nor the skill to make those mods. I have found a set of BUB Lakesters that will keep the look of the exhaust and have a new sound.

http://bub.com/Harley-Davidson_Dyna.cfm?pa=detail&zsb=0&pn=05%2D3050CG

here take a look at these All Lakesters are available in “Long” and “Mid” lengths, with “Flush Cut” and “Stagger Cut” configurations. and have different end caps.

I think they look great has anyone heard them or used them? and feed back would be great.

harris48cars · « **Reply #7 on:** October 07, 2009, 10:17:36 PM »

Gutterman, I am thinking of removing the mufflers then running a 5/8" drill bit, attached to a hammer drill up in to the cat material. Hopefully breaking it up. How hard is the cat material to loosen? I've done this several times on cars. Then I will remove the material with a vacuum cleaner hose. From your experience, does this sound doable?
Gary

Gutter Man · « **Reply #8 on:** October 11, 2009, 07:23:49 PM »

I dont think the hammer drill is going to do the trick. you can try though. I think the air chisel or a sawsall may work better and loosen it up from around the inside of the pipe. The material that the cat is made of seems to be real tough and is hard to get off the inside of the pipe without the proper tools.
Gutter man

wdforty · « **Reply #9 on:** November 15, 2009, 02:00:05 PM »

Definitely not gonna be possible to get all the cat material out of the pipes without splitting them. Local muffler shop cut mine removed the platinum (I believe that's the material) and re-welded for 30 bucks. Sound and Performance is great. Engine would lug real bad around 2k rpm and that is now gone. Best 30 bucks ever spent.

harris48cars · « **Reply #10 on:** November 21, 2009, 01:10:40 AM »

I think I will try the hammer drill bit as I can always cut the exhaust if I have to. My bike is for sale but I'm always doing stuff to it. I just added the SE slip-ons. I'll wait for spring before I do the deed. I might get a buyer in the mean time.
Gary

jarhead · « **Reply #11 on:** February 16, 2010, 10:04:06 AM »

Can I do this without any other mods or do I need to re tune or anything else.
Thanks

Busterbrown · « **Reply #12 on:** February 23, 2010, 02:20:10 PM »

I took my header off and had the cat removed at our local muffler shop. He said it was a real bitch to get out . I also installed a set of Screamin EAGLE mufflers and it sounds great. I have tried Vance and Hines double barrel and the big radius 2-1. This set up produces the best sound so far

mjb765 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 28, 2010, 07:27:42 PM »

Quote from: jarhead on February 16, 2010, 10:04:06 AM

Can I do this without any other mods or do I need to re tune or anything else.
Thanks

A re-map is a good idea. The stock map is too lean from the factory and now you have a better flowing exhaust (and hopefully a better air cleaner) that will just make it leaner. A re-map will make it run like a whole different bike.

jarhead · « **Reply #14 on:** March 05, 2010, 08:17:03 PM »

Well guys i did all the above took out the converter (defenitly not doing this job without cutting the pipe) put a Power V Commander on her and changed the slip ons to some Rush 2.0 slip ons. It sounds great and no more lag.
My only issue and this may be normal is I am getting a little poping or backfiring when I throttle down. Is this normal or should I be looking for something.
Jerry

Busterbrown · « **Reply #15 on:** March 13, 2010, 09:36:24 AM »

The popping is a lean condition . The solution is to add fuel at the 0 % throttle position. I added 10 % from 0-2500 rpm.

jarhead · « **Reply #16 on:** March 16, 2010, 09:02:55 PM »

Thanks Busterbrown I will try that, the only thing that sucks is I ordered the Commander and told them everything I was doing to the bike and they said it would be ready to install with all the settings in it from them. To top it off they sent me the installation instructions for the wrong style bike so I had to figure out how to cram all those new wires and box in there myself and its not going to be easy to get to so I can reprogram it.

rkoch · « **Reply #17 on:** May 13, 2010, 10:27:41 PM »

Hey guys, I took off my headers this weekend and removing the CAT was pretty easy, BUT I cut it right in half first with a chop saw, then used a 3/8" drill bit and drilled around the perimeter inside of each half about 20 times. Take a large channel lock plier and yank it out, clean up the loose stuff, no prob. You have to reweld it anyway, might as well be right in the middle. When done, I bought a $9 dollar can of black hi-temp header paint, sprayed it and done deal (grind your weld down first!). I have a set of QQ's I put back on with gutted stock mufflers, way too ridiculously loud even for me. So now I removed the QQ's and installed a pair of 1.75" Rush slip-on's (I swear EVERYONE has a spare exhaust for these things!). I just ordered a Power Commander V today, so will install next week and remap. Will keep you all posted - RK.

rkoch · « **Reply #18 on:** May 19, 2010, 01:43:00 PM »

OK, done modifying exhaust now, it is SWEET. Bike runs so much cooler now with CAT removed, love the sound of the 1.75" RUSH mufflers installed, am getting many, many complements on the deep sound ( what I was striving for). Not overly loud when just cruising along, but you crack the throttle and you hear it! I swear the torque is better too, but I still plan to install a Power Commander V and dyno to dial in properly.

Moral of the story, if you want a nice sound, remove the cat converter and install 1.75" Rush mufflers. - RK.

gabe · « **Reply #19 on:** May 22, 2010, 07:05:41 AM »

removed the cats had my customize mufflers fitted sound great out to chrome will post pics on bike in next week

AussieEagle · « **Reply #20 on:** June 15, 2010, 02:25:27 AM »

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=50439.msg744041#msg744041

Author Topic: keep stock Headers (Read 9283 times)