Yesterday I decided to gut the exhaust on my 2002. What I did: 1. I took the exhaust off the bike (took about 10 minutes and that was because I needed some PB Blaster to loosen the bolts where the exhaust slips on) 2. Removed the heat shields (2 minutes) 3. Cut the end caps off, just inside of the wire weld with a band saw (10 minutes because a took a couple of minutes to rig a holder for the canisters) (When the end cap is cut off there are three visible layers that make up the canister. 1- the outer that you see, 2- that the packing is wrapped around, and 3- which house the baffles) 4. I used a pair of vise grips and pulled on the baffle tubes, alternating between the two baffles in each canister to wiggle the inside canisters out and the 2 & 3 layers of the canister came out. (15 minutes because after the cut, there was still some of the weld left which had to be ground down so you could see the separate layers) 5. Weld the end caps back on (25 minutes) - my father in-law did this considering he owns his own fabrication and welding shop 6. Put back on bike, everything lines up perfectly and looks completely stock down to the last detail. 7. Enjoy Sounds AMAZING:thumbsup: I don't know why people are cutting the ends off and then banging with hammers and large chisels to crush the insides out, when they slide out quite easily with a pair of vise grips, unless they are trying to save the inside layer for some reason that I am not aware of. I didn't take any pictures but I going to try to use existing pictures on the forum and mark them up to show if any one has questions. I know I searched this forum and vfrdiscussion for about a week and found some threads but not a whole lot on the process. I'm going to have my brother come over and do a sound test hopefully in the next week or so. My Bike: 2002 VFR800FI Red, BMC Filter, Flapper Disabled, Snorkel Removed His Bike: 2003 VFR800FI Silver, Stock
Sounds pretty simmilar to how I gutted mine...A quick, easy job! Not too sure why some piss around with hammers, chisels, dremels, etc... Enoy the sweet V4 music, dude!!!
I don't know why any one would do it an differently, trying to keep the exhaust on the bike and hammering with chisels seems like there is a lot of room for errors that could completely ruin the exhaust
OK, did all that, but inner guts will not come out!!! Having a heck of a time trying to get it out. Is it attached somewhere on the other side? No tack welds holding the inner baffles in place or anything?? WILL NOT SLIDE OUT!!!
Maybe snap and post a picture of what you've got so far? The only spot physically connecting the baffles to the exhaust can skin is at the tip. Did you cut on the proper side of the weld? You want to cut on the "bike side" of the weld, not the "tip side", otherwise it's still attached! If you have cut through the correct side of the weld, it isn't attached anymore. Maybe your cut bent the outer skin into the exhaust and that small "lip" is holding the baffle in? They aren't attached anymore if you've cut it -- they should slide out. They won't fall out though it WILL take some pulling!
I cut the correct side, I can see all the layers seperated, I can even slide the baffles in about half an inch. But when trying to pull them out (3 big guys have tried including myself) it comes out maybe half an inch past the cut and then something is keeping it from coming out. There are a couple of spot welds on the sides, I'm wondering if maybe when it was manufactured if they burned through a little and that weld is keeping it from sliding out, they are on the back side, towards the inlet... If I drill those out think maybe it will free it?? I can always weld back over the holes...
Ok well, let me rephrase then, there "SHOULDN'T" be anything else holding it in. I had no welds on the sides holding anything in at all. Since I didn't do the partial gut first, I only cut through the outer skin behind the weld and had the whole tip to hold as leverage. Then once removed I cut the tubes off the tip and rewelded. You have to use vice grips, I guess... You can try drilling out those welds I suppose but I don't know if they're holding anything else in (not that there is much else in there other than the baffle). But maybe the fiberglass packing is caught on something and isn't letting you get it out. Either way, once the heat shields are back on you'll never see the surface of the can so you can get kind of messy with it if need be...
Yeah, that's kinda what I was thinking too about the fiberglass packing, but a co worker says it's those friggin spot welds. I guess I'll just have to spend another lunch break *&^%king around with it. I'm still only on the first can, the second one better be easier! Ha :lol:
Well maybe the 2005 was different? I don't know... Good luck, it'll be worth it in the end! I can't imagine what else the spot welds would be doing there. There supposedly is some kind of spark arrestor at the base of the can where it meets the mid pipe but I didn't really look at that or notice it or see how it was attached. Where are the spot welds? I don't know if it would be a burn through of any sort... I'm pretty sure the tips were welded on by a robot. Awesome looking welds.
OK, so got the first baffle assembly out. Pulled just enough out to get a c-clamp on it and smacked the hell out of it, finally came out. Turns out that the other side was wrapped with some sort of stainless braided threading and when they tacked the heat shield on the outside, it burned through (in 2 places) and welded that braided crap to the can. So as a result we could move it a little but the threading was holding it up. I hope this isn't the case on the other side! Lunchtime tomorrow we shall see!!! :biggrin:
Well at the very least you know what to expect from the other side if it gives you the same headache!
And that it did! Same headache! So using the first can as a guide, I drilled out the tack welds where it might be holding that braided thread stuff and VOILA!! Came right out! A little plug weld on both cans, tig the caps back on and we are back in business. A couple more lunch breaks and I'll let everyone know how it came out and how friggin SWEET it sounds.
Here we go, one end cap welded back on during lunch today. One to go and a couple plug wleds. Then a few minutes to put back on back and we are all done. I asked the guy what he wants for his time but he said nothing, I want to do it, but I'm thinking I should get the welder a 12 pack or something. Gift card to Subway maybe?? Anyway, I think by Wednesday night should be back together! Woo Hoo :laugh:
So here we are! Put the bike back together last night, 10:30 in the PM starting that thing up in my front yard... it was soooo loud I was almost embarassed! I said almost! Sounded friggin sweet, went up and down the street a couple of times and WOW what a difference. The difference from the partial gut mod to this is NIGHT AND DAY!! I can't even imagine goin from stock to this! Anyone thinking about doing the full gut mod... JUST DO IT!! You won't be disappointed! Any questions on how, feel free to PM me. I can guarantee that no cam corder or audio recording will give this mod justice, you'll just have to do it for yourself or find someone who has already. ENJOY!
Did the same mod and the sound is fantastic! dont hesitate to do it! did nearly the same as explained here are few things to watch for: - Be sure to cut just on the upstream side of the weld (you'll easily see the weld when you get the heat shields off, otherwise the baffle wont be separated from the can - I had to drill about a 1/2" hold on each can where there are two spot welds. There is some wire mesh that that gets hung up, but drilling these two spot welds seem to help. If the baffle doesn't come easily after cutting off the cap, try drilling those spot welds out. Even still, I had to beat the hell out of the thing to get the baffles out. - when welding the caps back remember to keep it square to the exhaust...not the cut! I let one side get a little cocked and had trouble fitting the chrome cover back on. Overall is very easy to do and sounds awesome...I was a little concerned it was going to be too loud, but it's not...sounds great!
