Essarex
Pro
With 5200 miles on the odo, I decided to inspect/replace the exhaust donuts. I found pretty much what I expected: replacement required. Unfortunately, one titanium flange was worn through and unacceptable for reuse.
So, I did what I said I would do if that happend. I eliminated the donuts from the design, something Yamaha should have done. The only drawback is it is a lot harder to install the exhaust system. With the donuts, you have this nice joint that is easy to access, once you take the seat and gas tank off. With what I did, the assembly has to happen while you are under the sled with the suspension removed. This sounds like a bad idea, but without donuts to worry about, you will never have to get to the header pipes again anyway!
So, what did I do? I went to Lowes (large chain home improvement store)and bought 4 copper splice joints, 1.5" ID. They slip over the flex head pipes once you heat them up, just like they were designed for that purpose. Once cool, they are locked on. For the titanium, you have to cut the flanges off (no going back once you do this) and then slip them into the flex pipe assemblies we just mentioned (this has to happen under the sled, suspension removed). The flex pipes work great and they will provide plenty of multi-way movement, to accomodate chassis flex.
With the snow the UP is getting this week, I may even get the chance to try this arrangement out.
So, I did what I said I would do if that happend. I eliminated the donuts from the design, something Yamaha should have done. The only drawback is it is a lot harder to install the exhaust system. With the donuts, you have this nice joint that is easy to access, once you take the seat and gas tank off. With what I did, the assembly has to happen while you are under the sled with the suspension removed. This sounds like a bad idea, but without donuts to worry about, you will never have to get to the header pipes again anyway!
So, what did I do? I went to Lowes (large chain home improvement store)and bought 4 copper splice joints, 1.5" ID. They slip over the flex head pipes once you heat them up, just like they were designed for that purpose. Once cool, they are locked on. For the titanium, you have to cut the flanges off (no going back once you do this) and then slip them into the flex pipe assemblies we just mentioned (this has to happen under the sled, suspension removed). The flex pipes work great and they will provide plenty of multi-way movement, to accomodate chassis flex.
With the snow the UP is getting this week, I may even get the chance to try this arrangement out.
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- 2009 Phazer RTX
Snowmobileaddict
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
Are you using typical (1.5" nominal) copper couplers?
Essarex
Pro
yes
apex55
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
Stupid question, are you using solder? If not how does just heating them up work?
APEX 06
TY 4 Stroke God
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- 09 Nytro XTX, 08 Apex Mtx
Heat shrink it like you do for a water pipe.
Snowmobileaddict
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
If you have to heat it up to do the "slip fit" then it seeams that it will be a loose fitting joint when the machine is up and running at normal operating temps.
This would lead me to believe that it would allow exhaust leakage.
This would lead me to believe that it would allow exhaust leakage.
Essarex
Pro
No solder, and no leak at running temps. This is because BOTH the flex pipe and the copper joint expand at running temps. When installing, you just heat up the copper and leave the flex pipe at ambient temp. You basically get one shot at making the slip fit, as any heating of the flex pipe will cause expansion and binding, and will prevent a full seating of the copper.
