V&H exhaust rant!

[psyguy]

I have recently bought a new 4-1 V&H exhaust for my '80 gs850 from partshark.com

I went to fit it today only to find out that the flares at the top of the header tubes are wider than the exhaust ports on the engine!

The difference is about 2mm in diameter, just enough that the headers don't fit into the ports. The spacing between pipes seems ok as well as general fitment / shape. The other thing is that the only way to know if the muffler fits nicely at the rear bracket is to have the header in first which is a no go atm.

From memory it's V&H model 12009 and that's what the papers and the box I received it in say, a correct part number for my application.

So, I'm thinking either I got a wrong header or it's a manufacturing defect.
To make things worse I'm at the other side of the world so product return would be a pain and possibly costly (especially as Customs are involved due to the value of the product).

Rant over.


Any thoughts, suggestions?

[rapidray]

A grinder will fix it. Sorry it happened to you but I used to be in R&D there & it is RARE for a V&H pipe to not fit almost perfectly! Ray.

[Suzuki mad]

rant on...

Why not rant at V&H and see if they will pick up the tab of sending you faulty goods. If its boxes and marked to fit your GS850 then it should. Its down to the seller and manufacturer to sort the problem not you be out of pocket.

[thausen]

V/H exhaust

You don't have the wrong part number. I had exactly the same issue on my 82 GS 850. It is without doubt a manufacturing issue. What I did that worked was take a grinder and carefully grind down the edges. I kept checking fitment and got it to eventually fit the ports. The other thing I did was make some 1" deep cuts into the muffler section where it mates to the header so that a clamp ring could be used to tighten the muffler section to the header. This also helped to secure the system better. V/H got away with murder on this pipe....check the chrome on the header section between tubes and underneath...mine is terrible quality and even missing chrome in some sections.
Todd

[Jethro]

It's unfortunate that V&H is one of the only options for a lot of these old bikes. I personally think they are absolute crap.

[psyguy]

V/H got away with murder on this pipe....check the chrome on the header section between tubes and underneath...mine is terrible quality and even missing chrome in some sections.
Todd

yes... on mine, too. also missing chrome just underneath the header pipes flanges...

it all looks like a 5 min job in some cheap labour country with no product quality control processes in place ....

[Flaming Chainsaws]

Is this what you mean?


That's all the exhaust can go in... Isn't it supposed to be like that? Or is it supposed to go all the way in?

Here's my Vance & Hines exhaust. Unsure of the model but it says Supersport on the can.

[psyguy]

What you have is a different model but that's typically how the headers sit IN the exhaust ports. Mine won't fit in AT ALL.
On mine, that thicker/wider portion of the pipes at the very top have an extra "flare", approx 5mm wider than the widest portion of the pipe.
I'll post a pic when I can.

[psyguy]

You don't have the wrong part number. I had exactly the same issue on my 82 GS 850. It is without doubt a manufacturing issue.

... which means even if PartShark offers to replace the part, the replacement may still suffer the same problem...

I think I'll go down the "get out the grinder" route. But it feels rather silly to have to make mods to a new part from a reputable brand that's been making this same exhaust for 35 years ...
Especially as you have to grind off the chrome and in doing so expose steel to rusting.

[gshub]

got a V&H megaphone exhaust fitted to my Gs1085s it fits like a glove.
no isues wot so ever.

[Yogi 1]

I put a new V&H 4-1 on my 77 GS750 end of last year and had that problem but was able to use a flat mill file by hand to take a little off so the pipes would seat against the new ring gaskets. These things happen both bike and auto after market for the price still a good deal just look what they get for a couple of straight pipes for a Harley outrageous.Yogi

[formline]

Hello, I've put V & H's on 1400 Intruder's, TL1000S's, M109's, SV1000's and yes even HD's and all of them have worked out GREAT!!! But then again maybe I'm just lucky. If V & H's are available they are always my first choice.

[psyguy]

here are the 4 offenders:



See how the pipe flares are wider than the exhaust ports. check out all the rust too!

In the end i took my Dremel and ground off 1mm of the circumference of the pipes and it all fitted somehow eventually. I am not sure though that the gaskets seal properly with that wide portion sitting against them.

[Flaming Chainsaws]

How about a picture of it after you dremeled it? And with it installed?

[psyguy]

yes. intended. waiting for the daylight.