1981 GS850 headers very tight when installing Vance and Hines pipes

[Guest]

I cleaned up the threads, installed studs and now I'd like to put on these 4 into 1 pipes.

But the header flange is really tight in the port, and I'd like advice on how to proceed.

Should I file down the irregularities on the pipes so it fits better?

Should I just muscle it in?

I called them last week but it sounded like the guy was following a script.

[tom203]

Do you mean the 4 pipes won't slip in nicely? Does any one pipe appear to be misaligned more than others? If so you could probably stick pry bar/ pipe in it and orient it better with some muscle.

[ged]

I cleaned up the threads, installed studs and now I'd like to put on these 4 into 1 pipes.

But the header flange is really tight in the port, and I'd like advice on how to proceed.

Should I file down the irregularities on the pipes so it fits better?

Should I just muscle it in?

I called them last week but it sounded like the guy was following a script.

I had to file down some of the header flange to fit the V&H pipe to the sons 850. Don't force them in just give them a bit of a filing and all will be good.

[thewozza]

I called them last week but it sounded like the guy was following a script.

So it turns out the fellah I talked to was just very chilled out. Once I took some pictures, made measurements we made good progress.

Should I file down the irregularities on the pipes so it fits better?

I sent the pictures to V&H and they agreed that the pipes were out of round, and that it was a manufacturing slipup. They offered to pay for both ways of shipping to repair this, or suggested I could take it to a machine shop to get them made round. So in theory a guy could probably grind them back, but I'm not going to do this myself on brand new pipes.

I checked into pricing on getting them fixed up locally, but it is pretty expensive ($20/pipe) so I'm going to get the pipes shipped back. V&H says I should get roughly a 1 week turnaround so that's good.

[JTGS850GL]

Ya, I wouldn't pay for something to get fixed when it was their problem. I think you did the right thing and decided to have V&H pay for the shipping and fix it themselves. At least they can't say you did something to void the warranty.

[ged]

That's good news. Can you post the pictures. Maybe I should have done that first, before filing them down. Not much was needed but when I think about it, it would have taken some of the chrome plating off where corrosion can set in.

[thewozza]

Can you post the pictures.

Yeah pictures are here:

http://imgur.com/a/vmrqr

it would have taken some of the chrome plating off where corrosion can set in.

I thought so too, but the guy from V&H seemed not to think this was a significant problem - the pipes being SS anyway. But I sure don't know, I'm just an orangutan hammering away at stuff.

[thewozza]

Bad news.

I shipped the pipes to Vance and Hines and they say they cannot be repaired, and they have to place an order to replace it which will take 4-6 weeks. They offered to do this for me, or to refund Bike Bandit which can then refund me.

I think I'll take their 4-6 week lead-time on order, but I'm going to call Bike Bandit tomorrow to see if they can come up with any other options that don't involve me waiting for a month+, or paying more for shipping/duty. I figure that these new pipes will have the care and attention that they deserved, and I won't have to take a chance on another set of pipes not fitting properly.

[thewozza]

At this point I'm just writing for therapy.

Bike Bandit says they have another set in their warehouse, and I've decided that I'd rather have them sooner or later - blow the risk on another set of weirdly shaped pipes.

So here's the bureaucratic mess of it, I need V&H to send the defective pipes back to me, so I can send them to Bike Bandit. At least it is all pre-paid shipping labels.

[blowerbike]

just a heads up for what it's worth but V&H pipes have been crap for the last few years...over a decade IMO.
they would rather sell big fat mig welded Harley pipes for several hundred a pair.

[thewozza]

V&H pipes have been crap for the last few years...over a decade IMO

That may or may not be true, but I did research the issue here and most people said that they were the best of the two options for replacement pipes.

Let's say I was to start over. My current pipes are rusted to the point that they're only good for scrap metal. I want as close to a stock experience (so no straight pipes for me) but I don't want to buy used pipes from eBay/whatever because they'll just be half-way rusted already. What would you recommend?

[thewozza]

So here's the bureaucratic mess of it, I need V&H to send the defective pipes back to me, so I can send them to Bike Bandit.

I managed to slice through the red-tape and now nobody needs to ship pipes anywhere, except to me. Bike Bandit says my next set of pipes is already out for delivery!

[blowerbike]

That may or may not be true, but I did research the issue here and most people said that they were the best of the two options for replacement pipes.

Let's say I was to start over. My current pipes are rusted to the point that they're only good for scrap metal. I want as close to a stock experience (so no straight pipes for me) but I don't want to buy used pipes from eBay/whatever because they'll just be half-way rusted already. What would you recommend?

i was a dealer for years and seen the quality go down..i am just stating facts.
the older bike guys have little choices on new pipes.
i myself would have tried to source a nice used older header but again this is me.
hopefully your replacement header will fit correctly and give you years of joy

[thewozza]

hopefully your replacement header will fit correctly and give you years of joy

I got the new pipes last week, and it had the same flaws, but this time on cylinder 2 (the first pipes had the worst flaws on 1 and 4). Tired of waiting I decided to just take a big chance and muscle them on. It was probably stupid to do, but I'm an idiot and I do idiot things. I just kept turning the bolts and that flaw (basically it's a tab on the header that goes into the exhaust port) bent, and it finally stopped moving.

So the V&H pipes are on. I took it for a ride and.............it worked! It doesn't *appear* to be leaking exhaust so I think I've got things seated against the exhaust gaskets and it runs like a champ now. No significant back-firing, and no loss of power like I had with the old pipes.

I should actually upload some pictures of the abomination that was installed on this bike when I bought it, somebody had welded their own 4 into 1 system probably in an attempt to repair the original stuff after it was all rotted out. The central collector was still part of the system, and it had a big hole in it probably about the size of a 25c piece - but the hole was facing up to the oil pan so it was impossible to see it until I got the old exhaust system off. It's all going to the scrap yard in the next run.

I was thinking though, maybe these aren't actually flaws after-all. Maybe these little flaws wouldn't affect fitment on the other range of bikes that the V&H 12009 fits, and the 1981 GS850G just has exhaust ports that are that tiny bit small enough for it to matter. Even if that's the case, I would NOT recommend using the V&H 4 into 1 pipes on a 1981 GS850G as they don't fit properly.

[wymple]

You would think they would get test fitted at the factory before being sent off.