Need Help with Exhaust!!! Please!!

[Chuckster]

I have a 1981 Suzuki GS550T. I removed the old exhaust which was rotten and I'm replacing it with another one in much better shape. I've gotten all the rust off and I'm going to paint them with some high heat black paint. My question is this. I need some new "muffler connectors" for the inner two pipes which connect to the outer two. It appears this is just some kind of cloth or textile material. But looking at Bikebandit.com, these things are $19.78 a piece (part #484931-001). That's $40 + shipping! About as much as I paid for the exhaust! Is there something else I can use that will work just as good? Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. See pic below.

[Clone]

You could use some asbestos(?) cloth, or some fibreglass cloth.

[Nessism]

I had the same problem on my 550T. Unfortunately, those seals are necessary and there are no substitutes that I'm aware of. If you are very careful it is possible to stuff them back in place (mine looked worse that yours and I got them back in). Big expensive pain in the ass for sure.

[Chuckster]

Unfortunately, I only have the one from my old exhaust. It was so crusty, I couldn't even get the other side off. The ones I bought were already disassembled and didn't come with any. So I got to come up with something.

[FireRescueMi]

exhaust

You can try making one out of steel wool. You can buy at any good hardware store in big pad form. Fashion a new one but you will need to pack it kinda tight (it is used as a gasket) this should do you well. Greg

[salty_monk]

Don't they sell jointing paste over here? If so that should work....

[gaillarry]

I had the same problem, smeared the joint with muffler cement, let it dry hard, then wrapped it with muffler tape, works great now.

[waterman]

I have not used this, but think this is basically same stuff. I have stuffed a ratty wad of original tape back into joint as Nessism did.

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/Product.jsp?skuId=430406&store=Main&catId=&productId=p430406&leafCatId=&mmyId=

If you have an automotive muffler shop nearby, give them a call, they might have something similar.

[Chuckster]

Thanks for the responses guys. Do you think this stuff will work?

http://www.xtremediesel.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1331

[Nessism]

Thanks for the responses guys. Do you think this stuff will work?

http://www.xtremediesel.com/index.as...OD&ProdID=1331

That might be a good solution. Quite a bit cheaper than the overpriced factory seals.

[spyug]

I would think you should be able to get something at the local auto parts store or, as suggested, the muffler stores.

The pipe wrap should work but I think I would coat it with muffler cement which will harden and lessen blow by as the wrap by itself is porous. You could do the same with some fiberglass cloth coated with muffler cement.

I used glass cloth and cement on my XS project and it works fine.

Give it a try.

Cheers,
Spyug.

[t3rmin]

Z1enterprises.com has them for a few bucks each. Exactly like the factory ones. Best to email them for application info -- they may not be listed on the website.

I tried everything else and there's no substitute for the real thing.